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How to game the U.S. higher-education system

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Re: How to game the U.S. higher-education system

#21

Post by InclinedPlane »

krschultz wrote: post #11

"Here's what I view to be the optimal path: Go to a cheap (but flagship) state school (e.g., Penn State), enroll in the Honors program (due to great high school grades), pay virtually nothing, and then (marginally) get into an incredible Master's program at a school like Princeton; " What? Penn State for non-residents is $35-40k. I agree with his sentiment but Penn State is not a cheap school unless you live in PA, i…

"flagship state school". He means your state, "Penn State" was just an example.

Re: How to game the U.S. higher-education system

#22

Post by jerf »

jdrock wrote: post #13

So.. gaming the system equates to studying well and working hard? That's.. not what's usually meant by "gaming"..

"Congrats: you're a Princeton grad. For $60K. You gamed the system: you got the pedigree for just one years' tuition, at a school you probably couldn't have been admission to for undergrad."

Emphasis mine.

Re: How to game the U.S. higher-education system

#23

Post by jedberg »

mquander wrote: post #8
tiber wrote: post #7

Wow 2009 called and wanted your shitty irrelevant website back.

user: tiber created: 23 days ago karma: 1 about: Former K5er, /.er, digger Too bad you didn't put your phone number in there, or I'd give you a call and ask for advice about how I can stay on the cutting edge of the Internet like you.

At least he didn't taint the reddit name too. :)

Re: How to game the U.S. higher-education system

#25

Post by metamemetics »

linhir wrote: post #17

I just want to note, as Brown grad (he specifically points to Brown rather randomly), that unless your parents are "rich" but won't give you any money, you will never have 100k in debt from Brown or any "elite" school. That's just not how it works. Now I'm not saying you don't leave with debt--most of my friends have 20k or so in debt. I have about 9k, but that not the radically high number that is being quoting. The…

If I started a business and someone in their late 20s is still talking about how they went to Harvard rather than how they've used their time since graduating, I wouldn't hire them. The only thing the degree does is get you an interview you should have got through networking.

Re: How to game the U.S. higher-education system

#26

Post by xilun0 »

gaius wrote: post #14
mayank wrote: post #9

From TFA: > that's why profs shy away from foreign students: they can't contribute to discussions. In a field like computer science, or indeed any engineering, I haven't known a single professor to "shy away" from foreign students. To put it bluntly, they wouldn't have much choice if they did. The author prefaces his comment with "I don't mean to be a bigot", but unfortunately, just saying that doesn't mean what you…

Most technical terms are English regardless of the language. When I was an undergrad we had a bunch of Greeks on my course, and when talking amongst themselves it sounded like malaga malaga second differential malaga malaga surface area... You could understand them perfectly. (malaga IIRC translates as "loser", the Greeks insult each other a lot).

I'm not sure you can generalise: for example Math can be done 100% in French (and is usually taught like that in France, at least up to the undergraduate level). I've no doubt in other languages too. Computer science is a little harder, but also doable. But I would say most people deeply engaged in the field of computer science also know the English terms regardless of their mother tongue.

Re: How to game the U.S. higher-education system

#27

Post by TGJ »

Muzza wrote: post #2

"In most careers, a Master's degree is required". Really?

That's what I've heard from my professors. Bachelor level gets you working in the lower levels with the possibility to move up fairly small. Masters get working making more money and are the ones considered for promotions over any others barring PhDs.

Re: How to game the U.S. higher-education system

#28

Post by mturmon »

ubernostrum wrote: post #10
bobf wrote: post #5

I used a similar idea for my YC application answer to the non-computer hack question. Basically, I hacked the traditional education experience and graduated in 2.5 years, with ~$8500 of loans (without any scholarships/reduced tuition), and with lots of great work experience (I worked full time during school). Although I wouldn't advise this route for everyone, it worked out extremely well for me. Here are a few tips…

All of this raises the obvious question: what thing of lasting value did you gain from doing this?

The above is a utilitarian approach: what's the path from here to the degree that costs least in $ and time. I'm not wired that way -- but I have to respect that bobf is making choices right for him.

As I get farther away from university, I get more glad that I spent a lot of time in out-of-discipline coursework. I foresee that feeling deepening with age, because it's a fact that it's hard for many reasons to have a wanderjahr once you have a spouse, a house, a kid, a hard job, a history of acting a certain way.

I fear that the utilitarian approach might, for some, become akin to the concept of technical debt, except for your life and philosophy. You can consider those hard questions now, or you can wait til later. But later, it might be much harder.

Re: How to game the U.S. higher-education system

#29

Post by ubernostrum »

bobf wrote: post #20
ubernostrum wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

All of this raises the obvious question: what thing of lasting value did you gain from doing this?

I'm not sure if you're referring to getting a degree, or approaching it in the way that I did. I won't try too hard to convince you that a degree is important, but it introduces you to think about things in different ways than you otherwise would, lets you meet people you wouldn't otherwise meet (girls, networking opportunities, etc), provides opportunities for internships or jobs you wouldn't have otherwise, forces…

I have a degree in philosophy, so I'll use a story from that field to relate what I'm getting at.

The usual lead contender for the title of "first philosopher in western history" is Thales of Miletus. There are a bunch of probably-apocryphal stories about Thales; for example, it's said that he once was gazing so intently at the stars that he failed to look where he was walking, and fell into a well.

For this and other similar incidents, Thales was ridiculed by some of his fellow Milesians, who felt he never did anything productive. So, using his observations of the weather as a guide, he predicted an unusually good season and bought up all of the island's olive presses, making a fortune when the harvest came. Having proved his point, he went back to the things which actually interested him.

Re: How to game the U.S. higher-education system

#30

Post by bobf »

mturmon wrote: post #28
ubernostrum wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

All of this raises the obvious question: what thing of lasting value did you gain from doing this?

The above is a utilitarian approach: what's the path from here to the degree that costs least in $ and time. I'm not wired that way -- but I have to respect that bobf is making choices right for him. As I get farther away from university, I get more glad that I spent a lot of time in out-of-discipline coursework. I foresee that feeling deepening with age, because it's a fact that it's hard for many reasons to have a…

That's why I majored in business, instead of CS/IS/etc :)
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