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If the student loan default rate is high, they are accepting too many. That's a metric that would work today. A metric that might work in the future is to loo

If the student loan default rate is high, they are accepting too many. That's a metric that would work today. A metric that might work in the future is to look at employment and job satisfaction. > You just need to trust people to act vaguely in their own interest, and society's interest, most of the time and to trust that things will work out. Sure. And I want free college, and progressive taxation. I also advise that we do a far better job of publishing and thinking about career opportunities and satisfaction. Maybe even to the extent that schools should seriously consider whether it's responsible to accept X majors.

justin66 8y ago
> If the student loan default rate is high, they are accepting too many. It's fun to think about how screwed up a society would become if it did simpleminded, authoritarian things like reduce the number of seats for education students because teachers defaulted on their student loans at a higher rate than business students, and opened up a corresponding number of spots for business students. There are so many factors affecting that default rate other than society's need for graduates of a degree program... Here's an idea: make sure people who are intellectually capable of succeeding in a degree program can choose the major they want. Support them financially if they need it. Full stop. > I also advise that we do a far better job of publishing and thinking about career opportunities and satisfaction. Maybe even to the extent that schools should seriously consider whether it's responsible to accept X majors. So much of what you're talking about already exists.
- VikingCoder 8y ago
  > So much of what you're talking about already exists. That's why I said "do a far better job of ... thinking about"
RandallBrown 8y ago
Schools don't necessarily know your major until your junior or senior year. Are you proposing a system where a school would accept you, decide there were too many of your preferred major, and kick you out or choose another? The other option would be to force 17/18 year olds to choose their future careers while in high school.
- VikingCoder 8y ago
  > a school would accept you, decide there were too many of your preferred major, and kick you out or choose another That happens all the time. So, yes.
  - RandallBrown 8y ago
    I guess the difference is that the school was previously limiting you based on their resources, which is understandable. It would be a totally different thing if they said "You can't go nursing school because there are currently too many nurses and it might be hard for you to find a job, even though our classes are half full."
    - upvotinglurker 8y ago
      Presumably their class sizes would also be a responsive part of the system (so they wouldn't be half full).

justin66 8y ago

> If the student loan default rate is high, they are accepting too many. It's fun to think about how screwed up a society would become if it did simpleminded, authoritarian things like reduce the number of seats for education students because teachers defaulted on their student loans at a higher rate than business students, and opened up a corresponding number of spots for business students. There are so many factors affecting that default rate other than society's need for graduates of a degree program... Here's an idea: make sure people who are intellectually capable of succeeding in a degree program can choose the major they want. Support them financially if they need it. Full stop. > I also advise that we do a far better job of publishing and thinking about career opportunities and satisfaction. Maybe even to the extent that schools should seriously consider whether it's responsible to accept X majors. So much of what you're talking about already exists.

VikingCoder 8y ago
> So much of what you're talking about already exists. That's why I said "do a far better job of ... thinking about"

RandallBrown 8y ago

Schools don't necessarily know your major until your junior or senior year. Are you proposing a system where a school would accept you, decide there were too many of your preferred major, and kick you out or choose another? The other option would be to force 17/18 year olds to choose their future careers while in high school.

VikingCoder 8y ago
> a school would accept you, decide there were too many of your preferred major, and kick you out or choose another That happens all the time. So, yes.
- RandallBrown 8y ago
  I guess the difference is that the school was previously limiting you based on their resources, which is understandable. It would be a totally different thing if they said "You can't go nursing school because there are currently too many nurses and it might be hard for you to find a job, even though our classes are half full."
  - upvotinglurker 8y ago
    Presumably their class sizes would also be a responsive part of the system (so they wouldn't be half full).