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The Case Against Education

Photo by University of Minnesota Duluth, CC via Flickr, http://bit.ly/2I7VVVZ
Photo by University of Minnesota Duluth, CC via Flickr, http://bit.ly/2I7VVVZ

Economist Bryan Caplan calls higher education a waste of time and money. He says students aren’t learning skills or critical thinking. But they’re going into debt and still not finding great jobs.

Bryan Caplan says our higher education system is a waste of time and money. Caplan is a Princeton-educated, tenured professor of economics at George Mason University. He argues though that while a degree has become indispensable for competing in the job market, college isn’t actually teaching applicable skills or even teaching people how to learn. And worse yet? Many graduates are deep in debt and still not getting a great job. Caplan join us Wednesday to make his case against education.

Bryan Caplan is a Professor of Economics at George Mason University and a blogger at EconLog. His book is called  The Case Against Education: Why the Education System is a Waste of Time and Money [In die bookstores| Amazon] You can also read his article  What's College Good For?in the Jan/Feb 2018 issue of  The Atlantic.

You can also find a critique of Caplan's book by Michael McPherson at EducationNext. It's called  The Main Purpose of Schooling: Gaining Knowledge or Earning Credentials?

Learn more about Utah Governor Gary Herbert's focus on vocational education in his proposed FY19 budget from KUER's Julia Ritchey.

Copyright 2018 KUER 90.1

Doug Fabrizio
Doug Fabrizio has been reporting for KUER News since 1987, and became News Director in 1993. In 2001, he became host and executive producer of KUER's RadioWest, a one hour conversation/call-in show on KUER 90.1 in Salt Lake City. He has gained a reputation for his thoughtful style. He has interviewed everyone from Isabel Allende to the Dalai Lama, and from Madeleine Albright to Desmond Tutu. His interview skills landed him a spot as a guest host of the national NPR program, "Talk of the Nation." He has won numerous awards for his reporting and for his work with RadioWest and KUED's Utah NOW from such organizations as the Society of Professional Journalists, the Utah Broadcasters Association, the Public Radio News Directors Association and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
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