Thursday, May 23, 2002

Does this mean I come with course credit?

Yes, I do check my page referrals. I find the most fascinating things that way. Jason Hsu has, among his many pages, one called The Truths of Education that mentions me in the context of Shauna Gale. You may remember my response to the Yale graduate who wrote a long letter to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution complaining that her degree wasn't helping her get a job. Jason points you at several other responses, then says:
Most of the people who responded had valid points but should have directed their anger towards the sales propaganda of the Educational Establishment.
I agree wholeheartedly. Ms Gale was badly misled by Yale's recruiters and her faculty advisors, who are in part responsible for her current predicament. Her high school (and earlier) advisors share some of the blame, as well, for not teaching her how to "shop" for a college. She wasn't stupid: It simply never occurred to her that Yale's interests weren't necessarily in her best interests. Schools do not (intentionally) teach students to be skeptical of the educational system itself. Ms Gale could have brought some healthy skepticism to the table herself: That she did not is probably her biggest mistake.

At the time, I said:
It is in Yale's -- any college's -- financial interest to keep you in school and continue paying tuition. Whether you're qualified for a job when you leave doesn't affect them at all. Perhaps you've seen those late-night commercials for training institutes promising you a lucrative future in dental hygiene. Compare and contrast with Yale's recruitment brochures.
Anyway, this The Truths of Education page (I'm flattered to be included) is a collection of articles and reports describing the many ways in which schools fail (some the school's fault, some the kids'), comprising a decent "buyer beware" for the college-bound student. Would that there were many more pages like it.

No comments: