pcp2g@bessel.acc.Virginia.EDU (Philip C. Plait) (01/23/89)
In article <191800013@trsvax> reyn@trsvax.UUCP writes: >While I agree with your sense of injustice, surely this isn't the first time >you've been subjected to a put doen by the "Degreed Only" club. I happen to >have been lucky enough to be poor enough to get reaaly great financial aid >(from Rice University). [munch munch] Sounds familiar. When I was at the University of Chicago, the standard joke was that you were either very rich to afford the tuition, or very poor so you could get aid. I think I was the only middle class suburbanite there. >I have worked with many extremely talented non-degreed engineers, and many >totally worthless degreed engineers (I have sometimes been included in the >latter category), so I know that experience is generally more valuable than >paper. [...] >So for those of you out there still in school, STAY THERE!!!! Your professors >may be worthless, and the theoretical B.S. may be totally off in left field, >and you might learn alot more in industry, BUT REMEMBER, that little piece of >paper will keep your options open, and someday you might want to exercise that >option. > Juan Good advice! I know of many people with degrees that can't tie their own shoes, and people without them that are some of the most on the ball people I know. I am currently struggling to get my MS (with a PhD looming ahead in the near future), and I have seen stats involving people with degrees. I have a great chance to get a great job if I have my PhD, a slightly less chance for a slightly less good job with a Master's, and a much slimmer chance at a job with "just" a BS. This is for astronomy, folks. I don't know about other fields. I don't want to panic anyone! :-) Unfortunately, this is all very cynical. I always thought an education was for learning, not for getting a high-paying job. I wonder if things in our society are going the way they should.... But to bring this back to sci.shuttle, I think the best chance for getting on the shuttle is to have a degree in one of the sciences. Astronomy is booming on the shuttle (even more so when the Space Telescope goes up), and one day I'd love to be on it. Until then, I'd better get back to my books! * Phil Plait PCP2G@bessel.acc.virginia.EDU * UVa Dept. of Astronomy Grad student (at large) * * "..cuz it's totally bitchin', to ride the waves and blast clay pigeons..."