A College Degree is necessary to be a full participant in a lifetime in the pursuit of truth.
gabriel Collettof CA1:58PM October 31, 2008
Ah, yes statistics. There's a famous saying: "Statistics are like a drunk leaning against a lampost - they are used more for support than illumination."
Ray Marx1:57PM October 31, 2008
I am personally one of many college dropouts "who make more money than these teachers." (50 Cent, If I Can't)
31 and making $76K/yr as an IT professional compared to someone my age making $40k in some other industry because he was lazy and wanted a psych degree with no prospects for an advanced degree...yeah....
I suppose if I finished, I could make that $20k-40k more...but I'm socking money away in my 401k and Roth IRA. I think I'll be ok. :)
Chrisof NJ1:55PM October 31, 2008
Seriously it all depends on the degree. I am shocked that this figure groups those who major in History with those who major in Finance. There is an obvious gap in their earnings over a lifetime and a gap in the ability to find the jobs they want in their field.
It all comes down to my dads favorite saying, " you go to college to get a job, not to learn". Those of us who followed my dads advice are probally getting a lot better then a one million dollar return on their investment. Those who lets say majored in general studies... not so much.
Johnof MI1:52PM October 31, 2008
College is not just about getting a high paying job. It's about proving yourself and being accomplished. It's about contributing to the common sum of humanity. I am sure the author is aware of that but she places too much emphasis on simply the monetary value of a college degree, as if that's all that matters.
Kyle S.of WI1:47PM October 31, 2008
Excellent point, Manny. Although I must admit that, ironically, it was my college studies of philosophy (Hume) that really drove this point home for me.
I continue to be amazed at how many studies are done that fail to consider the possibility that the causation is actually reversed or that there's a third factor present that is actually the cause of both things being considered.
Johnof TX1:25PM October 31, 2008
It's also true that, to a certain degree (much more among low income students with no help than with upper-middle and upper class students with family connections/resources) a college student who finishes his college degree is self-selecting. These people already pretty motivated to do better, and figure out ways to get there, than those who don't even start college to begin with. If all universities and college/graduate degrees magically disappeared suddently from the world, most of the people who were smart and motivated enough to attend college/graduate school and come out with a diploma(s) would still be successful--monetarily or otherwise--in society. In fact, that was the case for most of human history, and the past is littered with extremely successful people (the Medicis or the Astors, the Medicis of Italy, the conquerors of whole nations, Edison, Aristotle, Plato, etc.). So this article is somewhat missing the point about what the true value of a college degree is. As with the first poster, I agree that it's truly what a college graduate makes of it.
Mannyof NY12:35PM October 31, 2008
The author says that a college degree is not worth what it use to be. I believe that a degree is what you make it. If you don’t use your degree then of course it’s not what its worth, but if you use your degree to the fullest potential then it could be worth millions. A degree is what you make it.
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Fred of ME 1:58PM October 31, 2008
gabriel Collett of CA 1:58PM October 31, 2008
Ray Marx 1:57PM October 31, 2008
Chris of NJ 1:55PM October 31, 2008
John of MI 1:52PM October 31, 2008
Kyle S. of WI 1:47PM October 31, 2008
John of TX 1:25PM October 31, 2008
Manny of NY 12:35PM October 31, 2008
Bryan of GA 9:39AM October 31, 2008