Links for 8/4/10

JAMES ALTUCHER

the entire college degree industry is a scam, a self-perpetuating Ponzi scheme that needs to stop right now…

David Hiscoe

For the past few months, I've felt a strong pull to report on what university life looks like to one who has found his way back after strange travels outside the village walls. As much as I initially fought the analogy, every time I start to frame my story, I keep finding myself identifying with Rip Van Winkle…

I'm stunned by how little has changed—or rather, how much of what drove me away 20 years ago has gotten even more disturbing…

DAVID LEONHARDT

The general point here is an important one. As more and more education data is collected and more research is done — both of which are happening, fortunately — we may discover the impact of a good teacher is not as large as some economists now believe. Instead, we may realize that teachers matter, perhaps greatly, but that some of the gains we’re now attributing to them should in fact be attributed to other forces…