Malcolm Getz
Associate Professor of Economics
Background
CV
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Here is a short biographical statement in
text form.
Mr. Getz has been a faculty member in economics at
Vanderbilt since 1973. He was Director of the Jean and Alexander
Heard Library (1984-94) and Associate Provost for Information
Services and Technology (1985-94). He is the Director of
Undergraduate Studies in Economics (1996- ). An award winning
teacher, he has authored three research monographs, two textbooks,
and 40 essays on issues in libraries. He earned his BA in
economics from Williams College in 1967, and his PhD in economics
from Yale University in 1973. Mr. Getz won the Jeffrey Nordhaus
Prize for Teaching in the College of Arts and Science in1998, the
Ernest A. Jones Prize for Faculty Advising in1998, and the Madison
Sarratt Prize for Undergraduate Teaching at Vanderbilt in 2000.
Mr. Getz's recent writing addresses economic issues in
electronic publishing. One essay describes the adoption of
innovations in higher education. His most recent book, Investing in College, is shrewd and sensible, an invaluable resource and a beacon of sanity for college-bound students and the families who support them. His new
textbook, e.stat for business
and economics, is published by South-Western College
Publishing, 2001.
"Highlights of Past Publications"
(Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2007)
College education is one of the most important investments a family will make. But between the viewbooks, websites, insider gossip, and magazine rankings, students and their worried parents face a dizzying array of options. What do the rankings really mean? Is it wise to choose the most prestigious school a student can get into? What are the payoffs of higher education and, by the way, how do we pay for them?
In a unique approach to these conundrums, an economist and award-winning teacher walks readers through the opportunities, risks, and rewards of heading off to college. Warning against the pitfalls of numerical rankings, Malcolm Getz poses questions to guide a student toward not necessarily the best college but the right one. Famous professors suggest quality—but do they teach undergraduates? Are smaller classes always better? When is a state university the best deal around?
In a concise overview of decades of research, Getz reviews findings on the long-term returns of college education in different careers, from law to engineering, from nursing to financial management. Sorting through personal, professional, and institutional variables, he helps families determine when paying $40,000 a year might make sense, and when it merely buys an expensive rear window decal. He breaks down the formidable admissions game into strategies to improve the odds of acceptance, and he offers tips on tax breaks, subsidized loans, federal grants, 529 accounts, merit scholarships, and much more.
Shrewd and sensible, Investing in College is an invaluable resource and a beacon of sanity for college-bound students and the families who support them.
Research Interests
I have a continuing interest in costs, pricing, and the
performance of higher education. I am also interested in academic
libraries and the use of digital tools at colleges and
universities.
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