Education is a commodity

[HelliumZ]

Although a degree from a top-tier university like Harvard, MIT, Stanford, or others opens a wider door to better jobs and salaries, nothing prevents anyone who hasn't had access to them from being successful. Those who want to learn know where to find information; education is practically at our fingertips and free. If a person is a competent professional and is constantly evolving in their learning, they can compete equally with anyone who graduated from those universities.

Those who want to, do; those who don't, make excuses!

I will never underestimate the importance of getting a certificate from a prestigious university because all those universities provide good education and are completely politically free. The courses offered in their universities are not offered by any other general university. Therefore, considering the value of the certificate, certificates from Oxford, Harvard, Stanford universities are really valuable. However, if someone enters the job market in a corrupt country after earning certificates from those universities, those certificates become cheap documents.

[Minor Miner]

A degree is just a degree, and it doesn't guarantee a decent job. And a degree doesn't even indicate a person's quality. I see many of my friends who earned degrees not through their own efforts, but simply paid someone to help them complete their final assignments.

And I actually find it quite strange that some people send their children to college, hoping for a decent job. What I mean is, this is a misconception, does college mean work? Because the world of work isn't like the world of education, even though knowledge is essential in the workplace.

Parents who have such notions are not wrong and they do not deserve to be blamed. Because look at the reality of life, how many people without degrees, without proper education are working in big companies with high income? How many people become rich and successful without a degree?

It can be seen that most of the people who live prosperous and wealthy lives have high education and degrees. Only a few people without degrees and education succeed. So there is nothing wrong with the mindset that having a degree will give you more opportunities to get a good job.

[SquallLeonhart]

One of the biggest mistakes people have is that they think "education" is just school, I mean at least the school that we know. That's not the case at all, education is learning, can happen anywhere.

Let's assume that you go out of your way and do something different, like not a school thing, because you can graduate from accounting if you want, doesn't matter, you can easily be a yoga instructor, or a personal trainer at some gym, correct? That is not something you learn at schools, there are some classes to take for PT if I am not wrong, but not for yoga, yoga is not something you learn at school, and yet you can become one.

Well it usually starts by doing yoga itself, learning from others, then you take lessons on teaching, take classes and certificates, and you become one. No school required at all, you can be a high school drop out and you can still become one. Is that not education? That person learned how to be a yoga instructor in years, that is also education.

[MarjorieZimmermanGinger]

Because the truth is there usually are generalizations when it comes to these prestigious schools. For example, Harvard. Someone from harvard would be idolized and thought of someone who is intelligent and probably has a lot of connections. Harvard sells. When you get into these prestigious schools, more than education, you are also paying for the name of the school. But why are we paying for education? To make more money. Education is an investment wherein we expect huge returns after graduation.

Because the school may already have a good name and reputation, so people who enroll there have to pay, and there may be many people willing to pay a high price to attend. Education, in essence, doesn't need to be paid for, and if you think that's excessive, there are probably many schools available that don't require large fees. I remember how middle and lower-level schools had to be so expensive because graduates there were considered competent and capable of becoming intelligent graduates. In almost all countries, one or more schools, from elementary school, middle school, high school, to university, require large fees to attend. I'm not surprised by this because that is the fact and the school has such a big name that it needs to be paid so much.

[jems]

Because the truth is there usually are generalizations when it comes to these prestigious schools. For example, Harvard. Someone from harvard would be idolized and thought of someone who is intelligent and probably has a lot of connections. Harvard sells. When you get into these prestigious schools, more than education, you are also paying for the name of the school. But why are we paying for education? To make more money. Education is an investment wherein we expect huge returns after graduation.

Because the school may already have a good name and reputation, so people who enroll there have to pay, and there may be many people willing to pay a high price to attend. Education, in essence, doesn't need to be paid for, and if you think that's excessive, there are probably many schools available that don't require large fees. I remember how middle and lower-level schools had to be so expensive because graduates there were considered competent and capable of becoming intelligent graduates. In almost all countries, one or more schools, from elementary school, middle school, high school, to university, require large fees to attend. I'm not surprised by this because that is the fact and the school has such a big name that it needs to be paid so much.

