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Like a lot of recent grads, Trina Thompson has yet to find a job. But unlike everyone these days, Thompson is suing her college for $70,000.That's right. The 27-year-old New Yorker -- who graduated from Monroe College in the Bronx -- wants her tuition cash back. She claims that her school didn't fulfill their promise to help grads find jobs and prepare them for the Real World. A rep from the college claims Thompson's lawsuit has no merit.
Sigh. Where do we even begin? First, we're in a recession, sweetie. This means you've gotta get out there and make things happen. For yourself. Career services are a nice resource, but that's exactly what it is: a resource. One of many. At the risk of sounding like our mom, the only person responsible for your future is, well, you. But not to worry -- we're sure having this outrageous claim on your record will have employers flocking to you. Just make sure the job description entails buck-passing.
Does this lady annoy you as much as us? Or does this claim actually have cred?
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Saturday 05 September
By PZFireman
I have to agree with Teresa. The real problem with the lack of jobs is pretty simple. Let's say a country, we'll call it CHINA for simplicity, makes a ton of widgets that it has to sell to pay for more oppression. Well, the problem lies herein where the stuff the country makes is of little value or too costly for its citizens. What does it do??? It sends billions of dollars to another country where the citizens have lots of disposable income, but they want a bargain! What is this money for though??? Well, it is for lobbyists to change the laws so everything that is manufactured there is environmentally too damaging. Since the people in this country are so into believing everything the media tell them they actually feel wrong for producing any product. Truth be said though if the amount of pollution in the United States increased TENFOLD overnight it would still not be half as bad as the pollution that China makes.
They want us to stop making products to compete with their cheap crap, and since the only education that most Americans retain after school is that if x < y buy x. If people actually understood the facts before saving that nickel at China-MART our economy would not be the way it is. Boycott Wal-Mart, Target and any other superstore that is not responsible enough to purchase American goods.
Use your brain and question those that are supposed to be watching out for your interests. Hold your elected officials ACCOUNTABLE for what they do. Don't let them give you the old double-speech about how they voted a certain way for one thing to help win support to pass something else. I guarantee that the something else was the one of the lesser value.
There is no quick-fix here to end this recession but if the citizens of America start buying Made in USA products, start thinking on their own, and start taking care of their own before worrying about what is happening to someone else 10,000 miles away the United States of America will again be the greatest country on earth. If all we turn into is a country of consumers and not producers, I think you can see the whirlpool in that big porcelain bowl that holds what is in store for our country.
GOD BLESS AMERICA!
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Wednesday 26 August
By Catherine
Totally trying to get out of working. the college-fulfilled it's promise--if there are no jobs, they can't find one...welcome to the REAL world!
I hope Monroe fights for everything they're worth or higher education will be the next bankruptcy we see on the local news at 10.
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Wednesday 26 August
By Former Monroe College Stuent
In years gone by the "norm" was, "The more an education you had the better". If this woman can't find a job with the help of the school, does she know anyone in her profession? Monroe had hired post graduated students before.I know that for a fact. Have you appied to work at the college? Have you tried out of the state of New York? In life, In America, nothing is impossible. Suing has become a United State kind of thing. That's one reason we are in the financial way we are. Even from the jails. The most rediculouse one come from there.
When the people with money are also feeling the squeeze, then it's not just you. Suing is getting you a bad rap. It has cost you more bad then good in the long run.
Refocuse, why d id you wanted your college degree? What good did you intend to use it for? If you can"t find a job con't your education. The more letters after your name - will get you the respect you are looking for.
From a Former New Yorker, think outside the Bronx. There's a whole world out there that might want what you know and pay for what you want to give.
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Saturday 29 August
By Out of work
On one side of the coin I agree that kids who make no effort have less chance of success in life, but I also have to say that schools are guilty of fraud. I graduated in 1987 with a BA in Education w/a minor in Sociology. I worked as a teacher for two years and then went back to school in the nursing field. I have been working in the nursing field for about 20 years. I have excellent references, copies of excellent performance evaluations, criminal background check which shows I am "clean", and I have been out of work since January 2009. I have been looking for work and have found there is no work. I tried applying as a camp counselor at preschools, but with most people being layed off, losing their homes, and can not find work, they do not have money to send their children to summer camp. Also, these same families do not even have money to send their children to preschool, so the schools are not hiring. Some schools are even closing their doors. Nursing agencies, nursing homes, and hospitals are not hiring due to people losing their health insurance can not get medical care so there is no need for staff. Also, when I was working, all my clients at that time were medicaid waiver patients. With the economy, the state is accepting very few new clients. The clients that the state has already, the state is reducing the clients approved hours or are stripping the client of their benefit which means no care due to no money. So that is why I am layed off along with thousands, if not more, like me. I have looked in the employment section of the papers and seen large adds from schools advertising that you will get a job if you get a medical degree from them. This is false advertising because I have a medical degree and with my excellent performance evaluations, references, and desire to work hard, nobody is hiring. I even called one nursing home dirctor who was nice but informed me that they were not hiring, instead they were getting ready to lay off the majority of their staff. Now on a different twist, I applied to a public school because they are hiring, and even with my teaching degree,medical degree which requires me to be able to teach the client and family if necessary, my excellent references, and my performance evaluations, clean criminal background check, the school system did not want my application. They would not even look at it. I could not understand why they would not even look at it, and then somebody who works for that school system told me. The school system does not care if you're qualified to teach or not. All they care about is social status. Another words they do not want me because I do not know anyone in the "in crowd". If I knew a congressman or the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, they would hire me. This employee told me that the school system and pretty much any company you apply to for a job is political, and unless you know somebody, you are not going to be hired. I believe it. Now as for this kid who is suing the school. If she can show proof that the school clearly was fraudulent in its advertisement promising a job, then I say go for it. I have seen the same adds but with different schools and it's a scam to swindle you out of your money, because in the end,even with excellent grades, THERE ARE NO JOBS!!! So, Ms. Thompson, go for it.
