<p>from today's yahoo front page...</p>
<p>james</a> altucher's 8 alternatives to college: Tech Ticker, Yahoo! Finance</p>
<p>I quickly found out that this guy is an alum of two of the best colleges in the nation, cornell and carnegie mellon. seems like he has a bit of that chinese tiger mom in him - ther bolder the statement, the more clicks and views.</p>
<p>and here is a spot for a quote - on college - I had just come across (I am only now discovering Kerouac, at 52.)</p>
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<p>[Jack</a> Kerouac - Wikiquote](<a href=“http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Jack_Kerouac]Jack”>Jack Kerouac - Wikiquote)</p>
<p>One of the most important outcomes of an undergraduate education should be the development of a fairly advanced BS filter. This is essential in the 21st century when the media are full of self-acclaimed authorities whose livings are not based upon being truthful or insightful, but merely upon attracting eyeballs. Altucher is a prime example. Six of his eight alternatives are better options for a gap year than for lifelong pursuits, and the other two - starting a business or writing a book - are certainly longshot propositions for any 18-year-old. And that’s fine with Altucher - he knows that he’s spinning BS. But the more outlandish and provocative he can be, the more eyeballs he woos, and that’s what pays the bills. Now he’ll no doubt do great harm to some families when parents without those BS filters take his advice and send their kids out to spend their savings on something other than an education. But that won’t bother Altucher - he’ll have already cashed his check for the article.</p>
<p>^ well said.</p>
<p>I agree with GAdad, too. And actually Kerouac’s sentiment is not contrary also. We as a nation do NEED a middle class. No one would ever have heard of entrepreneur Steve Jobs without all the analysts, engineers, designers and other general support workers - most of which require college - that make that successful Apple org.</p>