It's not just a big name but a good reputation due to proven quality that many people prioritize attending these schools even if they have to pay a high fee, I think that's normal, because every quality comes at a price.
In my country, too there are levels that can be achieved depending on financial ability and that also comes with a good school quality, If a child attends there, there's a guarantee of excelling above the average child, Therefore there's a significant impact, too in obtaining legal status from a renowned school.

[r_victory]

~snip

Having a degree in Harvard, stanford or any top-tier university stands like an open door not for some countries like Nigeria, to have a job in Nigeria you must be connected to any top management official without that your chances of getting employed are slim. Thousands of graduates with good grades in various universities come out every year with hope of getting employed but ends up selling newspapers while some managed to establish themselves in anyway they can just to meet end needs.  Not  that those certifications are bad but just that some countries corruption rate is high and things are not done based on merit but by connections.

Corruption truly hinders the growth of many people, and countries that could have better living conditions end up not enjoying the prosperity they should have. Even if I try to imagine what it's like to live in your country, only you know what it's really like. And of course, there are exceptions.

I think, it is not that a large university does not suffer a loss, nobody can refute it. The worlds and connexions there tend to be open. However, it is not correct to believe that all others are going to fail. Now you can study literally at the tip of your fingers, YouTube, courses, articles, they are all available.I believe that there is at least a way out learning by individuals who are genuinely interested in learning. And it is often observed that those who are educated in a well renowned college, yet have little to do in their job, on the other end, self educated persons are doing excellent work.

Certainly, there are many self-taught individuals who have achieved a level of success that many with degrees haven't. The issue isn't just having a degree, but what you do with the knowledge you've acquired.

I will never underestimate the importance of getting a certificate from a prestigious university because all those universities provide good education and are completely politically free. The courses offered in their universities are not offered by any other general university. Therefore, considering the value of the certificate, certificates from Oxford, Harvard, Stanford universities are really valuable. However, if someone enters the job market in a corrupt country after earning certificates from those universities, those certificates become cheap documents.

Me neither, I'd love to study at Harvard or Stanford, it would be great, the quality of education at those universities is exceptional. Besides, this website offers free courses in partnership with Harvard, Berkeley, MIT, and other renowned institutions: https://www.edx.org/courses?q=free+online+courses

For anyone interested, there's a lot of interesting stuff. 

[khiholangkang]

One of the biggest mistakes people have is that they think "education" is just school, I mean at least the school that we know. That's not the case at all, education is learning, can happen anywhere.

Let's assume that you go out of your way and do something different, like not a school thing, because you can graduate from accounting if you want, doesn't matter, you can easily be a yoga instructor, or a personal trainer at some gym, correct? That is not something you learn at schools, there are some classes to take for PT if I am not wrong, but not for yoga, yoga is not something you learn at school, and yet you can become one.

Well it usually starts by doing yoga itself, learning from others, then you take lessons on teaching, take classes and certificates, and you become one. No school required at all, you can be a high school drop out and you can still become one. Is that not education? That person learned how to be a yoga instructor in years, that is also education.

Education is not tied to schools, education is a teaching that is carried out by the director (instructor / trainer), while schools are institutions that shelter a lot of education that is carried out with a broader concept, in the sense that education is a learning process that leads to, and can not be tied to an institution or school.

It should be in my understanding to complete the case study that “people who are given learning to become instructors are included in the category of education even though it is not in the scope of school”.

[LeyMonte]

One of the biggest mistakes people have is that they think "education" is just school, I mean at least the school that we know. That's not the case at all, education is learning, can happen anywhere.

We do not understand the right thing because of knowing such wrong things. School is an educational institution from where students study and gain education. We think the opposite is the case but the matter is not like this. Students acquire education by developing their own knowledge by going to school, that is the real education. And to achieve this education, school teachers help students to gain education. We should understand that education can in no way be a product. Those who consider education a product are addicted to something corrupt, that is why they think like this.

