A Bit of College Can Be Worse Than None at All – WSJ:

“There has been little or no difference in wages among 20- to 24-year-olds who graduated high school and those who completed some college but aren’t enrolled anymore.”

*On the plus side.

College dropouts have a lower unemployment rate than those with no college credits—12.1% versus 15.5%, respectively, for 20- to 29-year-olds

*The credential is the thing that confers that the skills and talents the holder has, can create value in the world. Credentialism opens up opportunities for new skill building systems. Online education that costs less, is faster and more effective and has a credential attached may become the wave of the future.

*Credentialism is not quite the word I am looking for as it seems to mean that employers falsely use it as an unnecessary requirement for a job. The word I am looking for is related to having a certificate that shows you have certain skills and abilities. Computer software certification would be a good example. If one can master software one can create a multiple of value for an organization. Computer skills can be acquired rapidly and measurably via online training courses. Lynda.com is an example worth checking out. There is a way to put the certificates from Lynda on your LinkedIn profile. That is the kind of signal that might attract employers to you even if you don’t have a degree from a college or university.