Why don't americans make an importance of education? (See below)?

Question

I'm an american born citizen. Most of my freinds are from the asian counteries. I have a Masters in Computer Science as well. I don't understand why American's don't seem to put education first. Foreigners are mostly the one's who make a deal of education.

Americans will get their B.S. degree and stop right there. Foreigners I notice will continue beyond and above the call of duty.

Answer 1

I share your frustration. We have become an apathetic culture regarding higher education. However, a college educated person is still in high demand. Thousands of companies do recognize the value of post-secondary education. And many employers expect the college educated person to have tremendous knowledge and produce immediately. Such expectations are not realistic because there will always be a learning curve. And let's consider the transition from a classroom/clinical environment to a business can be a culture shock for some.
You may want to conduct an unofficial survey of 100 people and ask them (if it was affordable) would they put a college education first? ... see how many say yes/no. I'm hoping more then 60 per cent say yes.
One challege to going to college is the cost factor ... for many families that's a sizable investment with no guarantee for immediate placement once you have the paper.
And many foreign students come from families who see the degree as a means to an opportunity and are willing to make the investment regardless of sacrifices required. That would not be the case of many Amercian families.

Answer 2

I also agree with you and think education is very important. I was just talking about that with my husband. I made him enrolled in college and explained why education is so important. I have an associate and working on a B.S. My long term goal is to obtain a master's and considering a doctoral degree. I will get back on the subject now; I think most American are lazy. They used of everything at their fingertip. They do not want to invest in the time and attend a university. They prefer to get a job and go to school twenty years later when they are not doing well. The kids prefer to play video games and parents claim to do not have time for their kids. I read to my kids everyday because it really help expand their vocabulary. My two year old talk better than some four year old. I do not want to offend anyone but, this is just things I see around me. I also notice alot of people starting to go to school from the past couple of years. I think we are making little changes in education because people want the finer things in life.

Good Luck!!!!

Answer 3

America was built on an educated foundation, our fore fathers were all brilliant thinkers. However, as the nation grew, industry took a front seat and education--no longer a necessity--took a subserviant position.

We're just now losing our industrial strength and are once again seeing a sort of renaissance in education. Teachers, who want to see their pupils suceed, have become a major voice in the push for a more educated America. All things considered, I think Americans have down-played the importance of education, but that's changing rapidly. Before too long, everyone will be wanting a college education, or more pointedly the money that comes with it, and as those degree-requiring jobs fill, we will again see a renaissance: this time in skilled labor and then trade schools will see major growth.

Answer 4

Almost everyone I know has an advanced degree or is a graduate student, including myself. Your question is leading, it should read: Do Americans make an importance of education? or: Which Americans make an importance of education? Nearly 15 percent of all Americans hold a graduate or professional degree. Education is extremely important in the United States--our pay scales reflect this. There is truth, however, that the American middle class is comfortable enough that many citizens with bachelor's degrees do not feel the need to continue their education. This doesn't reflect a low value of education--it reflects that a bachelor's degree has enough value in the United States to provide an acceptable quality of life.

Answer 5

I understand what you are saying. As an educator (who is seriously under-paid), I think we value education but not as much as we value other things in this country. I am an American citizen, but I've had the opportunity to attend schools in 2 other countries, and the discipline and seriousness with which grammar school is conducted is very different than here in the U.S. And grammar school sets the foundation for the rest of the educational experience. I think part of the issue is that it is no longer true that you need an education to get a "good" job - you can do many things now that are satisfying and pay well without a college degree, which I personalyl think is sad.

Answer 6

Because American politicans with any influence aren't concerned with education (elementary, primary or higher) - they are concerned about how much money is in their bank account and how much power they have to abuse. This is not to say that there aren't politicians that care about education, they just don't have the influence, money, or power to do anything about it.

The higher up in the system you go, the more corrupt the politicians become and the more they lust for the aforementioned money and power. They lose sight of what is right and good for this country.

That's just my uneducated opinon. I'm an observer and this is what I've observed. I'm an artist and a poet, a writer, and I've never felt college was the place for me to go - didn't want to waste the time and money to get a degree that I either wouldn't use or didn't need. I educate myself on the things I need to know now and I know it will get me far in life.

We need to put more focus on elementary eduation, though, and all of the educators we have in this country. When our kids have a thirst for knowledge at a young age they will still be parched when they reach the higher levels of education.

Answer 7

You are working with a biased set. If you look at the set of all foreign born people, you will find that they are usually less educated than the typical American. But if you only consider the ones who come over here (and usually come over here specifically to go to school) then you find that they are more educated on average.

You have to remember that they are the smartest people from their countries. You can't compare them to the average American. Instead, compare them to the smartest Americans.

Answer 8

Hmm, I have two Bachelor's degrees. One is in English, and one is in psychology. I really wanted to get a third degree in music therapy, and I even completed one year. But money was tight, and when I prayed about it, the answer came to stop and serve with what I have. Maybe we are already doing well to make our own choices. I will agree with you, however, that it is a good idea to set educational goals. Have a happy day!
P.S. It's "Americans," "American-born citizen," "friends," "Asian countries," "Master's in computer science," "Americans," "ones."

Answer 9

The government neglects the school systems, the ones pushing for better education are the teachers. The media is one-sided, just showing the decline in education.

Answer 10

The reason is that american care about education only when gives money. Other than that, what americans love is to eat cocacola and drink hamburgers.
Americans don't care for learning by itself. It has to be something that they see as profitable. Othewise, they consider it a waste of time