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Monday 31 August
By Shrum
I graduated from Miller-Motte Tech College back in 07, the promised me job placement before I even graduted. Did it happen hell no, Ive been out of college for 2 yrs now every job I got I got on my own, everytime I call or go up to the school to see if they know of any jobs they don't have anything. The school's are supposed to have business contacts that they know and can call up and tell the busiiness, Iv'e got so and so student here that is graduating, I was wondering if you had any job openings and if so what do you think about interviewing them. But no it doesn't happen all the college representitives that help find jobs do is sit on there buts all day and check thier emails and get on myspace, facebook, and tagged, and once every week they get on careerbuilder, monster, or craigslist to look and see if they can find jobs to call and tell the students about. Now why would anyone want to pay over $20,000 for an HVAC/R (Heating Venting Air Conditioning and Refridgeration Degree for the job placement person to sit there and do that, WHEN I MYSELF DO THAT EVERYDAY AND WAIT ON SOMEONE TO CALL ME BACK
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Tuesday 01 September
By Allen Louis
What degree does the young lady hold ????? Something an employer would be interested in or just a "feel good " degree??? Just because you have a BS or BA behind your name doesnt mean you really are qualified for the work force .
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Tuesday 01 September
By Matt James
This unfortunate college graduate is yet another in a long line of young people in today's American society who have had the misfortune of having their parents, other family members, and/or society in general shelter them from experiencing what it is like to fail and be accountable for themselves. Coping strategies that once included picking yourself up by the bootstraps to continue to work for what you want in life have now been replaced by complaining to Mommy or Daddy, Attorney at Law because "this just isn't fair." Didn't anyone explain to this young woman that, lo and behold, life is inherently NOT fair? Oh wait, they didn't, because she grew up in the same society that gives trophies to every single Little Leaguer on every single team, no matter how poorly they played. Apparently "Generation Y" stands for "Generation 'You're all winners.'" Oh yeah, speaking of Little League baseball, here's an article about a mother who had no other choice but to turn to a lawsuit to cushion the pain that are the cards that life dealt to her son. Enjoy. http://www.silive.com/northshore/index.ssf/2009/08/staten_island_mom_settles_suit.html
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Tuesday 01 September
By Matt
This unfortunate college graduate is yet another in a long line of young people in today's American society who have had the misfortune of having their parents, other family members, and/or society in general shelter them from experiencing what it is like to fail and be accountable for themselves. Coping strategies that once included picking yourself up by the bootstraps to continue to work for what you want in life have now been replaced by complaining to Mommy or Daddy, Attorney at Law because "this just isn't fair." Didn't anyone explain to this young woman that, lo and behold, life is inherently NOT fair? Oh wait, they didn't, because she grew up in the same society that gives trophies to every single Little Leaguer on every single team, no matter how poorly they played. Apparently "Generation Y" stands for "Generation 'You're all winners.'" Oh yeah, speaking of Little League baseball, here's an article about a mother who had no other choice but to turn to a lawsuit to cushion the pain that are the cards that life dealt to her son. Enjoy. http://www.silive.com/northshore/index.ssf/2009/08/staten_island_mom_settles_suit.html
Reply
Tuesday 01 September
By audreyp100
I actually wanted to cmment on the writer. I'm used to reading the article, and that is it. I think this writer actually is using her tools extremely well by asking us our opinion. Thank you, hope to read more of you work!
Oh, and, as a college student, I know there is little hope in finding a job right now, and I wouldn't blame my school. College education is needed now-a-days, and she should be HAPPY she got it done now, instead of when the industry is booming and she cannot get a job because she doesn't have the credentials. Just wait, I would love to see a new article about how she is suing because of the publication of her story and the smearing of her 'good' name, which is why she can't get a job now.
How long did she even look? 2 months?
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Tuesday 01 September
By Trena M
I think her lawsuit has merit if the college or program she was paying for promissed her gainful employment after she graduated. I enrolled in a program that promissed internships as well as job placement upon completion of the program. Out of a class of 66, not one of us has found a job in the field we were going to school for. I had taken it upon muself to print out the advertisement and kept a copy of the schools comitment page that was to be a part of our file. When the subject came up the school denied any such claims. Students had to prove that there was such a promiss. The school has since revised their website and claims to have no knowledge of any such promisses. When I and my attorney approached them with the paperwork, they were shocked. I received a full refund. I didn't keep the paperwork because I am a suspicious person. I did it because it seemed to good to be true. And it was!
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Tuesday 01 September
By Trena M
I think her lawsuit has merit if the college or program she was
paying for promised her gainful employment after she graduated. I
enrolled in a program that promised internships as well as job
placement upon completion of the program. Out of a class of 66, not
one of us has found a job in the field we were going to school for.
I had taken it upon myself to print out the advertisement and kept a
copy of the schools commitment page that was to be a part of our file.
When the subject came up the school denied any such claims. Students
had to prove that there was such a promise. The school has since
revised their web site and claims to have no knowledge of any such
promises. When I and my attorney approached them with the paperwork,
they were shocked. I received a full refund. I didn't keep the
paperwork because I am a suspicious person. I did it because it
seemed to good to be true. And it was!
Reply