Re: Spinoff: Do you think you can tell what level of education a person has from reading their posts?

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Posted by nov04LIbride

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Posted by Goldi1021

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Posted by sweetadeline

It's not necessarily 'better' to get a Ph.D. from Harvard, or 'better' to learn common sense after dropping out of high school and living by one's wits.

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You are right. My sister has an IVY education and I do not. Guess what? We work in the same place and do the same job. The paper they give you means nothing. It is what you do with that paper that has meaning. I for one can take my diplomas and make a hat, a brooch or a pterodactyl.

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I see your point, but these posts about ivy league confuse me. I went to an ivy league school, my brother went to an ivy league school, my cousins all went to ivy league schools. We didn't go because it is a guarantee of future financial success, or a guarantee of future success in general, but because those schools pushed us harder than many others, and because were surrounded by some of the best and brightest minds in the country. Not everyone who goes to an ivy league school does it to become a CEO or work on Wall Street (though many do), and obviously graduates from other schools, or who haven't attended college can achieve the same success. My brother then went on to an ivy league law school, and was editor of the law review there, but is now clerking for the Supreme Court. While it is one of the most competitive law jobs in the country to get, I suppose if someone judges success by how much you make, he made the wrong decision since he could be making much more at many law firms in the country. My ivy grad friends all work hard, but their degrees were not necessary to get them where they are. I have friends who are teachers, teaching next to graduates from Stony Brook who paid a lot less and did much less work to get their degree, but I know none of them would say their degrees were wasted.

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I am sorry if I left a bad taste in anyone's mouth when I spoke of Ivy League educations. It is certainly an achievement and not any more or less so than a degree to someone who did not attend such a college.

I am agreeing that a person's level of education does not define success, nor does the money they make. My father was drafted to serve his country in WW2 and spent his 18th B-day in the army. After his tour of duty, he came back to NY with nothing more than a high school education, took over his father's retail business and was able to buy a house and pay for 7 college degrees for his children with not so much as one loan. Now that he is gone, his investments make it possible for my mother to live comfortably. It was his practical street smarts and innate business sense that made him a success, and not the level of education he achieved. Now those of us with these multiple degrees struggle to make ends meet. It frustrates and confuses me.

Re: Spinoff: Do you think you can tell what level of education a person has from reading their posts?

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Posted by suven

I always felt like I made the wrong decision when I turned down the Ivy education (for fear of financial ruin because of the high tuition/loans). Instead, I went to a well-respected state school.

I have to admit, my friends who went to the Ivy's had a MUCH BETTER college experience than I.

However, they owe approx $100,000 in student loans, live back at home, and are earning $35,000 per year, and can't afford to go to grad school. (I plugged through my BA and Master's at the state school)

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This just sounds odd....So ivy league=$35,000 year jobs, while state schools really make the money at the end? Wow, hope this news doesn't get out or ivies will see their enrollment go way down. None of my friends are making that little, but even if they were, it would be by choice, choosing something like teaching inner city or something like that. I certainly felt more doors opened for me with an ivy league degree, and was making over $70,000 my first job out of college. I graduated my college in 2000 and the average starting salary of graduates university-wide was $55,000. I know that is a great deal higher than the starting salaries of the state university where I work now, which is the best on Long Island. And I paid back all undergrad loans in 4 years, went to a state school for my Master's for free, and am now working on my doctorate, and also in that time bought a home and paid for a wedding. I'm not looking for a pat on the back, I'm just saying it is silly to say everyone who went ivy then can't afford to go further if they choose too. Even if you were making $35,000 year, if you were living at home with very little expenses you should be able to save and pay down loans and afford graduate school. And most PhD programs have fellowships so everyone I know who went full time paid nothing for tuition and were given stipends to live. My brother who went to an ivy undergrad and law school paid off his loans from both in two years in corporate law, and now has a lesser paying job he loves since he doesn't have to worry about paying off loans anymore.

Re: Spinoff: Do you think you can tell what level of education a person has from reading their posts?

R.

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Re: Spinoff: Do you think you can tell what level of education a person has from reading their posts?

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Posted by coopersmom

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Posted by nov04LIbride

Further, I think any idiot can get a Master's, and any motivated idiot can get a doctorate!

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I guess I'm a motivated idiot who is going to make sure her posts are not too haughty and don't sound too erudite.

BTW: Many people start their doctorates because they think that 'any motivated idiot' can do it... in the end they find out that not all can! That must be why there are so many ABDs (All But Dissertations) out there.

Let's not slam those of us who value education and don't just get it because they 'need it' for their jobs.

JMO

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If you read all my posts you would see that I am in a doctoral program. But I do feel that any idiot can complete a dissertation if they are really motivated. It's not that hard, it is just tedious. I think the ABDs lacked the commitment and drive, not the intelligence to complete it.

Besides, I am not slamming those who value education--I work in a university, my father is a college president, and my mother is a college dean. I'm just saying a degree has nothing to do with intelligence.

Re: Spinoff: Do you think you can tell what level of education a person has from reading their posts?

all I know is the my FH only graduated from HS and he makes more money in a month then I do all year with my BA

My bro who went to Lehigh (graduated 2 years ago- still no job- no work ethic)- is going into the same field and My little sis boyfreind who went to Gettysburg works for my FH

and of all of us my Dad who has a masters- said if he ever opened a company he would hire my FH first

so basically I think it's more the person then how many years they went to school for that counts

Re: Spinoff: Do you think you can tell what level of education a person has from reading their posts?

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Posted by coopersmom

BTW: Many people start their doctorates because they think that 'any motivated idiot' can do it... in the end they find out that not all can! That must be why there are so many ABDs (All But Dissertations) out there.

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I certainly don't think that most ABDs are out there b/c they aren't intelligent enough to do it. As someone who is struggling with her dissertation right now, I am confident that it is not my lack of intelligence that is giving me problems, but rather, my lack of motivation and drive at the moment! In my experience in my doctoral program, people who can't complete the program get weeded out long before they reach the dissertation stage.

Re: Spinoff: Do you think you can tell what level of education a person has from reading their posts?

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Posted by nov04LIbride

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Posted by coopersmom

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Posted by nov04LIbride

Further, I think any idiot can get a Master's, and any motivated idiot can get a doctorate!

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_____________________________________

I guess I'm a motivated idiot who is going to make sure her posts are not too haughty and don't sound too erudite.

BTW: Many people start their doctorates because they think that 'any motivated idiot' can do it... in the end they find out that not all can! That must be why there are so many ABDs (All But Dissertations) out there.

Let's not slam those of us who value education and don't just get it because they 'need it' for their jobs.

JMO

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If you read all my posts you would see that I am in a doctoral program. But I do feel that any idiot can complete a dissertation if they are really motivated. It's not that hard, it is just tedious. I think the ABDs lacked the commitment and drive, not the intelligence to complete it.

Besides, I am not slamming those who value education--I work in a university, my father is a college president, and my mother is a college dean. I'm just saying a degree has nothing to do with intelligence.

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I have to agree with that. I am very impresed when I hear of people completing their doctorate, but I work for a company that publishes books by professors & some of them just can't write ( and these are all ibleral arts & socail sciences.)

A lot of them have no grasp on reality. So, it is kind of like any other field- you have your intelligent, hard-working successes & your not so intelligent hard working successes.

Re: Spinoff: Do you think you can tell what level of education a person has from reading their posts?

My FH, his best friend and my best friend all graduated from Ivy League Schools in 2004. So far, they have a huge competetive edge over the rest of our friends who graduated from 'regular' schools. My Fh and his best friend are working for major firms making decent $$ in what could be a career, My best friend is doing very well in law school. Our other friends are all working really boring non specific jobs at temp agencies, doctor's office etc. In a competetive job market, it does give you an edge. It's not everything, but it's something. It makes me sort of wish I had gone to the first tier school I got a schoalrship to, instead of staying here to be closer to FH...(but not really b/c who knows what would have happenned). On the other hand, my only relative who is a millionare didn't attend a day of college.

Also, I don't think you can tell someone's education level by their posts. Most posts are about weddings and just silly random topics. And I know for me, I just type the way I speak not the way i would write something. I have won awards for writing and I love grammar but when I speak I say 'And then like, I was all like, what don't you like, go to like, the store, or something?' Compared with FH who was 5 and using $10 words all day long. Aside from being 1 semester away from my BA, we're equally educated and equally intelligent. Also, I never judge anyone by the way they speak anymore. I worked with a woman who spoke 'ebonics' and I'm ashamed to admit my first impression of her was that she was stupid, but as it turned out she was very intelligent, so I can't go by that.

Re: Spinoff: Do you think you can tell what level of education a person has from reading their posts?

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Posted by nov04LIbride


This just sounds odd....So ivy league=$35,000 year jobs, while state schools really make the money at the end?

I'm just saying it is silly to say everyone who went ivy then can't afford to go further if they choose too.

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Can you show me where I ever made either of those statements?

Yes, I have more than 1 friend who went to an Ivy League college and is only earning $35,000 (not at any teaching job or inner city location)

And, I certainly never said that 'everyone who went ivy can't afford to go further'

I'm not sure why you are creating arguments around statements that were never made.

Re: Spinoff: Do you think you can tell what level of education a person has from reading their posts?

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Posted by rosaria

I dunno what you's are talking about. Of course you kan tell a peoples intellagence by how they right....


a duh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Re: Spinoff: Do you think you can tell what level of education a person has from reading their posts?

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Posted by suven

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Posted by nov04LIbride


This just sounds odd....So ivy league=$35,000 year jobs, while state schools really make the money at the end?

I'm just saying it is silly to say everyone who went ivy then can't afford to go further if they choose too.

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Can you show me where I ever made either of those statements?

Yes, I have more than 1 friend who went to an Ivy League college and is only earning $35,000 (not at any teaching job or inner city location)

And, I certainly never said that 'everyone who went ivy can't afford to go further'

I'm not sure why you are creating arguments around statements that were never made.

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It was the statement, 'However, they owe approx $100,000 in student loans, live back at home, and are earning $35,000 per year, and can't afford to go to grad school. (I plugged through my BA and Master's at the state school)' This didn't sound like one friend, it sounded like a group of friends, which implies a trend of those graduating from ivies. But whatever, obviously people choose jobs for reasons other than money, but I do think more doors open for those with ivy degrees for the option of high salaries if they choose them.

Re: Spinoff: Do you think you can tell what level of education a person has from reading their posts?

It depends on the situation. Sometimes going to an Ivy is a tradeoff between going to a differnt school and owing less money or going to an Ivy and being up to your ears in debt. And sometimes even an Ivy league diploma can't guarantee you a good job. If you chose the Ivy, ended up in tons of debt and came home and could only get a $35K per year job, I could understand feeling that that isn't the ideal situation. Of course it's not all cases. FH has fewer loans tha i do b/c his parents contributed a lot more and he was fortunate to get a pretty decent job out of college, but it doesn't always work that way. I have the same fear withg rad school. I'll end up bogged down with loans and I'll still only get a lower paying job and I'll never be able to pay them off!

Re: Spinoff: Do you think you can tell what level of education a person has from reading their posts?

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Posted by nov04LIbride

This just sounds odd....So ivy league=$35,000 year jobs, while state schools really make the money at the end? Wow, hope this news doesn't get out or ivies will see their enrollment go way down.

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My brother spent 5 years at University at Buffalo and makes more money than his two sisters (who are teachers) and the other sister (who is an attorney) combined times 3. He works on Wall Street. Go figure!

Re: Spinoff: Do you think you can tell what level of education a person has from reading their posts?

There are so many factors that go into someone's educational and financial success, and a lot of it has to do with personal choice. Yes, someone from a state school who works on wall street is going to earn more than someone from an ivy league who decides to become a teacher. It's a function of the career you choose for yourself. However, if someone who went to an ivy league and someone who went to a state school are competing for the same job, I think there is a good chance that the person from the ivy league school, unless they interview terribly, will get the job.

