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A review by gvenezia
The Case Against Education: Why the Education System Is a Waste of Time and Money by Bryan Caplan
5.0
I may amend my rating after I've read more books on education policy. And I do think Caplan (like most libertarians) really needs to work on his framing and marketability to non-libertarians.
But for now, I'm basing my rating on how many times I screamed out loud at just how abominable the education system seems at durably transferring knowledge and critical thinking skills to students.
I was already sympathetic to the argument that America's education system is mostly signaling, but the figures and arguments for aspects like the "sheepskin effect"—where there's a large income premium added right at the point where someone receives a diploma (which used to be on sheepskin)—countered the measured skepticism I had been holding prior to this book.
But for now, I'm basing my rating on how many times I screamed out loud at just how abominable the education system seems at durably transferring knowledge and critical thinking skills to students.
I was already sympathetic to the argument that America's education system is mostly signaling, but the figures and arguments for aspects like the "sheepskin effect"—where there's a large income premium added right at the point where someone receives a diploma (which used to be on sheepskin)—countered the measured skepticism I had been holding prior to this book.