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Dear Dr. Respler:

I help people get jobs through my work in a department of resources and I feel a terrible injustice is being done to our younger generation. Many schools tell their students that they are eligible for college credits through the schools’ “Yeshiva Program.” These programs are sometimes affiliated with bogus schools that simply sport a post office box number, whereabouts unknown.

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Upon graduating, the students cannot compete with others who have attended legitimate schools. As a result, they basically get inferior jobs – or no jobs at all.

After working hard to do well in their classes, the new graduates suddenly realize that they possess valueless degrees. And the young wives are saddled with supporting “kollel husbands.”

I urge others to research the affiliation of schools that advertise themselves as a girls’ “seminary” or “program.” They must make sure that they are not bogus institutions that will not secure real jobs for their students. They must seek out legitimately frum seminaries and programs that truly practice the stated intent.

On the other hand, the boys’ schools seem to be affiliated with better programs, although I have witnessed some boys with degrees from inferior programs. They too are struggling to compete in today’s job market. The advantage the boys seem to have is that they can earn a bachelors degree in Talmudic law. They can then attend law school or graduate programs from accredited schools that are recognized in the job market.

This horrible situation makes me worry about the financial future of this generation. If we continue to tolerate the receipt of these inferior degrees by our children, I don’t know how they will compete in today’s already difficult economy. Parents must wake up to this reality and take action to rectify the situation before it is too late.

This fairly new phenomenon seems to be most prevalent among individuals in their early-mid 20s. I hope that your readers understand how critical this situation is. Parents need to be aware of the pitfalls faced by this generation and need to be savvy consumers as a response.

Thank you for highlighting this dangerous trend in the frum economic world.

A Fellow Jew  

Dear Fellow Jew:

Thank you for your important letter.

I was unaware that some of the colleges you speak of are not legitimate. It is integral that parents research the colleges that are affiliated with their children’s school or seminary, and ensure that they are recognized and legitimate schools that will help them be successful in today’s job market. While it’s certainly helpful that students take the fast track in pursuit of a degree, parents must do all they can to increase the chances that their children are well trained to become successful in their chosen professions. Those chances increase by being marketable upon finishing high school. Having a worthless degree via a fast track (or via any route, for that matter) is always unhelpful.

I strongly urge parents to research the value, or non-value, of the school credits their children are taking. Successful research will enable their children to receive a better education.

Your valuable letter will hopefully give our readers and their children greater awareness of this problem.

A final word: We live in a “fast track” generation whereby some students are able to obtain degrees from reputable colleges fairly quickly. Parents must guide these children/students responsibly so these degrees lead to successful careers. Hatzlachah!

 

Dear Dr. Respler:

Here are my comments on your February 28 column “The Nose Knows.”

I had a nose job at a young age and am now married to a wonderful person and, Baruch Hashem, living a great life. My husband admits that while he feels bad about it, he would not have asked me out on a second date had I not had the nose job.

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Dr. Yael Respler is a psychotherapist in private practice who provides marital, dating and family counseling. Dr. Respler also deals with problems relating to marital intimacy. Letters may be emailed to [email protected]. To schedule an appointment, please call 917-751-4887. Dr. Orit Respler-Herman, a child psychologist, co-authors this column and is now in private practice providing complete pychological evaluations as well as child and adolescent therapy. She can be reached at 917-679-1612. Previous columns can be viewed at www.jewishpress.com and archives of Dr. Respler’s radio shows can be found at www.dryaelrespler.com.