Did I say eliminate the program? I said check the balance and allocation of resources. But yes, keeping a department open with one student may be appropriate for Harvard but many schools cannot afford it.</p>
<p>As far as marginal cost, this guy has been doing this for almost fifty years. It’s not just one year. And obviously schools have to choose what they can and do support otherwise there would be no limits on admissions and eveyone could attend forever even if they made no progress for a degree. They kick kids out who aren’t making what they consider adequate progress. </p>
<p>In addition many kids have trouble getting classes at some schools. My own kid has trouble getting into some classes. I’d be incredibly annoyed if I found out he couldn’t get his classes because some guy was looking to get his 40th degree to complete some silly bucket list proposition. And one student can do that.</p>
<p>But we won’t agree. For some reason you seem to think this is admirable. I think it’s just plain bizarre. But as I’ve written repeatedly, perfectly legal.</p>
<p>And frankly the more I debate this I find I’m sad that a person with this much talent, intelligence, and drive hasn’t hung around long enough in one area to actually advance the study of that subject, or better yet, impart his knowledge to other students.</p>
<p>Exactly. The limited money schools have available could be much better spent elsewhere than on subsidizing this guy in getting his 22nd masters degree.</p>
<p>I’m all for higher education. I think it’s great that he earned his first masters. And a second masters would be fine too. It’s reasonable to do that to change your field and broaden your knowledge. But after that this guy got out of hand and eventually things simply got ridiculous. And it seems very unlikely, in applying for and getting slots 20 masters programs beyond his first two masters degrees, that he never once beat out a qualified kid who was hoping to get a shot at earning his/her first masters degree. But hey, can’t let some other person losing a chance to get ahead stand in the way of this guy’s pointless hobby.</p>
<p>So, let’s say one accepts the notion that Mr. 29 Degrees and Counting is wasting public resources. What’s the solution? Seems to me it could cost taxpayers more to come up with a fair process to prevent excessive degree collection than it costs them to suffer this guy’s obsession. What is an acceptable number of degrees? What do degree-seekers need to pledge to prove they are not intending to waste public resources? What is the rationale for keeping people from endlessly seeking degrees, and how do we make sure whatever system we put in place is fairly applied (i.e., not discriminatory based on age, gender, etc., etc.)?</p>
<p>Of course, on a micro level, it would be pretty easy for the next program to which he applies to stop him with a firm, “No way, daddy-o.” (Heck, who knows how many programs haven’t already done so.) But if the programs have no incentive to do so and are not held accountable for using public monies responsibly, however you wish to define that, is that this guy’s problem? Or the problem of anyone who has sought refuge in graduate school while waiting out a bad economy?</p>
I don’t think it’s admirable or not admirable. I just don’t have a problem with it that some posters seem to. </p>
<p>Maybe because I got a PhD at 52 which some posters here would definitely say that I should not have been permitted to pursue when I matriculated at 46, since my motivation was one of meeting a challenge rather than advancing a career or contributing to the field. Obviously some people in the world have a problem with that, but none have expressed it to me IRL, so it’s interesting to see what they might be thinking behind their smiles and congratulations ;).</p>
<p>I really don’t know why schools haven’t stopped enabling this guy. That’s the second mystery in this story (the first being why he thinks he needs all these degrees in the first place). But I really don’t think it would be that hard for a school to distinguish between someone seeking to improve his/her human capital during bad economy and someone who clearly is out of control in pursuing his collection of trophies.</p>
<p>Thank bovertine! I thought it was eloquent too! Anyway, I’d have to agree with you about it being more bizarre than admirable. But ultimately, it’s up to the college about whether he is wasting academic resources, not a bunch of posters on CC.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t have any problem with that at all - unless it was a PhD beyond your first or second PhD. In fact I think it’s great. </p>
<p>I think everyone should get all the degrees they can earn - until it starts to get repetitive: getting the same degree over and over again. Then it becomes “What’s the point here? Isn’t there a better way to continue to expand your mind without taking up a space in expensive graduate programs for the upteenth time when others are still hoping for their first?”</p>
<p>Do we know if he actually has a PhD? The article I read just said “doctorate,” so I was assuming an EdD, as people usually use the terms for non-PhD doctorates (e.g., EdD, PsyD, DMA, etc)</p>
<p>FWIW, most universities tend to seriously side-eye anyone going for more than maybe two masters and a PhD. People do get second doctorates, but it is rare and would typically mark a radical-and substantiated by outside evidence–career change (e.g., English professor to clinical psychologist, or biologist to accounting professor). Universities want grads to contribute to the field, not just collect degrees.</p>
<p>That said, there are a number of schools who use unfunded masters program to essential help fund funded PhD programs. He could be in that type of situation with some of his masters programs.</p>
<p>The mystery of this guy’s obsession doesn’t bother me much, because I’ve encountered enough odd behavior in my life to shrug at most eccentricities. The mystery of why the programs keep accepting him is another thing entirely. </p>
<p>He doesn’t strike me as being an academic heavyweight based on what he said and what was said about him in the article that launched this thread, but it’s possible he brings something to the table that’s not in evidence in that article. It’s also possible he’s applying to programs that aren’t especially discriminating or selective. </p>
<p>To this point …</p>
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<p>I agree it would be a shame if this ever happened, but if it did, one would have to lay the blame at the doorstep of the adcom that passed over another, better qualified candidate in favor of the Degree Collector. It’s hard to imagine a legitimate master’s program favoring someone for whom the program was just another tassel over someone who expressed a more meaningful interest in the degree. But if that were to happen, it wouldn’t be this guy’s fault. (It goes back to your point about the mystery of why programs are enabling this guy, which I agree is mysterious.)</p>
<p>Yeah, that’s what I don’t get–the guy is clearly a degree collector and not seemingly in these programs with any real goal or plan to use the knowledge.</p>