Reply to Nate Silver: "Go to a state school"

Forum Index » College and University Discussion

Reply to "Nate Silver: "Go to a state school""

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]The only data he actually cites doesn’t really support his claim.

1. Public perception of higher education generally has slipped. This doesn’t support the claim that elite colleges are harmed more than state schools.

2. Polls that say private schools are not worth the cost of public. Again this doesn’t distinguish between “elite” and non elite public. Maybe people would say “yes, I wouldn’t pay for Elon but I think MIT is worth it”

3. Harvard perception. The division along political lines suggests that this is a political issue. Republicans voters have been told to hate those east coast liberal colleges and their students. But the average Republican voter isn’t hiring anyone. It would be more interesting to see a poll along socio economic and geographic lines. Do NYC republicans have the same view? That’s more relevant than people in Alabama.

Maybe the book will have more information but otherwise this seems like a whole lot of opinion and conjecture for now. [/quote]

I'm a hiring manager who has definitely had opinions of elite colleges change over the last few years. Also a graduate of an elite college myself.

Should reread his post carefully instead of jumping to conclusions. Silver speaks to everything you raised. [/quote]

+1 similarly situated hiring manager. I need people who work hard and listen to other people’s opinions, not people who feel entitled to a top spot because their parents rode them through high school and they prepped well for standardized tests.
[/quote]
Heard something similar from a research scientist. They said that state grads made better RA than ivy grads who felt cleaning equipment was beneath them, and kept touting how they went to "some elite" college.[/quote]

This is some seriously stereotyped thinking.  Some bosses don't like to feel threatened by their "underlings" too and purposefully hire for  those who seem more subservient so they won't get shown up.  Some have chips on their shoulders about schools too.  Just judge people on their merits and don't make up some generalized stories about the "elite" or "state school grads."[/quote]

I've met far more kids from Elite schools with "chip on their shoulder" than from state schools.  If I'm running a Chem or Bio lab, the entry level positions for BA/BS degrees most likely includes cleaning and prepping equipment in the job description.  Those jobs are well known for being grunt work jobs.  I want to hire someone who is going to do that job and do it well, not someone who is going to spend their days complaining that they are not yet getting to do the "real work".  Well if you want to "do the real work" you have to work your way up and most likely go get your MS/PHD.  Otherwise you start doing the grunt work and not getting paid a lot (for having a Stem Degree).  
[/quote]

Sounds like a crappy system that the "elite" students are right to challenge tbh. Why do you need a college grad for a "grunt work" job?  Bio/chem research is notorious for keeping people in low-paying environments for way too long given how challenging the major is (e.g. having to do post-docs to get a research job).  Sounds like it could use people to question the system and envision new opportunities and ways of working.[/quote]

Because along with the "grunt level work" it does include lab work that requires the employee to have a BS/BA.  It's not ALL "grunt level work" that could be done by someone with a HS diploma.  It's well known that you need a MS/PHD to do the real research work in that area.  So if you want to question the system and not do the work, then go directly and get an advanced degree.  Or choose a different career path.  
Because in reality, even with an MS, you will likely still work for someone with their PHD who is leading the research.  You will not have your OWN lab typically until you have your PHD.  I know, have a friend who has a BS in chemistry, worked for several years, then got their MS and got a better job with more interesting work, but ultimately even then, you are still under the guidance of the PHD in charge.  So if you want to make your own decisions, you go get your PHD (they are).  
Just because you went to Harvard does not mean you get to demand you are qualified to go directly to "only interesting work".  But you knew going into that major (if you did any research) that this is the path to success.

[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics