In a country where a premium is placed on impressive degrees, so much so that it can even affect marriage proposals, Yale is about as good as it gets.
Some may think a master's degree offers so much more than a dumbed-down undergraduate degree.
"The three men in a room problem was one of degree, that so much business, including the entire budget, was done in complete secrecy," Mr. Horner said.
"How is it possible in one university or in one subject to obtain a degree with so much less effort than is required in another university or subject?
Yet the benefit of university varies greatly among students, making an investment in higher education a risky bet in some circumstances.The value of a degree, like so much else in economics, boils down to supply and demand.
From a straight economic perspective, this doesn't entirely make sense: because people with a bachelor's degree make so much more on average than people without one, college loans are usually well worth their cost.
But I am amazed at the degree to which so much of the economic debate seems to take place entirely on ground of the Chancellor's choosing - namely all the dancing around the 'golden rule'.
"Career success in all of these areas can hinge on the experiences gained before, during and after the degree, so acquiring as much first-hand experience, paid or voluntary, of these environments is very important," Holbrough advises.
"I work so hard, I have a college degree, I make so much money, I have an incredible career, and I can't rent a place," lamented Ms. Ray, whose college run-in with credit cards cropped up like a cold sore during a fleeting apartment search this summer.
Naturally, I was curious why a company that partners with graduate schools to build, administer, and market online degree programs needed so much capital, especially when all reports were that the business was growing at a healthy clip on its own.
