How old is "too old" to go to grad school?

[Razgovory]

It's not a "schtick," really.

It's a seriously considered position on a vexing policy issue.  One that I happen to subscribe to.

Oy

[Valmy]

As long as the purpose of post-secondary education is to prepare students for careers

It isn't. 

Well what is it for?  Because if I just want an amazing lecture by an academic I can easily view those all over the internet for free.

[garbon]

As long as the purpose of post-secondary education is to prepare students for careers

It isn't. 

Well what is it for?  Because if I just want an amazing lecture by an academic I can easily view those all over the internet for free.

I think getting a BA/BS in person is a bit different from watching lectures online for free.

[Valmy]

I think getting a BA/BS in person is a bit different from watching lectures online for free.

Indeed.  You get a certificate at the end and sink a ton of time and energy in demonstrating your skills.  You show that there is a reasonably good chance you are a responsible adult, capable of making deadlines and providing work satisfactory to your instructor.  But those strike me as things that are primarily there to prepare somebody for a professional environment.  Society provides tax money to these institutions for research and scholarship but primarily to teach so their workforce will be better educated.

[Admiral Yi]

One of the big differences between reading on your own/watching online lectures and attending school is school assesses you, i.e. tells everyone how well you absorbed the information.

[crazy canuck]

One of the big differences between reading on your own/watching online lectures and attending school is school assesses you, i.e. tells everyone how well you absorbed the information.

The other big difference is that before attending the lecture the student will have done several hours of reading to prepare for the lecture.  Or at least that is how it is supposed to work.

[Valmy]

The other big difference is that before attending the lecture the student will have done several hours of reading to prepare for the lecture.

Or at least that is how it is supposed to work.

They are also supposed to stay awake and not post on reddit during lecture as well.

[Malthus]

As long as the purpose of post-secondary education is to prepare students for careers

It isn't. 

Well what is it for?  Because if I just want an amazing lecture by an academic I can easily view those all over the internet for free.

As is usual for these things it has several purposes. Most ideally, a university is a place where scholars from various disciplines interact together, in the hopes that some sort of exchange happens, and ideas and insights get generated: students are supposed to be part of that conversation - they have the opportunity to participate in the community of ideas, not just in the classroom, but in all of the activities that a university generates.

They also may get a pratical education, and they also may get a formal acknowledgement of achievement in the form of credentials like a degree and marks - all of these things are related, but not the same (as in, you can participate in ideas without getting a practical education, and you can get a practical education without credentials, and vice-versa - that is, you can go, get the credentials, but lack either education or participation in ideas).

From a career perspective, what matters most is getting the credentials that open doors, and second most getting a pratical education you can put to work once those doors are open. However, the reason why a university edication is privileged above simply reviewing some text-books and preparing for a standardized exam, or simply reading stuff off of an internet site, is that it is supposed to be an opportunity for students to participate in the world of ideas. Obviously not every student does, it is impossible to measure or enforce this, and maybe some universities are bad at providing this opportunity - but at least, that's the theory.

This, ultimately, is why the degree was supposed to be worth something. To the extent universities become factories for churning out purely "practical" education without any participation in ideas, it becomes worth less: as you note, these days anyone with enough motivation can, if they choose, learn what they need to know of purely practical information on their own.

[garbon]

it is supposed to be an opportunity for students to participate in the world of ideas

Yes, exactly. My biggest fear about living university is that I wouldn't have that anymore. To some extent I do, to some extent I don't.

[The Brain]

If people want to goof off in university and "participate in the world of ideas" then that's fine, but not as long as my taxmoney is paying for it (which it is in Sweden). Humanities should be only for the idle rich.

[garbon]

Intellectual work is goofing off?

[The Brain]

Intellectual work is goofing off?

University-style reading French philosophers and chatting away with pseudo-intellectuals? Hells yeah.

[garbon]

Intellectual work is goofing off?

University-style reading French philosophers and chatting away with pseudo-intellectuals? Hells yeah.

[grumbler]

Intellectual work is goofing off?

University-style reading French philosophers and chatting away with pseudo-intellectuals? Hells yeah.

He's talking about Sweden.  Maybe that's what it is like, there.

[merithyn]

Just out of curiosity? How much debt will be incurred from the schooling and how long will it take you to pay it off at your present age?

Dunno. It's theoretical.

With an Assistantship, it would be minimal debt incurred. Without, most advanced degrees are in the $45k+ range. At that range, about 10 years to pay it off, assuming immediate employment at $80-100k/year.