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From: Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@cruzio.com>
Newsgroups: sci.electronics.design
Subject: Re: degrees
Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2024 13:07:12 -0700
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On Sun, 20 Oct 2024 14:15:06 -0400, Joe Gwinn <joegwinn@comcast.net>
wrote:

>On Sat, 19 Oct 2024 22:14:47 -0700, Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@cruzio.com>
>wrote:
>
>>On Sat, 19 Oct 2024 20:04:53 -0400, Joe Gwinn <joegwinn@comcast.net>
>>wrote:
>>
>>>On Sat, 19 Oct 2024 16:28:21 -0700, Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@cruzio.com>
>>>wrote:
>>>
>>>>On Sat, 19 Oct 2024 08:58:06 -0700, john larkin <JL@gct.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>https://cms.zerohedge.com/s3/files/inline-images/Which_Degrees_Are_Worth_the_Most.jpg?itok=WW54ovtk
>>>>
>>>>Thanks.  Graphics are nice, but I like to see where the numbers come
>>>>from and are the numbers current?  Looks good so far:
>>>>
>>>>"Which College Degrees Have The Best Return On Investment?"
>>>><https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/which-college-degrees-have-best-return-investment>
>>>
>>>The Wall Street Journal now published an annual survey of colleges,
>>>rating then on how long it takes for the added earnings to pay for the
>>>cost of the schooling received.  Turns out that there are some good
>>>deals ... and some really bad deals.
>>>
>>>Joe Gwinn
>>
>>Thanks.  Looks like WSJ is ranking colleges by more metrics than just
>>the return on investment of a college education:
>><https://www.wsj.com/news/collection/college-rankings-2024-4007c39b>
>><https://poetsandquantsforundergrads.com/news/wall-street-journals-2025-best-colleges-in-america/>
>>
>>I graduated from California State Polytechnic University Pomona, which
>>is #21 on the list:
>><https://poetsandquantsforundergrads.com/news/wall-street-journals-2025-best-colleges-in-america/2/>
>>However, judging a return on investment was a problem for me.  I
>>graduated in June 1971, just after the end of the space race and in
>>time for the collapse of the aerospace sector.  I ended up fixing
>>2-way radios and odd jobs for a few years until the industry
>>recovered.  
>
>A recession will definitely affect cost recovery time, and the best
>one can do is to use the same time period for the comparisons, thus
>mitigating the major effects of recession, but not the secondary
>effects due to differential effect on the various kinds of industry.
>
>Joe Gwinn

True.  However, the priorities, available funding (grants),
educational policies, politics, etc all had a very big effect on a
students choice of college, curriculum and what the student did after
graduation.  During the late 1960's, the war in Vietnam generated
large numbers of aerospace and military jobs.  At the same time,
eligible males had to contend with the draft.  I probably would not
have attended college were it not for the draft.  The choices were go
to college, enlist in the military or get a war related job that
qualifies for a deferment. A similar WSJ survey during the 1960's
would probably have included the best college or degree to provide a
draft deferment.  

The space race semi-officially ended when we landed on the moon in
1969.  By 1971 there were few military contracts (and sub-contract)
needed to generate jobs.  President Nixon stabilized the economy by
implementing a price and wage freeze.  By the time we finally left
Vietnam in 1975, there were quite a few of my fellow graduates with
hourly jobs.  When asked about the value of an engineering degree,
they would point to the miniature diplomas printed on toilet paper.
<https://www.google.com/search?q=+toilet+paper+diploma&udm=2>
After the draft ended, the only group that seemed to value their
diplomas were the foreign exchange students from Iraq.  They valued it
because it was a major disgrace to not graduate.


-- 
Jeff Liebermann                 jeffl@cruzio.com
PO Box 272      http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Ben Lomond CA 95005-0272
Skype: JeffLiebermann      AE6KS    831-336-2558