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Ask HN: Have you ever felt inferior for not being from a name-brand college?

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Re: Ask HN: Have you ever felt inferior for not being from a name-brand college?

#2
Here is the comment you're referring to: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=645316

I want to add that even if you personally don't feel inferior about it, you'll probably still feel something when you know someone else is judging you for it.

And of course, sometimes it doesn't even matter how you feel. You are at a disadvantage regardless.

As I said in the other thread, college degrees today are titles of nobility by definition, thanks to state support. Titles of nobility were supposed to have been abolished.

Re: Ask HN: Have you ever felt inferior for not being from a name-brand college?

#3

Here is the comment you're referring to: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=645316 I want to add that even if you personally don't feel inferior about it, you'll probably still feel something when you know someone else is judging you for it. And of course, sometimes it doesn't even matter how you feel. You are at a disadvantage regardless. As I said in the other thread, college degrees today are titles of nobility b…

what do you mean by "thanks to state support"? please clarify, thanks.

Re: Ask HN: Have you ever felt inferior for not being from a name-brand college?

#4
I saw both threads and I think that you're probably wasting useful energy by dwelling on this (true or not - I don't spend much time analyzing it).

At the minimum, if you feel inferior because of something like this, try to find a way to turn it into a challenge to succeed at whatever you want to do in spite of it. There are many successful people out there with non-name brand college degrees.

Re: Ask HN: Have you ever felt inferior for not being from a name-brand college?

#5
post #3

Here is the comment you're referring to: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=645316 I want to add that even if you personally don't feel inferior about it, you'll probably still feel something when you know someone else is judging you for it. And of course, sometimes it doesn't even matter how you feel. You are at a disadvantage regardless. As I said in the other thread, college degrees today are titles of nobility b…

what do you mean by "thanks to state support"? please clarify, thanks.

The state confers special privileges on degree holders that are denied to everyone else. It also regulates, funds, and grants degrees itself.

Examples include credential requirements for many different occupations, licensing laws, and job eligibility.

Of course, there are also the more "unofficial" effects of these policies. Credentialism is widespread in society thanks in no small part to the massive, state-funded school system.

Re: Ask HN: Have you ever felt inferior for not being from a name-brand college?

#8
post #3

Here is the comment you're referring to: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=645316 I want to add that even if you personally don't feel inferior about it, you'll probably still feel something when you know someone else is judging you for it. And of course, sometimes it doesn't even matter how you feel. You are at a disadvantage regardless. As I said in the other thread, college degrees today are titles of nobility b…

what do you mean by "thanks to state support"? please clarify, thanks.

all of these name-brand colleges are private, so if the state has a role in all of this, it's quite indirect, right? of course the government has a role in accredidation, grants, laws, etc., but it's hard to imagine eliminating those ... sorry, i don't want to get into a debate on libertarianism ;)

Re: Ask HN: Have you ever felt inferior for not being from a name-brand college?

#9
post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

what do you mean by "thanks to state support"? please clarify, thanks.

The state confers special privileges on degree holders that are denied to everyone else. It also regulates, funds, and grants degrees itself. Examples include credential requirements for many different occupations, licensing laws, and job eligibility. Of course, there are also the more "unofficial" effects of these policies. Credentialism is widespread in society thanks in no small part to the massive, state-funded s…

That doesn't make it a title of nobility, especially since the government also grants things like military commissions, presidential medals of freedom, and appointments to high positions all the time, all of which are more similar to titles of nobility than university degrees.

Either you're speaking metaphorically or you're pushing some crank theory, I can't tell which.

Re: Ask HN: Have you ever felt inferior for not being from a name-brand college?

#10
post #7

I only feel inferior when I haven't done enough to maximize my potential.

that's probably the most healthy attitude ;)

i suppose it's harder when you are around people from name-brand colleges, no?

if nobody around you went to a name-brand college, then of course there's no point of reference

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