u/Both_Variety5933

Like... How did we get to this point? What the fuck happened to working over the summer and being able to pay tuition? Or working part-time during the academic year and being able to afford daily essentials?

I am someone who has an interest in economics; and I honestly feel that this is basically a form of generational sabotage. How is it possible for a generation to work longer and harder than ever before, having higher productivity, just to get less in return? And all while stocks soar to all-time highs and the richest in society build large metal dicks just to go up to space for a Saturday afternoon....

The social contract used to be simple, you could graduate high school and get a livable job, or go on to graduate college to get a good job. Now we got left with a situation where you can't even afford to live while working a minimum wage job just trying to earn a college degree, which may not even cover the monthly rent on its own. Now college is a necessity just to get a livable job.

I have begun to notice a trend (at least in the local economy), which I also believe to be part of the generational sabotage. With so many of us being members of the labor market out of necessity, during peak times for college (such as finals weeks), the labor shortage seems to increase (as I would assume college students begin to work less to wrap up classes). However, this reduces the available goods and services produced, which economics says in times of shortage the prices will increase, and goods will be provided to those willing and able to pay the most (which would not be us as college students). So, we're basically told to work and get some of the goods and services we need, or have an even harder time or inability to obtain them.

I also feel this pushing of an increase of society's total work onto college students reduces the benefits that a college degree is supposed to provide. The purpose of college is supposed to be to learn and become more knowledgeable, but I feel it's beginning to turn into more of a game of how to accumulate points to make grades and get a piece of paper at the end (but that's what society says is required). Like, with the time shortage, which society forces as a result of the mismatch between hourly wages and living expenses, I find myself regularly not spending as much time with course material as I would like to actually be able to make connections and understand the world better (actually learning from the material), because I have to go clock back in at work.

Shame on our societal leaders who took a well-functioning society, and turned it into a shitshow where the majority college students can not even afford to spend enough time and/or have the necessary resources to focus on their studies....

This is a topic that I have been contemplating recently; and I think their usefulness is quickly disappearing.

Back when we had a society where you could work during the summer and cover your college tuition; and then work part-time during the school year to cover basic expenses, I think these made sense, as it was ensured everyone could at least have a minimal standard level of resources. Back then, late penalties would get students ready for the work environment. But now, a good majority of students are already working regular jobs while attending college and still going into debt. Therefore, is college (with late penalties) really still representative of working and preparing students for the real world? Because if I had to work a side gig for the privilege of working at my primary job, I'd sure as hell quit my primary job!

With this level of overwork as a result of the economic situation created by the previous generations, I feel late penalties really are just more harmful to the health of students than the benefits. With more classes being moved online as a result of student preferences, caused by the shortage of time and costs of commuting, much more of the work is being on an independent basis. In that event, does it really matter if I get that assignment turned in Sunday night, or can it wait until Monday morning? Is it really necessary to stay up until 2 AM just to get it finished Sunday night? For me, college has completely torn apart my sleep schedule, just to try to meet deadlines of each class. I now sleep multiple times a day around all 24 hours of the day as a result of regurally needing to stay up late to finish something by 11:59 PM, just to have to wake up early in the morning for another class or work; but then due to fatigue, needing to sleep more in the afternoon/evening.

Also, for those of you who like Office Space: I have 4+ different bosses, Bob! In all reality, how is it practical for students to be able to always meet the demands of 4+ bosses with varying due dates, none of which are coordinated with each other? This is also not what the real world is like; there may be multiple bosses, but they should all at least be coordinated at a well-run company.

I also feel late penalties discourage learning, which is the actual point of college, not just tuition revenue. When students become more concerned with just chasing points to get a "grade," late penalties limit the incentive to actually learn the missed material, which then discourages the actual learning process.

Here's something else I recently realized about late policies. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, PCC benefits from late penalties. I'm sure there is some percentage of students, on average, who end up failing classes or withdrawing, or receiving a less than desirable grade as a result of late penalties. PCC, unless qualified for a rare exception, won't remove grades from transcripts, but they go: "Hey, if you retake the course (and obviously pay the tuition again), you can have the opportunity to improve your grade, and we'll take only the highest grade when calculating your GPA!":

PCC Retake Policy

I have to wonder to a point if PCC admin may like late penalties, knowing that they may cause problems for a certain percentage of students each term, resulting in additional retakes and more tuition revenue...

2023 Study: Over 60% of PCC Students Experience Food Insecurity, Housing Insecurity, and/or Homelessness

Do Late Penalties Actually Still Serve a Useful Purpose?