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gannicus's review
5.0
This book is useful for anyone who is thinking of going to college, in college, has graduated college, or has already dropped out of college.
The first part of the book is devoted to the decision to go to college. John Taylor Gatto writes a chapter showing how our system got to where it is. This would turn out to be the last thing he wrote for a book before passing away. They also write about how Education took a back seat to a lot of other things in college to the point where it is both a bad experience and has little to do with learning the topics that students are allegedly on campus for. This echoes my experience in the 90's only magnified.
The early part of the book is useful for establishing something is wrong, but they don't stop there. They then go onto alternatives. These alternatives are how the book can be valuable to any reader, not just people in their early twenties.
The three main things college is supposed to do for you is signal competence, build a network, and learn your subject.
The authors in this book show how to get a lot of the purported benefits of a degree by using several alternatives.
They show how to assemble a portfolio and use it to signal suitability for employment. This is valuable information, even with a degree, to keep your prospects current.
Doing work for free to both get a job and learn a job. An approach popularized by Charlie Hoehn's Recession Proof Graduate book.
There is plenty of information on building skills outside of college and using them to get work.
They show how to build a network outside of school.
This book is great for the self directed learner who wants more. Honestly, even a graduate with a degree should do most of the things suggested here. An excellent way to thrive in the 21st century if your education happened mainly in the 20th.
The first part of the book is devoted to the decision to go to college. John Taylor Gatto writes a chapter showing how our system got to where it is. This would turn out to be the last thing he wrote for a book before passing away. They also write about how Education took a back seat to a lot of other things in college to the point where it is both a bad experience and has little to do with learning the topics that students are allegedly on campus for. This echoes my experience in the 90's only magnified.
The early part of the book is useful for establishing something is wrong, but they don't stop there. They then go onto alternatives. These alternatives are how the book can be valuable to any reader, not just people in their early twenties.
The three main things college is supposed to do for you is signal competence, build a network, and learn your subject.
The authors in this book show how to get a lot of the purported benefits of a degree by using several alternatives.
They show how to assemble a portfolio and use it to signal suitability for employment. This is valuable information, even with a degree, to keep your prospects current.
Doing work for free to both get a job and learn a job. An approach popularized by Charlie Hoehn's Recession Proof Graduate book.
There is plenty of information on building skills outside of college and using them to get work.
They show how to build a network outside of school.
This book is great for the self directed learner who wants more. Honestly, even a graduate with a degree should do most of the things suggested here. An excellent way to thrive in the 21st century if your education happened mainly in the 20th.
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