ARNOLD KLING
August 14, 2011
The Top Political Contributors
August 11, 2011
Gender and the New Commanding Heights
August 11, 2011
Jamie Galbraith Makes an Assumption
August 11, 2011
Macroeconometrics: The Science of Hubris
August 10, 2011
Real and Nominal Bond Yields
BRYAN CAPLAN
August 14, 2011
The Effect of Thumb Sucking on Income
August 12, 2011
The Voice of Cold, Hard Truth to All Would-Be Educators
August 12, 2011
Ability, Morality, and Prosperity: A Paper and a Report
August 11, 2011
The Theory of Time and Frittering
August 10, 2011
Male Variance and the Remnants of the Gender Gap
DAVID HENDERSON
August 9, 2011
Hayek in "Unbroken", Part Two
August 8, 2011
Hayek in "Unbroken"
August 5, 2011
James Bovard on the Peace Corps
August 4, 2011
Summers Way Off on FDR and 1941
August 3, 2011
The "Amazon" Tax
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“But admittedly the Harvard MBA is not the prime candidate for a credentialism trap. The most plausible example is education.”
A Harvard MBA is an earned degree. You can take it for granted that such a graduate is very bright and hard working. They may be inclined to place their wet finger in the air to see which way the wind blows. Nonetheless, the credential must be taking seriously. Not so, the degree in education. This has become a total joke. The same may hold true for most liberal arts degrees. And yet, these recipients are the only ones able to obtain certain jobs.
I have yet to read David Horowitz’s recently released The Professors. He deals with the moral and intellectual corruption pervading so many of today’s universities. This work probably should be on everyone’s “must purchase” list.
One important thing to think about when considering what profit opportunity really exists: how does the military compare as a signaler? When you join, you're put through physically and mentally taxing ordeals. They administer an IQ test and check your background. And conformism is certainly stressed. So why don't employers take military experience in lieu of a degree? Or do they?
Silas - depending on the job, some employers do prefer military veterans over in-experienced college grads. I worked in telco for many years and the technicians were probably 75% military.
Just wanted to say that I found your discussions on credentialism to be the most interesting and enlightening yet on EconLog.
Keep up the exceedingly good work!
I know that the Marine my brother's hedge fund hired is very well liked.
"well regarded" would be more appropriate.
I think you're discounting the number of competencies and qualities that are signaled by an individual having completed a Ph.D. when you imply that the primary motive for a bias in selecting them is university accreditation issues. (admitted bias: I hold one.)
You're also apparently not aware of the degree to which this value niche is already exploited by universities. Have you seen the high % (and growing higher) of courses taught by graduate teaching assistants at most major universities?