The education business

Dr. Sajay Samuel, in his TED talk titled “How College Loans Exploit Students for Profit,” proposed a radical solution to the cost of higher education: Link tuition costs to a degree’s expected earnings so that students can make informed decisions about their future. Income-based tuition would get the educational community down out of their academic towers into the economic realities of life for their graduates.

What we have in play is the fact that colleges and universities are in the business of education fueled by the student loan industry. You can get a B.A. in Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations. The university has done its job by providing you with a very expensive education, but now what do you do with that degree? It’s a similar challenge for a lot of individuals with degrees who are saddled with large student loans while currently working as baristas or cashiers.

Want access to free college classes from leading institutions like Berkeley, Harvard or MIT? Then go to Class-Central, EDX, MIT Open Courseware, or Modern States. Other websites for leading edge skills at no or low cost include Coursera, Cybrary, Linux Academy, Microsoft Learn, Udacity, and Udemy.

Mike McCarty

Spokane