The purpose of college education

[Metric]

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Not that it'll ever happen. But yes, I'd like to see the university system shrink to half its current size, with much more severe enrollment standards imposed.

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I'm not exactly sure what this would accomplish. There is demand for universities, both on the student side and the professor side -- I kind of like the fact that there's a supply to fill it. Are you thinking of replacing it with a different-but-better system, or something?

[Duke]

How about: "It's a signaling device to employers that you're willing and able to "do things" for a somewhat extended period of time, with little or no reward."

There is nothing about a typical college education that involves complex material.

[Taraz]

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This varies too much from degree to degree for there to be any meaningful answer without differentiating between degrees.

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What about general education requirements and things of that sort? I agree that if you want to get certain jobs you will need to complete some of the training in college, but what about the idea of higher education in general?

[Nielsio]

I voted other and you can find why here:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_DRw1Ajr4o

[Aver-aging]

One of my professors, after I had expressed discontent in higher education, explained university as "an institution that serves to raise the standards of conformity for a massive amount of people." I think I agree with that statement. In general, lazy people have to gain somewhat of a work ethic (even if they are intelligent) to get through it, unthoughtful people have to become slightly more thoughtful, and in general everyone's mind is opened up a little bit more than before. Universities are a different social landscape than a mine or a factory for a reason - they are marginally effective at what they do. I guess that kind of corresponds with the options to 'socialize and function in a diverse society' and 'think critically'. It should only be 'think slightly more critically than before' though.

The training it provides for actual careers is limited in most fields, especially when you compare it to the type of training offered in trade schools, which is drastically more effective and practical even though they bring in less than Universities in revenue.

I really don't think it has to do with signaling anything to employers. Although Universities have adapted to new forms of employment, they don't revolve around them. This is obvious, since they are not entirely effective in training new employees. Initially, universities were developed by very idealistic intellectuals who wanted to do crazy things like rid society of all ignorance, inspire everyone to be philosophers and poets and all that junk. Pretty much around the same ideals as Ancient Greek or Roman schools of thought and discourse.

[Archon_Wing]

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I voted other and you can find why here:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_DRw1Ajr4o

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Oh wow... That was well said.

[Duke]

Neilsio:

Despite the fact that I think much of what you say (not pertaining to this video, mainly the other political and conspiracy stuff) is ridiculous, I think that you're a quality person. Your videos speak well of you.

[m_the0ry]

Higher education's purpose is to realize the goals of the society and the individual. The balance is determined by culture and government.

Higher education turns us into machines without free will? Oh please. That argument can be paralleled for everything from capitalism to social norms.

[Duke]

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I went with the necessary skills. I was surprised at how small of a minority I was in.

Thinking critically may happen to be one of those skills, yes. But the whole socialization, diversity, and rubberstamping thing explains a whole lot about what is wrong with how our universities work. Having spent most of my adult life at a university (state university with more or less open enrollment), can tell you about 2/3 of those who enroll have no business whatsoever being here, and something around 1/3 of those who get given the degrees STILL do did not get anything out of the experience but a piece of paper. These people NEED to be kicked to the curb, not babied along until they graduate, if degrees are going to mean anything at all.

Not that it'll ever happen. But yes, I'd like to see the university system shrink to half its current size, with much more severe enrollment standards imposed.

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It's just the semi-privatization of high school, and a lack of comprehension that many "college degree" type jobs are really nothing more than the new versions of factory jobs 10-20 years ago.

Your typical computer programmer doesn't need to know much of anything to be effective, just enough to get by and work hard. But since it involves a computer society still thinks that it's something more than a skilled trade. That's bunk. The factory jobs just moved and got a little cleaner.

This is not to say that certain types of programming and problem solving aren't difficult or demanding of creativity and intelligence, but the average guy writing code isn't that at all.

I'm hoping for the day when the university system goes old-school and turns into a bunch of people who go somewhere to study some stuff that they're interested in and do research, instead of a well-rounded attempt at High School version 2.0.

[Taraz]

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I voted other and you can find why here:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_DRw1Ajr4o

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Oh wow... That was well said.

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I agree with much of what you said in this video. Although I can't help but feel sad that you have never had a quality teacher who pushed you to think outside the box and to strive past your potential. I grant that they are few and far between. The purpose of education to me is empowerment to think for yourself and evaluate what comes your way. Unfortunately there is a lot of bullsh*t that we all have to live with.