[fallingknife]

> Degrees aren’t just about jobs

But degrees are used as a gatekeeper for jobs, and the price of a degree, 4 years of lost earnings + $200K, means that the only practical reason to get one, for the vast majority of people, is to get a higher paying job. So in reality, degrees are about jobs, and universities should start acting like it.

I do share your sentiment that it shouldn't be this way, but if you tried to get rid of this system of degrees as job qualifications, the universities would be your main opponent. A degree not about getting a job would have to be more like 1 year & $20K to really get many takers, and that would be much less money and power for the university.

[creakingstairs]

I agree with you mostly. But some random thoughts.

> 4 years of lost earnings + $200K

Yeah I forgot how much US universities cost. I did a double major in LLB and BA and my student loan at the end was less than 50k including some living costs.

I can see why people in US are more focused on job qualification side of a degree if the opportunity cost was that much.

[seoaeu]

Yeah, anyone saying that you shouldn’t think about money when making perhaps the single largest expenditure in your life* probably doesn’t have your best interests in mind.

* admittedly, a lot of people buy homes that cost more. Still probably in the top 5.