Quite by accident, I ended up on youtube yesterday scrolling through videos proclaiming how much a scam college education has become. Given the times, perhaps this should come as no surprise; people are angry, and for better or worse angry people seem to have loud voices.
The issue is a hard one for me, which is perhaps one reason I spent so much time yesterday viewing videos of angry people; there are elements of their grievances with which I agree.
What are these grievances? Primarily, that promises were made which have not proved true. Sir Ken Robinson describes one level of this promise nicely in a popular video called "Changing Education Paradigms." The promise goes something like this and is well-known: if you work hard in school, do lots of extra-curriculars, and get into college, you will have a nice job when you finish. An oft-cited statistic suggests that people who earn Bachelors' degrees earn an average of $1 million more over their lifetime than those without. So understood, the promise described above takes on an additional level, which basically states: If you make $1 million more with a degree than without one, it makes perfect sense to take on debt to fund the venture. And don't worry; you'll pay it back in no time.
The last few years have shown that both levels of the promise have not proved entirely true. According to a consumer report from June, student debt in the United States surpassed $1 trillion this past summer, out-pacing even credit-card debt. Furthermore, "unemployment for recent college graduates climbed from 5.8% in 2008 to 8.7% in 2009--the highest annual rate on record for college graduates aged 20-24."
Fortunately there is good news. While I could find no indication that student-debt has fallen, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), those with degrees continue to have significantly lower unemployment rates than those without. Consider the seasonally-adjusted numbers here. As of November 2011, the unemployment rate for people without a high school degree was 13.2% ; high school graduates 8.8%, some college and/or associates degree holders 7.6%, and those with bachelors' degrees or higher 4.4%. Whatever else might be wrong (or right) with college today, people who hold degrees appear a lot more likely to find work. For many people, this employment might be out of their field, or leave them feeling "underemployed." I am one such example, having studied history in college and now work in the refrigerator of a grocery store. I'm okay with that for now, but I can appreciate why people are angry.
Watching those videos last night led me to realize how popular it is these days to bash college (and often, college students). As discussed in an earlier post, research suggests that college students today not only appear to study less, but also don't seem to learn much in their time as undergraduates. Coupled with the popular fervor against college as a "scam," the message seems clear; going to college is a waste of time and money. Students today are lazy, and college curriculum ineffective. Get a job, start making money, and let the money-grubbing system of higher education steal from someone else.
Harsh? Perhaps, though who can blame people who feel they've been cheated? Our time is one of confusion when it comes to the value of higher-education, and I wonder at the consequences. Will artists and other non-technical types be marginalized further than they have? Will cash-strapped institutions start cutting language, arts, and humanities courses? Will our society alienate people whose abilities aren't congruent with traditional measures of talent and intelligence?
I hope not, but who knows. This economic downturn has certainly led people to question the value of many things, and I think that is something potentially worthwhile. Hopefully the angry voices are not the only voices heard.
Happy Tuesday :)
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