> It's never been easier and cheaper to get an education in the US

Source? even the most conservative people I know who went to school in the 80s/90s say they could never afford it now. I myself am trying to figure out how to pay for it without $40k grand in debt if I choose to go back.

MIT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfQxyVuLeCs&list=PL9F74AFA03...

K-12: https://www.khanacademy.org/

All free, available on the supercomputer in your pocket.

You could have made the same argument in 1908, telling people to self educate at their local library.

If everyone watched a 2007 youtube course on circuits at MIT and learned the material, the value of such a skillset would be equal to the value of flipping Burgers at Burger King.

> in 1980

Ironically, my grandfather at the time made his career by selling correspondence courses for college degrees. It was the equivalent in those days. He met my grandmother selling her a course in mechanical engineering she used to get a better job at the phone company.

My grandfather started literally at the bottom - shoveling coal into a steamship's boiler. A dirty, dangerous, sweaty job he did for years. He improved his lot by taking correspondence courses, and liked them so much decided on a career in selling them, primarily to sailors.

> If everyone

I wouldn't conflate "don't" with "can't".

I know about the MIT course because I took it myself (along with others) to fill in gaps in my education. And why not? Education doesn't stop with the diploma.

All completely irrelevant since they don't provide the official certifications which employers check.

Not to mention entirely dependent on the unsupported precept that traditional teaching structures were apparently worthless - but, it's cheap to put your money where your mouth is on this: are you going to save a lot of time and money and educate your children solely via these resources?

> official certifications which employers check

Yet I wangled a job writing software despite a mechanical engineering job achieved without CS courses. I also know several people at Microsoft in programming jobs who had no college experience. There are tens of thousands of employers, all different. You can even start your own business doing programming, EE design, whatever.

> apparently worthless

Not at all. It's maybe a harder road, sure, but it's navigable for those who want to do it for free.

How do you define wealthy Walter? I’m 25 and “unremarkable” and my net worth is only a quarter million. I make about $200k at a company you’d probably consider unimpressive.

Not everyone can be remarkable enough to go to CalTech.

I'm confused by your argument, because I'd consider making $200K/yr to be firmly on the side of wealthy. Also, I think he was talking about the circumstances being unremarkable, not the people themselves. (Minor note, since you brought it up: it's spelled "Caltech".)

Id wager if you asked most of your graduating classmates if $200k@25 is impressive, most or all would say no. That’s a new grad’s total compensation and I’m several years in already.

Appreciate the correction on spelling. I’m more a Midwest guy myself.

Where on earth did you go to school? Most people I know — even in tech — aren’t making $200k well into their 30s.

You should negotiate working remotely and move out of the US, with that kind of income you could live like a king in most of the rest of the planet. I'm not even being snarky

lol with that income you'd live like a king in most of the US

The fact that you think a net worth of a quarter of a million dollars at 25 is unremarkable goes to show how completely out of touch you are.

Some days I can't tell which comments on HN are parody and which aren't...

I’m sorry what seems to be satirical about my statement?

You're only a few years into your career, not saddled with an oversized tuition from a prestigious university, and already making $200k with a sizable net worth. In my books that's absolutely a path to wealth!

"only" a quarter million

Some people have tunnel vision.