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We've had a few previous discussion on this and peripheral subjects. Here's a good one: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6224982 https://news.ycombinator.c

We've had a few previous discussion on this and peripheral subjects. Here's a good one: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6224982 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6224982 I'd also invite you to read my comment on it: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6226836 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6226836 The "studied the wrong subject" stuff has surprisingly come up in this thread, so I'll just sum up the answer to that one here: 'About the suggestions that these people studied useless subjects: true, many of them did. What, however, would happen if they all decided to go into STEM instead? Assuming they all did amazing, we'd wind up with a glut of people with degrees in "good" subjects, which does nothing to magically create jobs (having a STEM degree does NOT mean you're going to start a company!) - it only helps where there are shortages. Once those are filled, we're back where we started (and wages may get pushed down due to a talent glut.) That's the best case scenario, too. What would be worse? What would the reality likely be? If everyone did rush into STEM, a good portion would fail out (not everyone is cut out for it. Really, some people just do not have the attitude, mindset, demeanor, worldview, interest, etc.) and be left with no degree (or they'd switch to one of those useless ones) and still be debt - right back where we started again. For some real world examples, just look through some other discussions on HN about this subject about people in countries who DO exactly this and they're stuck with unemployed and underemployed STEM grads up the wazoo.'

dragonwriter 13y ago
> (having a STEM degree does NOT mean you're going to start a company!) Having studied STEM subjects sufficiently to get a degree increases the probability of you being able to serve as technical (co-)founder for a company in a technology related field. It doesn't do anything magically, but there is plenty of reason to expect that, ceteris paribus, more-STEM graduates => more and better innovative technology companies.
EpicEng 13y ago
You'd probably end up with a lot of people who have the degrees but, in practice, aren't very competent. I don't subscribe to the belief that anyone can do anything they chose as long as they try hard enough. Individuals have individual skill sets, and some simply aren't all that skilled. My thought is that many of the people enrolling in college should actually be pursuing a career in skilled labor.

dragonwriter 13y ago

> (having a STEM degree does NOT mean you're going to start a company!) Having studied STEM subjects sufficiently to get a degree increases the probability of you being able to serve as technical (co-)founder for a company in a technology related field. It doesn't do anything magically, but there is plenty of reason to expect that, ceteris paribus, more-STEM graduates => more and better innovative technology companies.

EpicEng 13y ago

You'd probably end up with a lot of people who have the degrees but, in practice, aren't very competent. I don't subscribe to the belief that anyone can do anything they chose as long as they try hard enough. Individuals have individual skill sets, and some simply aren't all that skilled. My thought is that many of the people enrolling in college should actually be pursuing a career in skilled labor.