Is this going to be a trend? (WSJ - Palantir Thinks College Might Be a Waste. So It's Hiring High-School Grads)

[Anonymous]

You notice Peter Thiel got two degrees, right? Did you read the article and notice they still taught them stuff you learn in college and then tried to indoctrinate them towards a particular view?

Colleges and universities have their faults and things they need to change, but don’t let the Peter Thes and Palanitars of the world convince you less education is the way. Because they will not be doing the same for their kids. In fact they will bring in private tutors for their own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS got funded by YC. He took a couple of semesters off. The school is very flexible about finishing the degree because of its startup culture. Because I am so adamant about him finishing the degree he took classes during the summer and will have to go back for one more semester to finish incase things don't work out. However, the YC experience has been very valuable and there are many he knows who seem to be doing fine without completing their degree.

Yes this seems to be the trend among the really smart students .. Y combinator, Zfellows etc. Which are very hard to get, but its not a bad thing, because most of these students are at top colleges and it actually makes them look good. so they do give leaves of absense. My DS knows quite a few kids who have done this and have done very very well... so its a lottery. but becoming more common among the CS/Math eliete students. The Palantir recurits are also students who got into most of the top T10 colleges.

[Anonymous]

Most companies require a degree at some point in the food chain.

[Anonymous]

A different situation but I worked with a lot of former enlisted folks who were trained in intelligence who were making 6 figure salaries without a college degree because of their training in the military and security clearances. We highly encouraged them to get their degrees because it would boost their salaries and because we knew that there would be fewer jobs for people without degrees as the war in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria wound down.

There are niche openings for kids without college degrees to do well financially in more white collar jobs but they are rare. I can see where strong coding skills would be one of those areas since it is a fast moving industry with changes happening frequently. Experience can trump a degree in some cases. But I would encourage anyone taking that path to be working on their degree while working their job, because the degree is important for the vast majority of people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You notice Peter Thiel got two degrees, right? Did you read the article and notice they still taught them stuff you learn in college and then tried to indoctrinate them towards a particular view?

Colleges and universities have their faults and things they need to change, but don’t let the Peter Thes and Palanitars of the world convince you less education is the way. Because they will not be doing the same for their kids. In fact they will bring in private tutors for their own.

So true. Watch what these rich fools do. Not what they say. They will educate their children. They will vaccinate their children. They will not let their children sit on phones all day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most companies require a degree at some point in the food chain.

Agree. Really surprised that that Bill Gates guy went so far at Microsoft.

[Anonymous]

As usual, the article was far more nuanced than the headline.

The Palantir program seems like more of a GAP year program in practice. The article indicated that very few of the kids will get a full-time offer, and most will end up getting four-year degrees.

Putting aside any politics, it would actually be a great GAP year option...and maybe you end up getting a full-time offer and deciding to take it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm old enough to have had college roommates drop out to go work for various internet companies and search engine providers during the first dot com boom. Then when things crashed or those companies got bought up, they were just jobless guys in their 20s with no degree.

My brother was a skilled programmer in the 90s and dropped out of college to do it full time. He's still in the industry but has had some job hunting challenges since plenty of companies wouldn't consider someone without a degree despite years of experience.

[Anonymous]

I'm worried about teenagers, especially boys, being swept up this way.

What are the DOGE boys doing these days?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For most kids, I strongly believe that the supportive quasi independent structure of college is extremely valuable in the maturation process. My DD has developed so many good habits and more importantly, an awareness of what it means to take care of yourself. Academics aside, which she is also much better at in college, those four years are the ones her brain needs to launch into adulthood. I’m not saying that’s everyone’s need but I’m guessing it’s good for many.

Excellent post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Aside from Palantir, are there other companies that actively look to hire talented high school students?

It’s about time! I have a PhD at one of the largest companies in the world. We only hire folks with masters+. I have 2 teen kids with IQs 135+ and I’m convinced they are better than most my colleagues. With a tiny bit of training they could do the technical mechanics of my job. The people skills and political maneuvering is another beast but people don’t learn that in a classroom setting anyway.

[Anonymous]

I do think the higher education world is changing dramatically. We had too many people going to college and shifted to a hiring market that demanded degrees for too many jobs that never needed it. College for many kids ended up being an expensive four year party, if they graduated on time. We would be much better off with a more diverse range of options for high school graduates, including apprenticeships, training programs, graduate schemes, and not drill into everyone the only way forward is a college degree.

More companies and large employers offering internship or gap year training programs for high school graduates is a pretty good step forward.

[Anonymous]

Palantir + Peter Theil are both gross. College can be so much fun and a great way to meet people. Why skip it unless you truly can’t afford it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Palantir + Peter Theil are both gross. College can be so much fun and a great way to meet people. Why skip it unless you truly can’t afford it.

When college becomes very expensive, it is no longer as much fun except for the few who will graduate with no loans. I think the pressure for everyone to get a degree that is expensive and it being branded as the best experience or best 4 years of your life is equally gross.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't trade my education in for much. Yes there are geniuses out there that can educate themselves but having access to quality instruction and high-level knowledgeable professors is valuable. Suit yourself but having an education enriches your entire experience here on Earth as long as it lasts.