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O/T Test that Guesses Your Education Level

thinkthrice's picture

Did anyone see this cute little (very long) test? http://offbeat.topix.com/quiz/16503

I did it in my spare (ha ha) time and it confirms my worst fears. Education has been dumbed down extensively.

I graduated high school in the late seventies--took a few college courses, no degree, but was busy supporting my family ever since.

Took the test and it says I'm at GRAD SCHOOL level. Seriously? Wow I feel sorry for the young people of the past 40 years. They've been ROBBED.

Interestingly enough, no one EVER complains about the outrageous professor salaries, the money grabbing "institutes of higher learning" or the myriads of useless degrees; only about big corporations, big pharma etc etc.

Comments

ESMOD's picture

I actually have a Masters and think that education has become quite the scam. The vast majority of jobs don't need a college degree even if it is required. College became some sort of "baseline" requirement that you had to have for pretty much any job. I guess it shows that you can "complete" something beyond HS which has become a glorified babysitting area since everyone has to slog through it whether they have any hope to be proficient.

I also see higher education becoming victim to a situation where they don't have to compete or be competitively priced due to the underwriting of the government through financial aid and other funding of public institutions. I see kids allowed to rack up huge debt for majors that they have no realistic chance of getting a good paying job and even if they do get a job they are shackled to those student loan pmts.

I would much rather see students only allowed to borrow some factor of the expected salary they will earn in the first few years of work. Limits on student loans would force universities to become more competitive.

There are tons of fields that still don't require a formal education and I would like to see some of the current jobs asking for these degrees to seriously take a look at whether they truly need one. Perhaps you get a motivated 18 yo in and you train them to do the job you want. Maybe even you will pay for their college while they are working and require X number of years of employment to "repay" it?

thinkthrice's picture

I am all for trade schools. There used to be a helluva lot more of vocational training when I graduated high school. How we've digressed.

ESMOD's picture

We have to get away from the mindset that if you go to vocational classes it's because you are either a screw up or stupid.

My YSD took a few VOCO classes and they ended up having a direct impact on her getting her job after HS. The company remembered her from a "job fair" thing at the school and now she is making mid 30's at only 19 yo. Welders, electricians, plumbers, hvac All are excellent careers and both men and women can be successful in them.

Now, we are encouraging her to still take classes online through the Community College program, but her company pays for those so she will end up with no debt.

Rags's picture

I have managed the trades for much of my career and some of the finest staff and some of the finest executives I have ever worked with are former tradesmen.

I have mentored a number of my employees to complete their Journeyman qualifications then work on a degree part time through the company tuition reimbursement benefit to get their undergrad... and beyond. I put together an income maximization model in grad school that demonstrates how a four year apprenticeship resulting in a journeyman's license followed by an extended multiple year undergrad study effort while working then transitioning to professional or management roles at the 10-15 year career mark optimizes life long income.

This model maximizes the opportunity for reasonably high skilled wages and associated over time during the early to mid range of a work life when someone is young enough to put in the effort and hours then follows it with the continued steeply increasing income of a degreed professional for the remainder of a career progression.

I usually get a few college graduation announcements every couple of years from go getters I have advised and mentored in my various professional roles. That is my greatest work reward.

notsurehowtodeal's picture

What a great program! So many journeyman find their bodies wearing out well before retirement age. How wonderful if they can transition away from the physical jobs as they age.

Aniki-Moderator's picture

Hmmm...interestingly enough, I scored 100%. The 2 years I spent in college focused on psychology. Guess I'm smarter than I thunk!

ESMOD's picture

Our current academic system rewards people who are able to retain large amounts of information and regurgitate it back. That doesn't necessarily mean that they are "smart".. but may have better memories. (the two are not mutually exclusive).

Then you have people that are smart in certain areas, like math, but can't decipher people.

I also work with almost exclusively male engineers. I am often the one to come up with practical solutions... I am not an engineer.

Rags's picture

It took me about 15mimns but I flew through it and did not follow effective test taking strategy. Read all of the multiple choice options and you will do great.

Rags's picture

I got 97% Grrr, I went too fast and brain farted a few times. Once on Geometry of all things. I hang my engineeric head in shame on that one, once on Shakespeare, and the third brain fart I don't even remember what I missed.

I am primarily an intuitive though I do have reasonably strong analytical tendencies.

I have considered the pursuit of a Doctorate periodically over the years... either a Ph.D in Organizational Management or a JD but keep recalling the advice of one of my closest friends (PH.D Molecular Biology) who told me he would kick my butt if I went for a Doctorate. His advice was to call in done after I finished my MBA and put the time and focus into my family and career rather than Post Grad work.

I am considering a PH. D again primarily to prepare to move on to a working retirement following my private sector career. I would love to teach as an Adjunct Professor at a small to medium sized regional university in an amazing location... there are many I would consider.

thinkthrice's picture

I was brought up not valuing education past high school (religious cult). I found school very easy but I was swayed away from literature (too corrupting) so I didn't score very high on the lit part of the test. Science music and history, YES!

Tuff Noogies's picture

ditto, thrice. but the lit they asked about in the test was mandatory in middle and high school Wink

Livingoutloud's picture

I did it. I Think questions are all just common knowledge. Very simple. It's a joke though it says everyone has PhD. lol I have masters but I believe anyone can answer these questions, nothing to do with my degree