[Dogedegen]

Funny enough: African kids run 15 miles to the school as for them it is an opportunity.
Western kids try to dodge the school as they see it as a burden. 

Western kids are completely brainwashed by technology's offering of infinite consumption and gambling like applications, social media, YouTube, video games and many more. Only rare and exceptional examples of kids these days are educated and have a working mind. It's funny how modern society is crumbling.

It's also fortunate that I didn't go to college to get a degree, because I think my skills can generate income.

I don't understand why you feel lucky not to have a college degree. To me, that is a shortcoming  and it would be a mistake if you ignored it thinking it was useless. Because think about it, if you had both the skills and the degree, you probably would have a job with a much better income by now. Or even you have achieved important positions in big companies.

Man you'd be clearly surprised at all the rationalizations that uneducated, poor or badly behaved people make. They would never accept that they have made a mistake by not studying and such stuff. Don't let it surprise you though, they are afraid to admit their own failures so they make up all kinds of stuff like this.

A degree is just a degree, and it doesn't guarantee a decent job. And a degree doesn't even indicate a person's quality. I see many of my friends who earned degrees not through their own efforts, but simply paid someone to help them complete their final assignments.

And I actually find it quite strange that some people send their children to college, hoping for a decent job. What I mean is, this is a misconception, does college mean work? Because the world of work isn't like the world of education, even though knowledge is essential in the workplace.

A degree is not equal to a degree and it is definitely not just a degree as you wrote. Clearly you have no real world experience with these matters. Recruiters at the best work places are familiar with different universities, backgrounds and will easily dismiss candidates from studying at random and easy universities over candidates that studied something difficult at a proper university. Furthermore for any good career you will fail the interview and testing stage, so cheating a university to get a piece of paper makes the person just stupid. They think that they succeeded but in the end all they did was sabotage themselves in a stupid way. 

[bisdak40]

Education is considered a right of every citizen. But has education ever been accessible? Back then only the elite was able to study. Only a few have been able to read and be considered educated. If you are wealthy you can study and even though now education has become more accessible the truth is still only the wealthy can get highest quality of education. But now schools are selling education. They are promoting the culture and prestige of their schools.

Yeah I often heard about school discrimination when like looking for jobs even though you are a college graduate but you are like in a public college some judge them. I hope that they get fair treatment because it is not just from the name of the university but the important part is the individuals skills and ability.

[CryptoBuds]

Degrees never guaranteed us immediate employment, even in our parents' time, let alone ours. Degree does not guarantee a job, it only provides knowledge, mindset and opportunities, which give us easier access to career opportunities than those without degrees.

Nowadays, degrees have not lost their value, experience and skills have never been more prioritized than degrees as people are discussing.

What is happening in the job market today is that most employers require both qualifications, experience and skills. They won't hire you if you only have a degree but no skills, and vice versa. They also won't need you if you have skills and experience but no degree. If you are lucky enough to get a job but don't have a degree, you are just a contract worker, a low level employee with no chance of advancement.

A degree is just a degree, and it doesn't guarantee a decent job. And a degree doesn't even indicate a person's quality. I see many of my friends who earned degrees not through their own efforts, but simply paid someone to help them complete their final assignments.

And I actually find it quite strange that some people send their children to college, hoping for a decent job. What I mean is, this is a misconception, does college mean work? Because the world of work isn't like the world of education, even though knowledge is essential in the workplace.

A degree doesn't guarantee a good job but like I said, it gives you knowledge, life skills and a growth mindset. From there you will have many opportunities to get a good job, opportunities to develop yourself and your career. If you don't have a degree, those opportunities are significantly reduced. So, it cannot be said that a degree is just a degree or just a piece of paper.

There is nothing unusual about that, and that view is not wrong either. No offense, but I wanted to ask do you have a degree? Do you have a stable job and good income without a degree? Because of what is happening around me and myself. Most of the people who earn good income have education and degrees, while those without degrees struggle to make a living doing various jobs.

