I wonder how much of this is down to AI? Maybe not much yet. Concerns about it and employment have only started going mainstream in the 2020s. That suggests there is more decline ahead for people’s regard for the worth of college education.
It’s striking how much opinions differ according to politics. 39% of Republicans rate college as “Not too important”, versus 9% of Democrats who feel the same way. The article wonders if the perceived left-wing bias of colleges is to blame. But if right-wing people desert colleges, won’t that just make them more left-wing? The student body certainly will be, and that’s where the future staff members come from.
It’s the cost. College is almost always worth it even if you don’t use the degree because education itself is always worth it (with the exception being scam colleges). It improves critical thinking, puts you in contact to people different from you, often gives more global perspective, etc.
But is it worth the current price? To the individual, probably not. It’s worth it to the society that educates the person, that’s why we used to subsidize education heavily and not rely on loans. Given the net gain to society, it should be free like k-12, although we don’t fund that enough either. It’s almost like universal education and capitalism are incompatable, eh?
But did you consider that educated youths scared the government? Didn’t even think of that, did you? That’s cause you’re a citizen-centered freak. Society needs uneducated masses so that
me and my friends can make more money than Godwe don’t lose our American way of life. It’s all to stop those damncommieshippiesblacksgaysterrorists!/s
In Europe, where college is almost free (details depend, there are still private colleges), the trend is towards considering college education more and more important, and more and more entry level jobs require at least a bachelor degree in vaguely related fields.
So, yeah, cost is such an important element!
That is because of degree inflation and europe trailing the united states. Also you still have to pay each semester a small sum (like it is around 220 Euro+ for me), so it isnt exactly free free everywhere.