--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Higher education is the place where…" description: "\"Higher education is the place where people who had big plans in high school get stuck in fierce rivalries with equally smart peers over conventional ca..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cc/peter-thiel-1311_banking_higher-education-is-the-place-where-peop_2412794.jpg" --- # Higher education is the place where people who had big… ![“Higher education is the place where people who had big plans in high school get stuck in fierce rivalries with equally smart peers over conventional careers like management consulting and investment banking. For the privilege of being turned into conformists, students (or their families) pay…” quote by Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cc/peter-thiel-1311_banking_higher-education-is-the-place-where-peop_2412794.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cc/peter-thiel-1311_banking_higher-education-is-the-place-where-peop_2412794.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cc/peter-thiel-1311_banking_higher-education-is-the-place-where-peop_2412794.jpg) > “Higher education is the place where people who had big plans in high school get stuck in fierce rivalries with equally smart peers over conventional careers like management consulting and investment banking. For the privilege of being turned into conformists, students (or their families) pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in skyrocketing tuition that continues to outpace inflation. Why are we doing this to ourselves?” [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Higher education often turns ambitious youth into competitive conformists, charging exorbitant tuition while promising traditional careers that may not suit them. **In simple terms:** College can force smart students into costly, narrow career tracks. Key Takeaway Question the value of costly, conventional education paths. Themes education conformity economics career competition Mood critical reflective Type analytical provocative When to use this quote - Choosing a major - evaluating ROI of degrees - considering alternatives like entrepreneurship or trade schools Key Concepts Human capital market signaling social stratification Questions to Reflect On - What alternatives could replace costly degrees? - How can students retain individuality within competitive environments? A Different Perspective The quote may overgeneralize; many institutions foster creativity and diverse outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Banking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/banking/) [Dollars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dollars/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) [Higher Ed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/higher-ed/) [Higher education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/higher-education/) [Inflation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inflation/) [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [Investment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investment/) [Investment banking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investment-banking/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Privilege](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/privilege/) [Rivalry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rivalry/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) [Tuition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tuition/) ## Related quotes > [COVID-19 has been devastating for students and families, and so many of our Black and Latino students have encountered even more challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-cardona/covid-19-has-been-devastating-for-students-and-families-and-so-many/) [Miguel Cardona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-cardona/) > [Each year when the A-level results come out, thousands of students and their families settle down to deal with the implications - positive or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-olusoga/each-year-when-the-a-level-results-come-out-thousands-of-students-and/) [David Olusoga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-olusoga/) > [“Social scientists generally agree that students’ families (especially family income, which determines advantages and opportunity) have an even bigger impact on student performance than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/social-scientists-generally-agree-that-students-families-especially/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [Students and their families carry more responsibility for student success in the East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hargreaves/students-and-their-families-carry-more-responsibility-for-student/) [Andy Hargreaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hargreaves/) > [The burden of student loan debt weighs heavily on both students and families across New Jersey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikie-sherrill/the-burden-of-student-loan-debt-weighs-heavily-on-both-students-and/) [Mikie Sherrill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikie-sherrill/) > [“A good way to figure out how likely it is that the directors are sucking money out of a company is to draw a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-troob/a-good-way-to-figure-out-how-likely-it-is-that-the-directors-are/) Peter Troob > [An MBA is a great degree for career paths like investment banking, finance, consulting, and large companies. An MBA is not necessarily the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/an-mba-is-a-great-degree-for-career-paths-like-investment-banking/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [“In order for capitalism to evolve from its current toxic expression, I propose the value of international currencies be tied to an Index of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/said-elias-dawlabani/in-order-for-capitalism-to-evolve-from-its-current-toxic-expression-i/) [Said Elias Dawlabani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/said-elias-dawlabani/) > [It's natural that you'd have more brains going into money management. There are so many huge incomes in money management and investment banking -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/it-s-natural-that-you-d-have-more-brains-going-into-money-management/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [Early in my investment-banking career, I realized I was on a path that others had set out for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-chatwal/early-in-my-investment-banking-career-i-realized-i-was-on-a-path-that/) [Vikram Chatwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-chatwal/) > [As a matter of fact 25% of our U.S. investment banking business comes out of our commercial bank. So it's a competitive advantage for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/as-a-matter-of-fact-25-of-our-u-s-investment-banking-business-comes/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [I liked the so-called Volcker Rule. I would have separated investment banking and commercial, deposit banking, as we did under the Glass-Steagal Act. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/i-liked-the-so-called-volcker-rule-i-would-have-separated-investment/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [In India, the investment banking industry is a little different. Overseas, the structures are very complicated, but not in India.