Major-Tom wrote:Ifreann wrote:Isn't it? There are rather a lot of people who have studied monetary theory but not philosophy and who are nowhere near as rich as Soros, perhaps his knowledge of philosophy has given him an advantage.
I don't understand the back and forth here, the 50s were a different time. In the US, at least, I reckon it is difficult to get a high-paying financing job if you majored in philosophy.
Not that liberal arts degrees are irrelevant, they still hold their relevancy. We just ought to do a better job telling students in those programs, "look, here are the job paths you have with (x) degree, don't assume that you can just become a high-paid member of the intelligentsia out of college."
I'm more of the bent: "do what you love best, because that's what you will most enjoy a career from. Unless you have the marks for Medicine, then do that and if it's too hard drop out and come back next year."
That does sound absurd, but it's what you could do with free college. And the Medicine example is chosen because nobody is going to get 5 or 6 years of Medicine on the taxpayer. Or Law, etc. But the first two years free, or if you drop out half way through the first year, transfer EdCreds for a year and a half of your second choice. Then you change your mind again, and want to become a nurse? Some units from your aborted Medicine course might help.
Actually, since I mentioned Nursing. The pay is alright but the hours are terrible, so removing the cost barrier of education to enter it can go on top of the 2 year entitlement everyone gets. So you've got your 2-year piece of paper for Consumer Design but still haven't found a passion for widgets? You can still change your mind and train up for free ... if you want to be a Nurse. Or how about a Teacher?
Letting students decide what they're interested in, is ultimately better for capitalism than trying to guide the students towards skills that will be in demand at first hire, two, three whatever years ahead. There is more flexibility and potential for new growth
for capitalists in a labor market oversupplied in "useless" skills, than in a labor market oversupplied in the skills that were in demand a few years ago. And some students will still make their choice based on expected future earnings; let's not try and funnel them all that way.
Disclaimer: I had a free University education and somehow messed it up. I passed First Year. I passed Second Year (pips were squeaked). Problem being, it was a 3-year BSc degree, I had a mental health crisis and gave it up. Worse? I later found out that any time in the next 10 years, I could have taken Third Year with no penalty. I just didn't know that. So are fools made.