
The World Might Be Better Off Without College for Everyone - SQL2219
https://www.theatlantic.com/amp/article/546590/?single_page=true
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icodemuch
I read this and it seems to make a lot of good points..However, I'm not sure
if the fact that I'm reading this at 2am instead of studying for my Spanish
and Discrete Math exams validates or discredits the argument. I plan to review
it again in a week when I can think straight.

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two2two
I wonder what the net effect is from electronic job applications and the
addition of the college degree check box; removing the human element. Then
later filters which hiring managers use to set requirements for positions
which turn away a fair amount of people from even applying. Is this when
credentialism and education inflation began to run away?

Looking at archive.org, Facebook in 2006 said something along the lines of "A
degree in Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), or equivalent
work experience," but in early 2007 job listings contained "BS or BFA in any
field" or "M.S. Computer Science or related field" [0][1].

[0]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20060203042947/http://www.facebo...](https://web.archive.org/web/20060203042947/http://www.facebook.com:80/jobs.php)
[1]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20070210022307/http://www.facebo...](https://web.archive.org/web/20070210022307/http://www.facebook.com:80/jobs.php)

edit: where->when

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haihaibye
The reason they can use check boxes is as an easy filter, as a credential arms
race has made so many certified applicants, and the mean ability in that pool
is higher as Caplan points out (mostly due to selection, not by learning).

Also instead of being hired by a senior worker, you are hired via human
resources.

It's much easier for HR to require a degree than verifying abilities for a
particular role they have only surface level understanding of.

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839083
Education inflation is difficult to solve when assessing the value of
“education/experience currency” means having to consider “exchange rates”
between different fields (see CS vs ‘Computer Engineering’) and institutions
(potential degree mill, boot camp, well known university?). The opportunity
for arbitrage and dumping “education currency” into the market is really huge
so long as we see “education” as a single currency rather than a collection of
different ones. It would be insanity to treat all fiat currency as one unit of
value, one country deciding to print more money directly causing inflation for
the whole world. Why should education be treated any differently as a market?

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MilnerRoute
I think this is a very good point that needs to be explored more.

"The college-for-all mentality has fostered neglect of a realistic substitute:
vocational education."

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thatfrenchguy
Education should not be about marketable skills, and this is all this article
talks about...