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-bhattacharya/in-india-the-investment-banking-industry-is-a-little-different/) [Arundhati Bhattacharya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-bhattacharya/) > [“The only inexplicable aspect of the process was that economic theory (which is, after all, what economics students were supposed to know) served almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/the-only-inexplicable-aspect-of-the-process-was-that-economic-theory/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [I have nothing against investment banking, but it's like massaging money rather than creating money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/i-have-nothing-against-investment-banking-but-it-s-like-massaging/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) ## More by Peter Thiel > [People don't want to believe that technology is broken. Pharmaceuticals, robotics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology - all these areas where the progress has been a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/people-don-t-want-to-believe-that-technology-is-broken/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [If you think about basic science or coming up with new theories of mathematics, these are not the kinds of things which are necessarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/if-you-think-about-basic-science-or-coming-up-with-new-theories-of/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [I think we have a bubble in the US in government bonds, because of the quantitative easing and the negative real interest rates, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/i-think-we-have-a-bubble-in-the-us-in-government-bonds-because-of-the/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“Time and decision-making themselves follow a power law, and some moments matter far more than others”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/time-and-decision-making-themselves-follow-a-power-law-and-some/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“Today, we exaggerate the differences between left-liberal egalitarianism and libertarian individualism because almost everyone shares their common indefinite attitude. 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Competition means no profits for anybody, no meaningful differentiation, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/creative-monopoly-means-new-products-that-benefit-everybody-and/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“we have given up our sense of wonder at secrets left to be discovered.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/we-have-given-up-our-sense-of-wonder-at-secrets-left-to-be-discovered/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“Today our society is permeated by the twin ideas that death is both inevitable and random.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/today-our-society-is-permeated-by-the-twin-ideas-that-death-is-both/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“if your company can be summed up by its opposition to already existing firms, it can’t be completely new and it’s probably not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/if-your-company-can-be-summed-up-by-its-opposition-to-already/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“Is a lukewarm attitude to one’s work a sign of mental health? Is a merely professional attitude the only sane approach?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/is-a-lukewarm-attitude-to-one-s-work-a-sign-of-mental-health-is-a/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“If you’ve invented something new but you haven’t invented an effective way to sell it, you have a bad business—no matter how good the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/if-you-ve-invented-something-new-but-you-haven-t-invented-an/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [The business model piece is we're always talking about competing more effectively. 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He is a builder, and it's time to rebuild America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/our-economy-is-broken-i-m-not-a-politician-but-neither-is-donald/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) [Explore all 257 Peter Thiel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) ## More Banking quotes > [If I could wave a magic wand, I'd break up the banking system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-c-griffin/if-i-could-wave-a-magic-wand-i-d-break-up-the-banking-system/) [Kenneth C. Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-c-griffin/) > [Historically, usury was defined as any interest whatever on an unproductive loan.Our whole banking system I have ever abhorred, I continue to abhor, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/historically-usury-was-defined-as-any-interest-whatever-on-an/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [I am alive. Up here with the song of the engine and the air whispering on my face as the sunlight and shadows play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-coonts/i-am-alive-up-here-with-the-song-of-the-engine-and-the-air-whispering/) [Stephen Coonts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-coonts/) > [It's not that I have any general aversion to technology but online banking just seems to be asking for trouble. You can have enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-essex/it-s-not-that-i-have-any-general-aversion-to-technology-but-online/) [David Essex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-essex/) > [When a government is dependent upon bankers for money, they and not the leaders of the government control the situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/when-a-government-is-dependent-upon-bankers-for-money-they-and-not/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [“Suckers think that you cure greed with money, addiction with substances, expert problems with experts, banking with bankers, economics with economists, and debt crises…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/suckers-think-that-you-cure-greed-with-money-addiction-with/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [My father was in real estate, banking, and land management. As family life, it was very conventional, happy, and comfortable. We weren't wealthy, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-child/my-father-was-in-real-estate-banking-and-land-management-as-family/) [Julia Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-child/) > [I only know one thing: Everything I learned about the banking business, I learned in the banking towers of the Societe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kerviel/i-only-know-one-thing-everything-i-learned-about-the-banking-business/) [Jerome Kerviel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kerviel/) > [I have nothing against investment banking, but it's like massaging money rather than creating money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/i-have-nothing-against-investment-banking-but-it-s-like-massaging/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [If you've taken Econ 101, you know that the quantity of money rises only when the banking system makes a net loan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-fisher/if-you-ve-taken-econ-101-you-know-that-the-quantity-of-money-rises/) [Kenneth Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-fisher/) > [I want the best people, not just on the banking side but on innovation and technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-patricia-botin/i-want-the-best-people-not-just-on-the-banking-side-but-on-innovation/) [Ana Patricia Botin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-patricia-botin/) > [“Intellectually and compassionately explaining the reason freedom works is required for credibility.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/intellectually-and-compassionately-explaining-the-reason-freedom/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [With post offices and postal workers already on the ground, USPS could partner with banks to make a critical difference for millions of Americans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/with-post-offices-and-postal-workers-already-on-the-ground-usps-could/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [A banking system is an act of faith: it survives only for as long as people believe it will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/a-banking-system-is-an-act-of-faith-it-survives-only-for-as-long-as/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [For my own part, I did not see and did not appreciate what the risks were with securitization, the credit ratings agencies, the shadow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/for-my-own-part-i-did-not-see-and-did-not-appreciate-what-the-risks/) [Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) [Browse all 571 Banking quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/banking/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Higher education is the place where people who had big plans in high school get stuck in fierce rivalries with equally smart peers over conventional careers like management consulting and investment banking. 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