# How much education have you had? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 16, 2011, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-education-have-you-had/582084 "2011-05-16T13:42:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2011, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-education-have-you-had/582084/61 "2011-05-17T03:58:59Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Ph.D. in Ecology for me. Huh, I didn’t know that. A good friend of mine in grad school switched mid-way through from physics over to ecology, and is now a professor. I thought it seemed abrupt, but she loves it – something about spending her summers picking wildflowers in Colorado (or whatever it is you guys do out in the field) instead of locked in a musty physics building appeals to her, I guess. Me, every time I try to pick a flower I mash it like Lenny in “Of Mice and Men” so I stuck with the physics. ---
**Author:** ![Arcite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/67e7ee/32.png) [@Arcite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arcite)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2011, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-education-have-you-had/582084/62 "2011-05-17T04:28:29Z")
Just received my M.D. yesterday. While I’m proud of the accomplishment, as it was a lot of work and very emotionally trying at times, I have to say, having a professional degree does not necessarily make you “educated.” A lot of doctors don’t know squat about anything except medicine, and while I like to think of myself as a well-rounded person, I’ve had to put many other intellectual interest on the back burner during the past 4 years. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2011, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-education-have-you-had/582084/63 "2011-05-17T05:34:00Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > In the league I just finished, 188. I did say _most_ of you, for the record! Well I’m on that list. I never finished higher than 172, and that was a long time ago. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2011, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-education-have-you-had/582084/64 "2011-05-17T05:56:41Z")
> [@Arcite](#): > > Just received my M.D. yesterday. Congrats! > [@Arcite](#): > > A lot of doctors don’t know squat about anything except medicine… Heh. The stories I could tell. ---
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2011, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-education-have-you-had/582084/65 "2011-05-17T06:44:30Z")
Bachelors of Science, but it’s in Chemical Engineering. …shouldn’t that be worth more in this poll? I kid. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2011, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-education-have-you-had/582084/66 "2011-05-17T18:07:26Z")
I officially hold an M.S.W. as of yesterday evening! That is both a master’s degree and a professional degree. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2011, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-education-have-you-had/582084/67 "2011-05-17T18:13:06Z")
I’ve dropped out of three different colleges. Is that a record? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2011, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-education-have-you-had/582084/68 "2011-05-17T18:14:24Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I’m pretty shocked that only 38% of people have either an associate’s or a bachelor’s degree. I would’ve thought that number considerably higher. well, many of the people with a masters or a doctorate also have a BA or BS. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2011, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-education-have-you-had/582084/69 "2011-05-17T19:37:16Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Typical mind set of the academic elite. An inability to educate yourself is nothing to be proud of. I’ve found that the major benefit of a formal education is helping you to educate yourself better. I’ve been out of college almost 40 years, and almost none of the facts I learned there are still relevant. Learning how to learn is. One of the biggest benefits is thinking you understand something, and then finding out you don’t on the test. Builds humility real fast. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2011, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-education-have-you-had/582084/70 "2011-05-17T20:04:01Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > I’ve found that the major benefit of a formal education is helping you to educate yourself better. I’ve been out of college almost 40 years, and almost none of the facts I learned there are still relevant. Learning how to learn is. One of the biggest benefits is thinking you understand something, and then finding out you don’t on the test. Builds humility real fast. I’ve no argument there at all. I usually find it easy to tell the difference between someone who pursues formal education to expand their ability to learn and understand more complex subjects from those who see it as a ticket to a job or simply a mark of status. I’d love to spend more time fighting ignorance in the world, but fighting my own ignorance has been a full time job, that has no end. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2011, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-education-have-you-had/582084/71 "2011-05-17T20:57:12Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > well, many of the people with a masters or a doctorate also have a BA or BS. Which adds at most about 10% to the general population stats. I thought a Bachelor’s or associate’s degree was practically essential to getting a job anymore. The OP’s stats indicate that less than half the country has that. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2011, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-education-have-you-had/582084/72 "2011-05-17T21:02:45Z")
I have a Master’s in Library and Information Studies. Amusingly, it is both the entry-level and the terminal degree in my field. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2011, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-education-have-you-had/582084/73 "2011-05-17T22:38:34Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Which adds at most about 10% to the general population stats. I thought a Bachelor’s or associate’s degree was practically essential to getting a job anymore. The OP’s stats indicate that less than half the country has that. You need a degree for the office jobs. The construction workers, farmers, bus drivers, retail employees, restaurant workers, assembly workers, warehouse workers, firemen, policemen, mechanics, tradesmen, and many more positions require no degrees. Some of those jobs will benefit from a degree. We graduate more people with Bachelors and higher degrees than the market requires. The shortages are in Associates and similar level technical certifications. ---
**Author:** ![Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/db5fbb/32.png) [@Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hirka_T_Bawa)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-education-have-you-had/582084/74 "2011-05-18T02:32:04Z")
I replied Doctorate/Professional degree, even though I don’t actually have one yet… I graduate with my Doctor of Pharmacy degree (Pharm.D.) in 31 days. Figured it was close enough. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-education-have-you-had/582084/75 "2011-05-18T03:06:15Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I thought a Bachelor’s or associate’s degree was practically essential to getting a job anymore. Pretty much. I also think a bachelor’s degree today has the equivalent value of a high school diploma 20 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-education-have-you-had/582084/76 "2011-05-18T03:56:18Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > Pretty much. I also think a bachelor’s degree today has the equivalent value of a high school diploma 20 years ago. It really depends. I’m a true believer in the intrinsic value of a liberal arts education. That said, I’m an engineer. NPR had a story a few days ago about graduating students entering the current workforce (where the economy, and hiring, is still shit) All of the sob stories were liberal arts graduates All of the “hey, things are going great!” stories were engineers. I hate to say it, but BA is not equal to BS at the bachelor’s level. I actually got a bit annoyed hearing that a fresh engineering grad had an offer with a company that was offering to pay her more than I make. And I’m seven years out of University. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-education-have-you-had/582084.md?page=3)