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Entry: The Great Education Bubble Link: http://www.takimag.com/blogs/article/the_great_education_bubble#26086 Post contents: I agree with the author's analysis, but I think there's an additional degree of complexity that needs to be considered. This isn't so much an issue of good college v. bad college. Sure, there are plenty of marginal institutions around these days, but their status alone does not determine the chances of their graduates. As someone who is graduating from a very good college this week, I've found that many of my friends have had significant difficulty getting jobs while others have gotten Fulbrights, excellent starting jobs at large corporations, and great grad school offers. If one relies exclusively or almost exclusively on his degree to market himself in applications, he is going to be in for a rude awakening. A degree alone won't guarantee very much. You need to be active, engaging in leadership roles, getting involved on campus, finding quality internships or summer work, and you must be able to get high-quality letters of recommendation. Too often, students simply ignore this and think that going to college will get them a job. I know students who have attended lesser institutions and done just fine. They worked hard and did what they needed to get ahead. Sure, there may be some employers that are prestige whores, but students at less rigorous institutions will be fine as long as they put in the extra work and don't expect their degree by itself to get them where they want to go. Those who attempt to skate by on their college degree, and sometimes meager internships, are the ones who seem to end up in entry-level jobs with pitiful hours and pay. They're the ones who become "white-collar factory workers" and wear suits to work even though they make less than their mechanic or plumber friend. They often sit in tiny cubicles for large portions of their career and devote their time to meaningless work, all the while making a few others very wealthy. Those who take advantage of college, put in the extra effort, and graduate with stellar resumes and prestigious job offers are the ones who I think have the opportunity to lead a far more interesting life. Overall, while I agree with most of your analysis, I think the college name on the degree is less important than the qualities, drive, and motivations of the individuals who earn them. The problem is that so many marginal individuals are spending time in four-year programs and racking up absurd amounts of debt when they would be better off elsewhere. Sent at: 2008 07 24