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Wednesday, May 30. 2018

To what extent are degrees little more than credentialing?

Posted by The Barrister in Education at 14:58 | Comments (5) | Trackbacks (0)

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100% unless the major is a hard STEM.

Liberal Arts, by definition having no exchangeable value, but intrinsic value (supposedly), have always been credentialing/signaling. That in the past the Liberal Arts student learned to write and speak well was a side benefit that did assist them in advancing through on-the-job training.

#1 JK Brown on 2018-05-30 15:40 (Reply)

Nassim Taleb in a recent discussion with Bryan Caplan

"We’re living longer, so this idea of front-loading education makes no sense."

"Not skipping undergraduate. Start undergraduate later in life, age 30. Think about that model."

"You should try practice, then theory."

#2 JK Brown on 2018-05-30 18:15 (Reply)

After years or pursuing degrees and advanced degrees and touting the same to my children (only one of whom actually went the whole hog), and then working in a university, I finally admitted that college is not for everyone, and certainly not useful to all. So far, all but one of my grandchildren have found careers without benefit of a college degree, no debilitating debt, and far better earnings than most college graduates these days can boast. It took me decades to pay off my student loans. Most of the college grads these days may never manage it.

#3 RebeccaH on 2018-05-30 20:59 (Reply)

And should your grandchildren wish to become "educated" as the professors like to sneer, surely you, and perhaps they themselves, could compile the list of works to read and forums in which to participate.

QUOTE:

What we become depends on what we read after all of the professors have finished with us. The greatest university of all is a collection of books.
Thomas Carlyle

#3.1 JK Brown on 2018-05-31 09:46 (Reply)

I majored in mechanical engineering, graduating from university in 1979, and went to work for Boeing in Seattle. I soon realized that I had been ready for the technical level of the work in (not after, but while in) high school. My sheepskin was no more than a credential. I left engineering work after 2-1/2 years, so can not comment on whether I would ever have used calculus, statics/dynamics, etc. later in a career in the industry.

My education did prepare me for what I do now, translating Japanese technical papers into English.

#4 Daniel Day on 2018-05-31 00:41 (Reply)

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Wednesday, May 30. 2018

The College Scam