If you're a liberal, it means EVERYTHING. For rest of us, who cares. (My view anyway.) I got mine from a private university. That's the only thing I will inquire about, other than if the degree is Science-based or Arts-based. Yes, mine is a Bachelor of Science degree.

Unless you want to be in the hard sciences or engineering a degree probably isn't worth the cost vs the reward. A lot of jobs I've applied for say a 4 year degree or equivalent experience. Doing over theory is a much better teacher.

I like Howard Roark's approach. He took all the schooling he needed in engineering, but what he considered the worthless learn how to make copies of what was already a copy he said no.

A young girl I know is so proud of her AA in Psychology and her family thinks she just the smartest person in the world. They don't like it when I say it qualifies her to be an entry level HR person at the local Wal-Mart.

I'm in a unique position with regard to this topic having placed kids at both Ivy League and state schools, and teaching at both private liberal arts colleges and community/technical colleges. No offense to senior colleges, but I see many people with Bachelor's, even Master's, degrees coming back to 2-year schools to learn a skill that will result in a good-paying job. One of my current students had a network TV sports gig and gave it up and he wants steady income without having to travel 250-300 days a year. The other point I would make is that some colleges have crossed the $60,000 per year threshold in comprehensive fees. Many others, and I don't just mean the Ivies, are well into the $50,000 range. I don't care how great their endowments are; this is not sustainable. This "arms race" in fees will start to bankrupt the less prestigious colleges, much like keeping up with "star wars" helped bankrupt the USSR. Getting back to the original post, Yahoo should look for creative people wherever they come from. A lot of smart people graduate from the Stanfords of this country, but it doesn't mean they are any more creative than someone "off the boat." Of course, if they aren't looking for creative people, then Google will continue to eat their lunch.

A degree is essential for some depending upon the field one wishes to make ones living, because some fields are far too knowledge intensive to learn on the job. These are actually quite few in the real world proportionate to all employment opportunities. The notion that we all need degrees is absurd. The government elitists do not see it this way and have a vested interest in expanding the dependency on financing. There will always be people and jobs that don’t require it. What good is a degree to the guy who mows your lawn or fixes your plumbing?
Ultimately the end goal of a degree is to give one an education that is attractive to employers in your field of interest. As an employer who has hired many people over the years, I have been impressed by the inconsistency of the real world abilities of those in possession. Until the Universities teach common sense, real world critical thinking and problem solving I expect to see more applicants who can regurgitate copious amounts of data, have an inflated sense of their worth, but don’t have the common sense, or the work ethic of a common soldier. Of course there are exceptions, but the indoctrination which is prevalent in so many of our learning institutions is making this a rare occurrence. I have found I can teach anyone with average intelligence, general knowledge, common sense and a proper work ethic the particulars. Ex-military, honorably discharged always get my attention.

I would say that for a technical field college is needed to gain specific skills. But much more than that becomes redundant, and an overpriced scam. Rand's characters either dropped out of college or didn't go at all, as in Howard Roark, which is my favorite character in all her novels.

This link is one of the most popular on my site. It's a list of the most successful people who didn't go to college and it is very long. Interesting information.

http://overmanwarrior.wordpress.com/2010...

College is good if you want to learn to take orders. But it won't do much for an individual trying to learn how to step out of the herd and do something new.

Make some popcorn and give this link a view. It's an hour long. It is worth it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl7R8xIxz...

My two cents:
At first glance, one would think pedigree should matter. It is product branding, more or less.
The colleges that teach the best would theoretically produce the best product, and those graduates would be more valued by the employers.

However, it's self-evident that colleges are not manufacturing an assembly line of consistent product. The end result of education is probably over 90% due to what the student puts into the process, rather than anything special being taught at a particular college. The fact that college credits transfer so readily between institutions is a clue here. A well-driven student will likely SUCCEED in any college. A lax one will likely PASS any college. Pedigree is all about giving consideration to why a student could or couldn't get through the admissions boards of the best regarded institutions. Admissions boards have many more things on their mind these days beyond academic excellence. I don't think pedigree should matter, so long as colleges are doing things like letting Latino students in so they can meet their Latino diversity quota. Businesses ought to care about a DRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE. Pedigree is not a help - at least not today.

Also, a great many colleges do not even have as their goal the production of a graduate that will have been taught the skills necessary to operate in the workforce. That idea is just dirty to them. They think they are there to expand their students brains, not give them work skills. It's why we are a nation producing thousands of unemployed 20 year olds who majored in English Literature, History, Communications, Art, and so forth. I think the majority of the liberal arts degrees are phony, considering what the high school councellor told them they were going to college for. We are told to go to college so we can get a good job. But liberal arts colleges have NEVER BEEN ABOUT JOBS. They're happy to take your money to give you your "education", but it's got nothing to do with marketable skills.

here is the post:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2No1qU12...
my daughter's friend is the one who talks about the bus.
she is very smart and accomplished, btw

2 sides to the question. i.What do you NEED 2. when is it USEFUL
Our society stigmatizes if you don't have one, but I see it as just another 4 years to finally hone your little statist self. Ask most entrepreneurs if what they learned in college was essential to their success As DK stated, the cost to value ratio is not a great bet. As well, most college institutions are way out of touch with the private sector, and so most degrees in the liberal arts division are useless for acquiring job skills. and that is a darn shame. all of america sports huge student loans which will be the largest debt most of them have in their life. another darn shame. but it's all about the big govt big school big crony business. that said, I loved college for the most part, but paid a high price. and I didn't learn a damned thing about how to do a job or build a business or make it on my own. It was everything else I did or interests I had that helped me get jobs and/or build a business. so why the high price? answer: it's not a free market! biggest monopoly in the world.
Note: I am going beyond the obvious requirements for certain professions here and speaking generally of the education quality.

I went to VCU, and majored in interior design. BFA. I also was accepted into Pratt, but since I was paying for it myself, and resided in VA, I could only afford to go to a state school. I warred with my professor over my senior project. He was a little Korean tyrant who hated women! Erg. Sorry I got slightly off topic. ;-)