rich dad poor dad thread

Re: [spiers] Education

Jay,

30 years ago you had to have 2 years of foreign language to get out of high
school, today you need one year of foreign language to get out of Princeton, and
you can get even that requirement waived at Princeton, and every year people do.

A high school diploma from Madison High School in Brooklyn 30 years ago was
tougher academically than a Brooklyn College diploma today. A Boston Latin or
Andover (high schools) diploma 30 years ago were tougher than a Princton diploma
today. So yes, I am claiming that a present day Williams College or Princeton
University liberal arts degree is equivalent to a high school diploma 30 years
ago. I would only clarify that the statement is accurate in each category. A
Madison High diploma 30 years ago was NOT tougher than a Princeton diploma
today, but a Boston Latin diploma was.

30 years ago Princeton and Williams College were exceptional, and today they are
exceptional. The point that all education has gone very much downhill is not
exceptional; the faculty at the schools will tell you that. That the free
market could match a Princeton bachelors degree today "more better cheaper
faster" I have no doubt. University of Phoenix has already done so at the
"Brooklyn College" level, the argument I was making earlier is the Princeton
level is still open to competition.

Education is a standard item in free trade worldwide. Indeed, imported
scholarship is one of the critical elements in economic development. Look at
the impact the humble Ramanujan had on British mathematics, not to mention the
economic dynamism brought to USA by immigrants.

The opportunity to do good while doing well is wide open in education in USA,
and anyone who agrees I recommend competing against the Ivy League schools, for
their students.

John



John,

If you are claiming that a present day Williams College or Princeton
University liberal arts degree is equivalent to a high school diploma 30
years ago, I vote that you refocus and limit this e-mail forum to your
import/export expertise.

Jay Schuyler


On 5/30/06 6:13 PM, "John Spiers" wrote:

> Martin,
>
> Congratulations, and you'll allow every father his pride in his daughter's
> graduation this June,
> as I was when my daughter graduated from UCSB 2 years ago, and I swore to
> anyone who
> would listen the UC Santa Barbara was on par with Berkeley now, and no longer
> a party
> school.
>
> Take any school, even the celebrated Williams College, and the scope and
> sequence of today
> is not what it was 30 years ago. Even St. John's out of Annapolis and Santa
> Fe ain't what it
> used to be. I'd bet my money I am right.
>
> John
> On Tue, 30 May 2006 09:49:37 -0700, martin@mendiola.us wrote :
>
>> > John,
>> >
>> > "What is missing in the market place is a bachelors degree in the
>> humanities, a classical
> liberal arts education. A bachelors degree today is roughly equal to a high
> school diploma 30
> years ago... and a liberal arts education is simply not available in usa,
> like soap. You
> have to make your own to get it."
>> >
>> >
>> > Our daughter just graduated in June from Williams College in Massachussets.
>> An excellent
> liberal arts private institution probably unmatched in the world.
>> >
>> >
>> > Martin Mendiola
>> > 305-445-2525
>> > Martin@Mendiola.US
>> >
>> >
>>> > > -------- Original Message --------
>>> > > Subject: [spiers] Education
>>> > > From: Richard Ingels
>>> > > Date: Sun, May 28, 2006 12:12 pm
>>> > > To: spiers@yahoogroups.com
>>> > >
>>> > > Richard,
>>> > >
>>> > > Not off topic at all, education is a service that is wide open... in
>>> fact i wrote a masters
> thesis on self-supporting noncredit education 20 years a go, and hte field is
> far wider today
> than then.
>>> > >
>>> > > The best model is the University of Washington Experimental College, and
>>> all of their
> records and business plans and budgets are public domain information.
>>> > >
>>> > > the best free-market success story is the University of Phoenix, and
>>> continuing
> education instructor who became a billionaire when he realized govt education
> missing the
> adult market.
>>> > >
>>> > > It seems to me Quilting, Tai Chi, Quickbooks, massage, small business,
>>> astrology,
> astronomy... all that is covered. What is missing in the market place is a
> bachelors degree in
> the humanities, a classical liberal arts education. A bachelors degree today
> is roughly equal
> to a high school diploma 30 years ago... and a liberal arts education is
> simply not available in
> usa, like soap. You have to make your own to get it.
>>> > >
>>> > > Accreditation is the Berlin Wall of education, so the trick would be to
>>> offer a hardcore
> liberal arts degree, unaccredited. Work thru the trivium and qaudrivium in 36
> courses over 4
> years, using those first rate scholars who by bad luck did not get one of the
> govt-limited
> professorships at govt schools. offer a bachelors degree superior to what you
> can get at
> stanford of harvard, at about $12000. Market it to those who simply do not
> need a medallion
> degree, but would like to be educated.
>>> > >
>>> > > There, Steal my idea.
>>> > >
>>> > > John
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> > > John,
>>> > > This is off topic from import/export I realize, but there is no adult
>>> > > education continuing education within 25 miles of my town. I wanted to
>>> > > explore setting up a local community school where those with expertise
>>> > > could share with those interested and maybe make a few bucks (and
>>> > > perhaps pay myself some for setting it up). Quilting, Tai Chi,
>>> > > Quickbooks, massage, small business, astrology, astronomy, etc.
>>> > >
>>> > > I know you've been working with your university experiment and was
>>> > > wondering if you had any tips. Nonprofit? Grants? Private for profit?
>>> > > How much to charge? How to advertise? How to do sign-ups (all online?).
>>> > > I was thinking eventually I may be able to make a movie of the really
>>> > > good presenters to sell as a how-to or self-help video course. I should
>>> > > mention I live in a community with a high percentage of educated
>>> > > retired folks.
>>> > >
>>> > > Is this something that is way bigger than I realize and not at all
>>> > > worth it except through the city or county or activity center or senior
>>> > > center? Or are there any models of this where someone has done it
>>> > > privately and made a few bucks in the process (plus getting to sit in
>>> > > on the classes for fun)?
>>> > >
>>> > > Eventually I would offer the online courses (such as yours) as well and
>>> > > was wondering what is required to do that. I know I signed up for your
>>> > > course through the local community college in another city where I used
>>> > > to live but don't see that offered around here anywhere.
>>> > >
>>> > > Maybe your next book topic? Do you foresee a time where we will be
>>> > > taking courses from overseas colleges who can offer it cheaper? At
>>> > > least for the non-credit type? I wonder if at some time we will have a
>>> > > US accredited overseas college we can attend online and get a degree
>>> > > for a fraction of other colleges (import). Or perhaps the opposite and
>>> > > have foreign attendees online at a US accredited college (export) for a
>>> > > full degree?
>>> > >
>>> > > Richard
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> > > Compete on Design!
>>> > >
>>> > > www.johnspiers.com

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