Live data from Hacker News

ROI on a college degree depends what you study, not where

economist.com

191–195 of 195 posts

Re: ROI on a college degree depends what you study, not where

#191
post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It already does rule the world. The greatest writers, actors, musicians, engineers, salespeople, marketers and entrepreneurs nearly all mastered their craft outside of brick an mortar institutions You have a PHD in drama? Good for you. I'd rather watch a high school drop out like Leonardo DiCaprio. You have a PHD in computer graphics? That's nice, but once again a dropout beat you to it. He currently leads Oculus Rif…

Oh good, so all you have to do is be a prodigy! Sure, maybe the top 1% is self-taught (probably not, though, you're just selecting for your point). How about the next 15%?

My comment was not a guide on how you can "rule the world", in your words. I was simply pointing out that those at the very top are "self-learning".

The examples I gave should make it incredibly clear that people can and do learn enough to get to the top of their fields without going through a formal process. It doesn't mean that you will. It doesn't mean that there are no fields with rigid credential requirements. It does mean that no formal body controls education, only schooling and credentials.

>"Sure, maybe the top 1% is self-taught (probably not, though, you're just selecting for your point)."

Another thing to think about is that with or without credentials in their past, at the very top everybody is self-taught. No business school on earth can teach Zuckerberg exactly how to set Facebook's strategy. He's got to make his own curriculum.

Re: ROI on a college degree depends what you study, not where

#192
post #189

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's less than self-evident that the main purpose of education is or should be providing training to do jobs at taxpayer or personal expense.

If you are not doing a degree to get a job, why complain that you don't get paid enough for that degree?

I'm not doing that. In fact, I'm objecting to the entire premise of the link.

Re: ROI on a college degree depends what you study, not where

#193

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My oldest daughter is just entering high school and we are indeed thinking about maximizing the return on education investment. I went to school for computer science and while I have a very good and easy life, I regret not spending more time studying the humanities. I've told her about this hoping to provide another perspective than what she gets at school where they push STEM relentlessly. An investment in education…

I think there's always time for you to return to study humanities.

There is always time for you to return to study anything, but rarely is there a chance for you to spend the kind of time and energy you can spend in college on it.

Re: ROI on a college degree depends what you study, not where

#194
post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, besides that, twenty years is a lot longer than it took me to achieve.

Sure, but it's a classic time money tradeoff. If you have a large trust fund it's a non issue. Or, if you can pay for two degrees in time and effort then the second degree need not pay for its self. However, if you have two interests then gathering credentials in the one which can make more money is probably a better investment.

http://www.theonion.com/blogpost/find-the-thing-youre-most-p...

Re: ROI on a college degree depends what you study, not where

#195

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think there's always time for you to return to study humanities.

There is always time for you to return to study anything, but rarely is there a chance for you to spend the kind of time and energy you can spend in college on it.

I guess that depends entirely on how much effort you put in, in college!
Post reply on HN