[iowamark]

Dennis Clayson is a Marketing Professor at the University of Northern Iowa.

[Cheetahcat]

Look at the two worthless turds in the whitehouse there is no way they could make it in the completion that ruled the 50’s so we are called names and then have to pay for something on the level of a Idiot to sit in College.

[rbosque]

I have read that only 25% of the population has college degrees. I would agree that it’s not for everyone, especially the hard subjects. I’m an economist, but I don’t think I’d make a great M.D. On the other hand, I’ve met people with PHDs that were dumb as rocks. :-/

[updatedscreenname]

The real hard truth about college is that States are wasting money subsidizing college. No proof that the investment is worth it.

State schools should be phased into self sustaining businesses.

[Vigilanteman]

I really can’t argue with much here. Better schools are careful about teacher evaluations. One of the best tracked us for two years after graduation and asked us to do evaluations to compare against the current class results. Often, that hard-nosed professor that makes you work to earn a “B” and really work to earn an “A” provides the most valuable real life lesson.

[IrishCatholic]

It's funny, I still have my college books, but when I talk to people about their college time and the subjects they took, their eyes glaze over.

Almost always college for people devolves to a line on a resume and a penchant for a particular sports team- plus the insufferable belief in one’s own intellectual superiority.

It's why I like books and my dogs and gardening. People are great in theory, but come up short in reality.

[Last Dakotan]

There are entire areas of universities that give an automatic A to everyone unless they do poorly, and then they are given an A-minus. Much of this results from the improper use of student evaluations of teaching.

I gave an D or F to 30% of my sophomore engineering class last semester. I also have yet to bother to read the short synopsis of student evals I got tossed in my mailbox. My boss doesn't read his either.

I teach in an engineering college that has standards to uphold.

[skookum55]

The author claims college was designed for those one standard deviation above the mean in academic aptitude -- that's about 16% of the population. If 25% of the US population holds a college degree, that means 36% of those holding degrees, 1-0.16/0.25, were not qualified to go to college, at least as college was initially designed. That means that college has been dumbed down to accomodate the unqualified. Anyone who routinely hires college graduates is likely to agree that such graduates aren't what they used to be.

Don't forget the large number of kids who go to college but don't graduate. I imagine a significant portion of overinflated college costs go to social programs on campus to help unqualified students try to stay in college. By enticing those who are not qualified to go to college is an evil perpetrated by our society on those victims.

[RobbyS]

Many people would profit more from college at 30 than at 18.

[agee]

This is simply more government intervention distorting the marketplace, which will lead to disastrous results if it isn't changed. Currently the Fed is dumping something like 30 billion into student loans/lending. This creates a huge distortion and doesn't encourage schools to spend wisely. JUST like pushing easy money into the housing market lead to a bubble in that sector of our economy. The numbers are startling. If you look at other government interventions in the market place you find the same result.

  -Founding Ideals

[tsomer]

John is a brighter than average high school student, but is not at the top of his class. He is good with his hands and understands how things work. His parents send him to college to become a lawyer.

On the other hand, John may make a brilliant lawyer. Being good with your hands indicates intelligence and creativity.

There are plenty of reasons John might not seem optimal at the moment. Maybe he's got a wild hair up his butt, raging hormones, immaturity, lack of background experience, lack of self discipline, emotional trauma, emotional instability-- to name a few. But he can grow out of these impediments.

History is full of examples of less than stellar students who excelled. Tommy Franks, for example, flunked out of college-- that's why he went into the army.

How would tracking these lackluster students into some union dominated trade, and keep in mind that they have their socializing and training systems, be any better?

It's not whether or not they to college, but when they go.

[elisheba]

I taught with Dennis for 20+ years before I retired from the College of Business at UNI. Always got along great with him. We had many an interesting conversation in the hallways of the business building. Smart man, very conservative.

[When do we get liberated?]

I have to agree. I failed out of college for three consecutive semesters. Had I succeeded, I would be a lousy engineer. I was a used car salesman, worked my way upo to GM and now I work for a bank. College isn’t everything.

[napscoordinator]

I believe that completing a college degree gives employees an idea that you are dedicated to completing goals and loyal. Plus only 25 percent of the United States has a college degree so it is not like we are punching out college degrees overwhelmingly. 75 percent of the United States do not have a formal education...that is telling. No wonder we ended up with Obama. United States has to get it’s act together and get that number up to 50 percent at least. A college degree makes a person well rounded in many subjects as well.

[cranked]

Meh, Clayson may be right, but applying to a doctoral program in October anyways.....at 48 y.o.

[fightinJAG]

Even the kids this prof is saying are “college material” can do just as well or better NOT going to college, depending on their career choice.

At least not going to traditional college on a campus.

Getting started in the work world, while pursuing “college” in a meaningful way that results in a true education, is going to be the way the go.

The vast majority of people end up with jobs they could have gotten even if they had not gone to college.