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Not my point at all. Not everyone needs to go to Princeton but everyone who wants a degree and is willing to do the requisite learning should be given the oppo

Not my point at all. Not everyone needs to go to Princeton but everyone who wants a degree and is willing to do the requisite learning should be given the opportunity at a solid degree. Further, outside of some niche circumstances, most of the people who wouldn't "thrive" would be much more able if the earlier systems hadn't failed them so spectacularly.

EpicEng 7y ago
I tend to agree, but look what happened; supply went through the roof, and the four year degree is today's equivalent of a 1960 high school diploma. It's not like all of the people going to college are getting much out of it. It's just a thing you are told you have to do now. Most of my friends spent more time drinking than studying and got very little out of it. They would have been far better off learning a trade. >most of the people who wouldn't "thrive" would be much more able if the earlier systems hadn't failed them so spectacularly. Most? Maybe, maybe not. Some amount of them absolutely, but that's once again a different problem to solve, not something to band-aid over later.
- AWildC182 7y ago
  The issue with education is that it's not just about the jobs. There are lots of other positive externalities that aren't as easy to account for. Things like financial literacy, political literacy, economic mobility, and a whole slew of intellectual tools that can help them later in life regardless of job. Personally, I'm totally ok with making college just as mandatory as high school as long as it doesn't place an undue burden on individuals. Some food for thought: https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2018/11/education-gap-explains-american-politics/575113/ https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2018/11/educat... Also, we know that education rates skew heavily with SES. It's much more an issue of availability and quality of education than it is some kids being dumb or something...
8note 7y ago
yeah, going to Princeton is to tell your employees that your family is rich, nothing about your competence or knowledge learned

EpicEng 7y ago

I tend to agree, but look what happened; supply went through the roof, and the four year degree is today's equivalent of a 1960 high school diploma. It's not like all of the people going to college are getting much out of it. It's just a thing you are told you have to do now. Most of my friends spent more time drinking than studying and got very little out of it. They would have been far better off learning a trade. >most of the people who wouldn't "thrive" would be much more able if the earlier systems hadn't failed them so spectacularly. Most? Maybe, maybe not. Some amount of them absolutely, but that's once again a different problem to solve, not something to band-aid over later.

AWildC182 7y ago
The issue with education is that it's not just about the jobs. There are lots of other positive externalities that aren't as easy to account for. Things like financial literacy, political literacy, economic mobility, and a whole slew of intellectual tools that can help them later in life regardless of job. Personally, I'm totally ok with making college just as mandatory as high school as long as it doesn't place an undue burden on individuals. Some food for thought: https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2018/11/education-gap-explains-american-politics/575113/ https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2018/11/educat... Also, we know that education rates skew heavily with SES. It's much more an issue of availability and quality of education than it is some kids being dumb or something...

8note 7y ago

yeah, going to Princeton is to tell your employees that your family is rich, nothing about your competence or knowledge learned