Brave new world?

• Author: Schwecker, Bethany
• Position: LETTERS - Letter to the editor

Like many who have earned their expensive degree from an intellectually respected institution, I've found that the value of the credential in the real world of remuneration is far less than the cost it took to acquire it. After reading Kevin Carey's article on technological changes coming to higher education ("The Siege of Academe," September/October 2012), I'm very glad that future generations have a fighting chance to get out from under these dark clouds--though I am naturally envious that I will not be able to participate in their joy.

Bethany Schwecker

Via Web comment

It's easy to imagine some very positive changes to the status quo emerging from this new technology. We could eliminate the de facto requirement that everyone who wants a halfway decent white-collar job must go into debt to earn a traditional four-year degree from a respectable institution and allow anyone in the world to take high-quality, individually tailored course work for career development, while preserving the long-term health of...