[free-bit.co.in]

Education is not tied to schools, education is a teaching that is carried out by the director (instructor / trainer), while schools are institutions that shelter a lot of education that is carried out with a broader concept, in the sense that education is a learning process that leads to, and can not be tied to an institution or school.

It should be in my understanding to complete the case study that “people who are given learning to become instructors are included in the category of education even though it is not in the scope of school”.

Education is an activity that helps people learn and develop knowledge, skills, attitudes...education is very broad, not limited to the scope of school. In which, education in school is called formal education and all educational activities outside are called non-formal education.

Therefore, depending on the goals and type of work, we will choose the appropriate educational environment, not necessarily always formal education. However, it should be noted that everyone should engage in education and this is mandatory, as education is the only path to success.

[MarjorieZimmermanGinger]

It's not just a big name but a good reputation due to proven quality that many people prioritize attending these schools even if they have to pay a high fee, I think that's normal, because every quality comes at a price.
In my country, too there are levels that can be achieved depending on financial ability and that also comes with a good school quality, If a child attends there, there's a guarantee of excelling above the average child, Therefore there's a significant impact, too in obtaining legal status from a renowned school.

Graduates there are far superior and may affect their chances of finding employment. Generally, children who graduate from schools with good reputations usually have an easier time finding work. This is why many people are willing to pay a high price to attend these schools so that when they graduate, finding work is much easier, as is the case in my country today. It's different if we live in a developed country, where job applications are judged not only by diplomas but also by skills. However, it's different if we live in a developing country. Schools that require high fees are certainly of different quality than free, government-subsidized schools because the teacher resources there are also different.

[mindrust]

I was watching a youtube channel recently and the guy was talking to an adult woman who managed to flee North Korea. You wouldn’t believe it probably but she said till she escaped the place, she only thought there were only 4-5 foreign countries in the world. She only knew about USA, Russia, China and South Korea. She thought that was the whole world. That’s what socialism/communism does to people. Eventually they gate knowledge because they decide who learns how much. Education costs money and in N. Korea even if you receive it, it will be a twisted one. Remember fact checkers. Ministry of Truth. Soon in a country near you.

[maknyos]

A degree is just a degree, and it doesn't guarantee a decent job. And a degree doesn't even indicate a person's quality. I see many of my friends who earned degrees not through their own efforts, but simply paid someone to help them complete their final assignments.

And I actually find it quite strange that some people send their children to college, hoping for a decent job. What I mean is, this is a misconception, does college mean work? Because the world of work isn't like the world of education, even though knowledge is essential in the workplace.

Parents who have such notions are not wrong and they do not deserve to be blamed. Because look at the reality of life, how many people without degrees, without proper education are working in big companies with high income? How many people become rich and successful without a degree?

It can be seen that most of the people who live prosperous and wealthy lives have high education and degrees. Only a few people without degrees and education succeed. So there is nothing wrong with the mindset that having a degree will give you more opportunities to get a good job.

I don't blame them, I just find it strange, because when what they expect doesn't happen, they're disappointed. And not all children are responsible. I mean, how many children are serious about their studies? I see that in my environment, so I don't blame them, but rather see something that makes me feel sorry for them because it turns out their children aren't studying properly.
I do agree with you that degrees can also influence our job titles. However, it also depends on the individual whether they're willing to put in the effort and work hard, and sometimes it takes very close connections to achieve that.

[khiholangkang]

Education is not tied to schools, education is a teaching that is carried out by the director (instructor / trainer), while schools are institutions that shelter a lot of education that is carried out with a broader concept, in the sense that education is a learning process that leads to, and can not be tied to an institution or school.

It should be in my understanding to complete the case study that “people who are given learning to become instructors are included in the category of education even though it is not in the scope of school”.

Education is an activity that helps people learn and develop knowledge, skills, attitudes...education is very broad, not limited to the scope of school. In which, education in school is called formal education and all educational activities outside are called non-formal education.

