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It's the reading and writing. Highschool doesn't teach reading like it used to. They are getting promoted because they are better at learning and then expressing themselves on paper, something all proper university programs still teach. Ask the average highschool grad to read a 100-page manual and thier eyes glaze over. But a BA history major could probably do it over lunch.

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It's not that simple, but it could be a factor, in my experience. It's probably not one single thing.

Overly generalized, formal education seems to give one more self awareness. Lesser educated peers overestimate their abilities which helps them getting hired and be successful through the first few years. Then a promotion would require a different skill set and they cannot appreciate the complexity of learning it, so they fail.

Peers with a degree often are not confident enough, and overthink. But they can adapt quicker.

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