(Source: Realitynewsonline.com)So I admit it: I watched The Apprentice 2. And 1, for that matter. And American Idol. But I digress....



Why do I mention this? Because higher education appeared front and center in last night's finale. Jennifer, sporting degrees from Princeton and Harvard Law School, squared off against Kelly, a West Point graduate with law and business degrees from UCLA. Throughout the series, Trump and the candidates openly discussed educational backgrounds; one candidate, Andy, was referred to only as a "recent Harvard graduate."

At one point in last night's climactic scene, Trump asked Jennifer if her schools are "better" than Kelly's. She replied that her alma maters are always ranked at the top (no doubt referring to the U.S. News rankings). Kelly, to his credit, didn't stoop so low, suggesting he was proud of his schools and had nothing bad to say about Jennifer's.

I wonder what was Trump was getting at with that question, because it was rather silly. Is Princeton better than West Point, or vice versa? They have radically different missions and programs, so how can you compare them? Even U.S. News, which often lumps dissimilar institutions together, doesn't mix those two. I think The Donald simply was trying to stoke the fire. Neither took the bait.

In the end, Kelly, the West Pointer, won. The Donald didn't buy Jennifer's self-congratulatory argument that 1) she studied hard; 2) she got good grades; 3) she went to law school; 4) she works as an attorney; and 4) therefore, she should become a CEO. At least Kelly has an MBA and a proven track record in the business world.

Or maybe Trump, a Penn graduate, couldn't stomach hiring a Princetonian. Then again, if Trump favored fellow Quakers, he'd have had Kevin (always wearing "Ivy League athletics" t-shirts) and Pam in the finals.

Next season, starting in January, promises to highlight higher education even more. The show will pit college graduates ("book smarts") against high school graduates ("street smarts"). Will the college folks showcase the value of their education, or will the diploma-wielding challengers prove you don't need degrees to succeed?

Stay tuned.