That said, we are also confusing level of education with intelligence. I could have chosen to stop after my BA, or stop wtih my M.S.Ed. Does that make me any more or less intelligent? no!

Finally, to actually answer the question, I certainly can't tell someone's level of education from their posts. If anything, I would say it is more likely to approximate their intelligence, but I do not even think this is the case, as people frequently do not care about their grammar or spelling on the internet.

Re: Spinoff: Do you think you can tell what level of education a person has from reading their posts?

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Posted by Jax430
If anything, I would say it is more likely to approximate their intelligence, but I do not even think this is the case, as people frequently do not care about their grammar or spelling on the internet.

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I agree with this. And not even judging from grammar or spelling, I think the content of what is written can indicate the level of intelligence.

Re: Spinoff: Do you think you can tell what level of education a person has from reading their posts?

It seems like many on this post equate success with money. Although I doubt that I could tell an individual's 'level of education' from posts on this board, I do think it is usually evident in any kind of social interaction. I know many people that do very well who don't have advanced degrees HOWEVER, I think if you met a lawyer making $20,000 /yr and a HS grad making $300,000/yr without knowing anything about either individual, you would most likely be able to tell the lawyer from the HS grad. This is not true 100 percent of the time because, of course, there are always exceptions but, I do think education makes a difference.

Re: Spinoff: Do you think you can tell what level of education a person has from reading their posts?

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Posted by nov04LIbride

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Posted by Jax430
If anything, I would say it is more likely to approximate their intelligence, but I do not even think this is the case, as people frequently do not care about their grammar or spelling on the internet.

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I agree with this. And not even judging from grammar or spelling, I think the content of what is written can indicate the level of intelligence.

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The content? In what sense? (I'm not asking this to be obnoxious -- I'm really just wondering.)

I've been thinking about this question a little more as well. On reflection, I have to admit that there have been cases in which I've judged someone's intelligence (not so much education level, I guess) based on his or her writing. Example: I recently corresponded with someone for my job, and her writing was almost incomprehensible. Each e-mail I received from her was full of run-on sentences, and she never used any capital letters or punctuation marks. I literally *could not understand* what she was trying to tell me. After a while, I stopped trying. Actually, I felt like her way of communicating was almost insulting to me as a reader -- why should I waste my time trying to decipher her messages? My reaction might have been unfair, but I couldn't help myself.

Re: Spinoff: Do you think you can tell what level of education a person has from reading their posts?

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Posted by Annieb

It seems like many on this post equate success with money. Although I doubt that I could tell an individual's 'level of education' from posts on this board, I do think it is usually evident in any kind of social interaction. I know many people that do very well who don't have advanced degrees HOWEVER, I think if you met a lawyer making $20,000 /yr and a HS grad making $300,000/yr without knowing anything about either individual, you would most likely be able to tell the lawyer from the HS grad. This is not true 100 percent of the time because, of course, there are always exceptions but, I do think education makes a difference.

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When my FH is talking about his job or to a client- I doubt anyone would be able to tell he only went to HS- he understand of finace is insane- My parents who are highly enducated teachers with Masters ++- never though he did not graduate from College

If you spoke to my bro- who graduated from Lehigh- which is one step below ivy- you would think he is the biggest moron you have ever met in your life-

Re: Spinoff: Do you think you can tell what level of education a person has from reading their posts?

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Posted by Annieb
Although I doubt that I could tell an individual's 'level of education' from posts on this board, I do think it is usually evident in any kind of social interaction.
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Do you really think you can tell someone's level of education from a social interaction, or is it their intelligence that you can estimate? I just find it hard to imagine that I could tell level of education through a social interaction. I could have chosen to stop or take a break from my education after my BA, but socially, I would still be the same person that I am, now that I have my masters and am working towards my Psy.D. My intelligence and social skills would not change, just the choice I made to continue my education.

However, I do think that you can estimate someone's intelligence through a social interaction, although I wouldn't presume to judge after one encounter with someone.