Battle of the Studies

Battle of the Studies

Before I went to college, my high school advisors strongly encouraged me to choose a “practical” major. Science, technology, engineering, math — any of these fields would lead to a promising career. I rebelled. I chose to study international affairs and...
An Endangered Species Up in Arms

An Endangered Species Up in Arms

As many of you already have intuited, I don’t know everything. Nobody does, I suppose. More importantly, I don’t know everything about anything. I’m what used to be called “a generalist,” someone whose knowledge in any direction is a mile...
Washington, Are You Listening?

Washington, Are You Listening?

Patrick Pylvainen grew up in a small town outside Minneapolis. The Minnesotan college student has seven siblings, so he borrows money for his tuition — Stafford loans from the federal government, plus loans from private banks that require interest payments while...
Turning College Students into a Commodity

Turning College Students into a Commodity

Let’s take a trip deep into the magic kingdom of “Laissez Fairyland” and prostrate ourselves before the infallible and inscrutable force known as the free market. While this awesome deity cannot be seen, the high priests of free-market fundamentalism...