Therefore, depending on the goals and type of work, we will choose the appropriate educational environment, not necessarily always formal education. However, it should be noted that everyone should engage in education and this is mandatory, as education is the only path to success.

Yes, that's true, but I don't agree that education is the path to success, the real output is education to have a better life than before, because not everyone can be successful even through education (although the sentence success has subjectivity in its perspective).

Education is important but does not guarantee success, success has many factors to achieve it.

[abhiseshakana]

Yes, that's true, but I don't agree that education is the path to success, the real output is education to have a better life than before, because not everyone can be successful even through education (although the sentence success has subjectivity in its perspective).

Education is important but does not guarantee success, success has many factors to achieve it.

Education increases the chances of success, so it doesn't automatically transform potential into achievement. The job market doesn't buy knowledge, but rather solutions, reputation, and performance. People are paid based on the value they deliver, not the value they know.

In fact, I believe success depends on:
1. Mindset and attitude as an internal foundation (self-confidence, growth mindset, resilience, courage to fail).
2. Skills and competencies as the primary tools for execution.
3. Action and discipline as engines of growth because winners work every day.
4. Personal branding and networking as access to opportunities. Skills without visibility will be invisible, while visibility plus value will attract opportunities.

[Wildwest]

I was watching a youtube channel recently and the guy was talking to an adult woman who managed to flee North Korea. You wouldn’t believe it probably but she said till she escaped the place, she only thought there were only 4-5 foreign countries in the world. She only knew about USA, Russia, China and South Korea. She thought that was the whole world. That’s what socialism/communism does to people. Eventually they gate knowledge because they decide who learns how much. Education costs money and in N. Korea even if you receive it, it will be a twisted one. Remember fact checkers. Ministry of Truth. Soon in a country near you.

North Korea is indeed very well known as a country that has very strict regulations, starting from communication with the environment and knowledge, so it is not surprising that citizens there do not know how the political situation is throughout the world, and they also have heavy sanctions if they violate existing regulations, I think it is not a matter of cost, only their country does prohibit things that can affect their lives and the country does limit it, actually in education we also have to have insight and find out what is really happening, facts and opinions they always go hand in hand so it all depends on us who want to find out.

[MFahad]

One of the biggest mistakes people have is that they think "education" is just school, I mean at least the school that we know. That's not the case at all, education is learning, can happen anywhere.

We do not understand the right thing because of knowing such wrong things. School is an educational institution from where students study and gain education. We think the opposite is the case but the matter is not like this. Students acquire education by developing their own knowledge by going to school, that is the real education. And to achieve this education, school teachers help students to gain education. We should understand that education can in no way be a product. Those who consider education a product are addicted to something corrupt, that is why they think like this.

Education is the fundamental part of our life that gives us the opportunity to learn. It creates awareness in a person about what he wants to do for improvements. In real life, a person learns alot more than just education. that's our society where people learn some special from school. While those who learn education to increase their knowledge become successful and this is real education. Education is process in which person learns and improves his thinking. School is just a place where learning is systematically promoted which improves our knowledge and behavior. teacher's job is also to guide students so that they develop the ability to learn on their own. Education cannot be bought or sold. It is a wealth with which a person improves his life and learn more day by day.

[Agbamoni]

Because the truth is there usually are generalizations when it comes to these prestigious schools. For example, Harvard. Someone from harvard would be idolized and thought of someone who is intelligent and probably has a lot of connections. Harvard sells. When you get into these prestigious schools, more than education, you are also paying for the name of the school. But why are we paying for education? To make more money. Education is an investment wherein we expect huge returns after graduation.

Gone are the days when money was not a priority. Everyone could provide the basic things of life without breaking much of sweat, politicians where not as greedy as they were wherein we had leaders rather than political men.

Now money rules everything. Like I do tell my younger ones. If you choose education, then go for the best education. Go to the best school, there you can be valued. There is nothing like normal education anymore, because it is accessible easily by many people.