Underemployed UMass-Lowell graduate offers to return degree for refund HAMPDEN — When Haley Convertino graduated from college two years ago shouldering $25,000 in student loan debt, she wasn’t too worried. In fact, she was so filled with optimism she left the University of Massachusetts at Lowell two weeks before graduation, after she had banked her final credit. Read more: Underemployed UMass-Lowell graduate offers to return degree for refund | masslive.com
She got a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology with Minor in Nutritional Science Um .. that's a problem. They never ask these people why they choose their specific degree and if they knew the job prospects were going to be slim when they graduated. It was her choice to go for that degree. I also found this listing her "coursework." I don't see a lot of good jobs with this coursework. Coursework in Advanced Human Nutrition, Anatomy and Physiology 1 and 2, Child and Adolescent Development, Introduction to Disability Studies, Lab Methods in Nutrition Assessment, Oral Communications, Social Psychology, Sport and Exercise Psychology, Sustainable Development, Theories of Learning. Haley Convertino's Page - Nantucket Works
I thought that you went to college for the experience and to become a well-rounded learned individual? If its one thing this current generation of college kids can do is self-promote and get their name out there, can't they? Maybe there might be some money in self promotion and telling the world you failed. Good luck sweetie.
If degreeinfo.com got half as much publicity as these articles then the world would be a much better place. Well at least when it comes to higher education.
Ok, I know this young grad is not completely serious about her offer to UML, but wouldn't she be absolutely crazy to trade $25K for her BA? I mean, how far would the $ get her, especially given that she'd be less employable after the deal? If it were $125K, yes, but $25K isn't a bad deal at all.
What are your thoughts on Facebook with your students? I imagine you do not "friend" any of them. To be honest it would be tempting if for nothing more than the absolute train wreck some of their facebook lives would be. Does your district have a policy on social media interaction with the students?
Let's see...she could sell her diploma and transcripts back, but how will she return the knowledge and information gained in her courses? Perhaps, if U. Mass had one of those Men in Black "flashy thing" memory erasers... "Hey, did you flashy thing me?"
Meaning, she didn't get a bad deal in the first place (BA for $25K), so wanting to sell it back is not real smart. Now, if she was underwater $100K or more or something like that....
The article says she has $25K in student loan debt. It did not say how much her degree cost. On the UML website it says full-time, in-state tuition and fees is $45k for 4 years excluding room, board, books, etc. Out-of-state is double that. She may have got a scholarship as well because she was a "Division II Collegiate Track Athlete" per the link I posted above Student Financial Services
I've had several of my undergrad students friend-request me on Facebook, and I always politely decline, saying it isn't proper while we have that professional relationship. Some who have graduated (and therefore there is zero chance I'll have them as students again), I've accepted their friend requests, mostly other police officers who I "hit it off" with. Now, if I taught high school, no way, no how would I get in any way involved with current or former students, until at least 10 years after they graduated.
I hear ya. And truthfully, that college (and its professors) know EXACTLY what kind of job prospects are open to undergraduate psych degree holders. I'd be willing to bet, that someone at sometime actually TOLD her that she'd need a graduate education to actually BE a psychologist/therapist/etc and she didn't listen. Heck, my community college offers an AA with a "major" in psychology. What can you do? <shrug>
What is the incentive for a college to refund a penny? There isn't one. What will a college do with a "returned" degree? It's not as if graduates forward a "cut" of all future earnings.....oh wait, that might be an interesting strategy....hummm tuition royalty back to the college after graduation.
