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That's because it used to be that <30% of high-school students would step foot inside a university, _i.e._ just getting a degree meant you were ahead of the pac
by rscho 6y ago
That's because it used to be that <30% of high-school students would step foot inside a university, _i.e._ just getting a degree meant you were ahead of the pack and well-employable.
Nowadays, literally anyone can obtain a degree. You've got to have something more to show if you want to stand out. The "more" part is poorly defined by design, of course.
To add even more to this already dismal situation, education fees have gone through the roof to ensure that smart people of low extraction don't get too much leverage against people who are powerful by right of birth.
Education has become an industry just like any other. This decadence makes me extremely sad.
- watwut 6y agoThe education fees in Italy are that high?
- rscho 6y agoFees are rising directly or indirectly everywhere. In some places (Italy) it's just the beginning, in other places (USA) the situation is drawing to its finality: the complete destruction of the social ladder.
- watwut 6y agoThat makes "education fees have gone through the roof" not really true.
- rscho 6y agoOk, interesting opinion. So compare someone from 30y ago enjoying truly free university attendance with the ability to have a part-time job on the side to a current student attending a low-fee uni that prevents its students from having jobs through presence checks and constant TAs. Still not true? I agree that the situation outside of the US is much better, though. Just saying we're on the wrong path
- jaclaz 6y agoSee my post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24157966 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24157966
- erfgh 6y agoWhat education fees are you talking about? Everywhere in Europe universities are free with the exception of England.
- rscho 6y agoNo. University is not free everywhere in Europe. Fees are relatively low but there is a sustained push to increase them. Additionally, even low fees are enough to deter the poorest since modern universities prevent you from having a real part-time job.
- jcelerier 6y agoif you are actually the poorest the only fees in France for instance are 15€ a year (and you get state scholarship every month) - the criterion currently is your parents making less than 33k€). If not it's 300€ a year for university - it's more but not unachievable either when compared to the situation in the US.
- rscho 6y agoAgreed. You also have to factor in that scholarships are far less widespread in Europe, though. The french left wing is quite strong and I doubt the situation is as good in many countries of the EU. I freely admit that I am not an expert. Just my 2c.
- phreeza 6y agoGermany introduced fees a while ago but then rolled them back.
- jaclaz 6y agoTo give you an order of magnitude public University taxes in Italy (it may vary on the specific university and region) are some 160 Euro year fixed + a "contribution" that can be between 0 and up to 3000 Euro per year, they vary on the family income examples: https://www.unifi.it/p10166.html https://www.unifi.it/p10166.html https://www.unifi.it/p11206.html https://www.unifi.it/p11206.html https://www.unifi.it/p11207.html https://www.unifi.it/p11207.html