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I agree with you on trade school. However, I would think it's often the poor who would benefit most from college, because it's there they can network with peop
by logn 11y ago
I agree with you on trade school.
However, I would think it's often the poor who would benefit most from college, because it's there they can network with people who would never otherwise be available to them. That could also provide positive peer pressure and some concrete examples of people you can emulate. And college will teach them how to learn and critically think, which might not be skills they have yet.
- TheCowboy 11y agoI think the benefit of the college network is probably the most overlooked. But while colleges might teach people how to learn and think critically, they don't teach people who aren't affluent how to network. Career centers might provide optional workshops on networking, but this isn't enough to prepare students for how to integrate socially. It can be a culture shock when people enter a competitive school and realize that learning isn't the primary objective. Some people question why it should be that people from non-affluent backgrounds should have to adapt to the culture, and it is a source of resentment and likely a catalyst for some vengeful campus politics. It's a valid concern but people should be making efforts to meet in the middle. Efforts by people with the most power, like Ycombinator going out of their way to recruit women and minorities, are an important part of the solution.