Blogging under the name Scott Alexander, a medical doctor has written a superb take-down of the American college degree mania. He begins with a parable and then goes into specifics, including the fact that Ireland does not require future doctors to first spend four years getting an undergrad degree but, in his experience, has doctors every bit as competent as ours. He also notes that young Americans who want to become firefighters are required to have a college degree before embarking on such training. (At least that it true somewhere in the US, although I don’t think that degree requirement is found everywhere.)

He concludes with an attack on Senator Bernie Sanders’ nonsensical idea that college should be free. I recommend reading the whole thing.

Hat tip: Glenn Reynolds.