A degree alone won’t get you a job

In response to “Low standards equal devalued degree” (Oct. 21 Issue):

I disagree with (the) view that “UA is attracting wealthy out-of-state students who are not up to par with university level standards.” It is such a broad statement that really has no merit whatsoever. It makes the general assumption that out-of-state students are wealthy, which is false. While out-of-state students pay much more tuition, the opportunities at (the UA) are sometimes greater than those at colleges in their home states. Those who complain about their “de-valued” degree need to get a reality check. You aren’t going to get a job simply because you got a University of Arizona degree. You need to be pro-active, find internships and most importantly, network. While I agree that stricter university admissions standards would be beneficial, the reality is that the university administration is only looking at the financial bottom line. During my senior year of high school (2008), all of the (UA) marketing material touted itself as “one of the most affordable” and “best value” universities in the country. Since then, out-of-state tuition has gone from roughly $16,000 to $26,000. I feel like I got swindled by (Bernie) Madoff.

_—Jacob Winkler _
Regional development major