I’m editing The Pell Heist, my novel about an art heist on a college campus outside Newport, RI…also writing The Dirty Little Secrets of Money. Recently, I disappeared down an Internet rabbit hole and compared student debt by college versus starting salaries.
My question: Is elitism self-propelling?
This chart is more anecdotal than scientific. But pay attention to the red dots (Ivy League) and the purple ones (STEM colleges) relative to the others.
In general students can load up with lots of debt and come out of the chute with below average earnings. Hmm. Why would anybody do that?
Just saying…
Now look at the Ivies. Graduates make above average money and don’t carry too much debt. It’s a win-win proposition either way. That’s why I’m asking the question about elitism.
Would love to hear your thoughts…and, BTW, check out this article from the Economist about university wars.
The New York Times describes my novels as “money porn,” “a red-hot franchise,” and “glittery thrillers about fiscal malfeasance.” Through fiction I explore the dark side of money and the motivations of those who have it, want more, and will steamroll anybody who gets in their way.