Insightful commentary from Peter Cappelli in the Wall Street Journal on the danger of over-specializing in college. Being a business or engineering major is one thing, but narrower specializations like hospital financing, casino management (ethics aside), and pharmaceutical marketing, can backfire. For students in all majors, broad, general learning skills (like critical thinking, problem solving, and writing) are of tremendous importance. More on this in chapter 10 of Preparing Your Teens for College. Capelli writes: … [Read more...] about Why Focusing Too Narrowly in College Could Backfire
Thriving at College
The Humanities Have Forgotten Their Humanity
Heather MacDonald unpacks how political correctness is contributing to the demise of the humanities at UCLA (and elsewhere): In 2011, the University of California at Los Angeles wrecked its English major. Such a development may seem insignificant, compared with, say, the federal takeover of health care. It is not. What happened at UCLA is part of a momentous shift that bears on our relationship to the past—and to civilization itself. MacDonald explains that the evisceration of the core curriculum (not surprisingly) results in students losing interest in studying the humanities. Victor Davis … [Read more...] about The Humanities Have Forgotten Their Humanity
Why Working Class Men Are Falling Behind
Michael Jindra writes: In my work as an anthropologist, I’ve become convinced that American lifestyles are increasingly diverging between “hyper-achievers” trained early on to succeed, and those often labeled “slackers” whose lives revolve around entertainments of various sorts. You won’t be surprised to learn that a disproportionate percentage of “slackers” are men. Males, particularly in the working class, are working less, earning less, and are increasingly disconnected from families and from society as a whole. The future prospects for many working-class men seem very dim. … [Read more...] about Why Working Class Men Are Falling Behind
Why is Student Loan Debt a Big Issue?
A picture worth a thousand words: HT: Nancy Pearcey … [Read more...] about Why is Student Loan Debt a Big Issue?
Riley Banks (17) – Short Q&A
A couple weeks ago I posted about Riley Banks, a young lady (today just 17, and still in high school) who is making a profound impact in Kenya. I had a chance to ask her how she got her start. You're 17 years old, and you've kept pretty busy. How did you come to get so involved with serving in Kenya? When I was 13 my Uncle Logan and Aunt Julie were serving in Kenya on a medical mission at Tenwek hospital. I thought it would be fun to go for a visit, to my surprise my parents thought it would be a great idea too. I gave up Christmas that year and did some fundraising and off we went! … [Read more...] about Riley Banks (17) – Short Q&A
Associate Degrees: Bang for Your Education Buck
Someone sent me this neat infographic on the benefits of associate degrees. … [Read more...] about Associate Degrees: Bang for Your Education Buck