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Comment by renewiltord | Hacker News Reader

Universities have to do all this proxying for a good education because they are unable to demonstrate the primary value: making you valuable to society.

If they did, they could simply publish "Median income distribution for graduating students by degree achieved". They currently sell a common lie: that there is a roundedness or completeness to education. This is common wisdom and false.

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The only degree that doesn't force a "well rounded" education is aerospace engineering. They start on their major course work right away. How many of those guys are out of work? "Well rounded course work" is just a money sink and wastes two years. Most of the major course work that matter you don't get to until junior and senior years. All you really need are those last two. First two are a waste.

Out of curiosity does the also mean Aerospace engineering degrees are cheaper, or are those 2 years replacwd by even more major work?

that's why a strategy I've heard that helps to reduce cost of higher education is to take as many of the courses that you can at a community college where those credits can transfer over to the university of your choice.

FWIW, my university does do this. The college of engineering here publishes a yearly report that breaks down statistics about the graduating class (post-graduation plans, salary statistics, etc.) for each major.

This is wonderful. I checked your profile and couldn't tell where you go. Would you mind sharing?

University of Michigan

go blue baby, when i was a student in the CoE and having the standard "I'll never make it!" anxiety I'd take a peak at that report every now & then and feel just fine, lol

Thanks, brother.

They would need the value before to do that which isn't exactly easy to gather and prove meaningfully.

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