Going to court: the case for college

Are recent charges of college education's lack of value a misinterpretation of circumstantial evidence?

Cloudy skies (or rather, clouded opinions) are coalescing that college* isn't all that it's cracked up to be.

This is not completely off-base. Increasing tuition rates + nominal wage growth = dangerous student debt . Economic uncertainty makes the long-term choice to go to college ever wiser yet, in the short-term, ever harder. 'Cool' companies with highly entrepreneurial bends push skills over degrees and, at times, are even antagonistic to formal education (Elon Musk's oft-embodied disdain of MBAs being just one of many examples ). Academia has arguably always been a bit out of tune with market needs, a phenomenon that may have only worsened in recent decades.

Despite such, the value of a college education (demonstrably emphasizing the entirety of experience), I argue, is as relevant as ever.

Opening argument

Ready yourself for all four seasons

Formative post-teenage years are integral in defining what kind of person one will be . The malleable moulding of one's upbringing is about to be solidified by the values being adopted as a young adult, now able to discern opinions for oneself.

The ability to critically analyze opinions and discern fact from fiction is a crucial component of this phase in the educational journey. One of life's most important skills, there is no better place to hone it than a college campus where a myriad of varied perspectives are espoused.

There is little else that delivers such impact on one's belief structure than having your mind opened to new ideas. Learning how to challenge, and be challenged, in a logical and respectful manner is a key skill that, alone, makes the entire exercise worthwhile.

Submission of evidence

Exhibit A: the long-term forecast

Some jobs don't require a college degree and that may never change. For those interested in positions outside general labour and higher than entry-level, yes, in some cases you can acquire these sophisticated technical or specific skill sets in alternative capacities.

However, there are plenty of reasons why the BBC ran a report 'Why ‘worthless’ humanities degrees may set you up for life ' and social science graduates see employment rates similar to those of graduates in STEM programs . To be attractive to, and move up in most organizations, one needs to think critically, logically, analytically, and strategically... skills still best developed through formal higher education.

If any further validation is needed, consider the stereotypical 'overly-ambitious-type-A' dossiers that litter MBA programs: heavily-focused on IT, investment banking, consulting, and engineering (HBS , Stanford , Rotman ), is it not a testament to the value of higher education that such high-income earners forego prime earning years to obtain these degrees?

Exhibit B: storm-proofing

In a world where 'what's trending?' dominates public and private discourse, it would be imprudent to risk one's career on the latest, hottest take that 'school isn't cool' and 'only skill is ill.'

Putting aside the preposterous notion that skill development can't be fostered at an educational institution, the CoVid pandemic has fast-tracked a decade's worth of necessary workplace evolution. Nevertheless, a college education has for decades been a key determinant of career success. To bet against the track record of the most secure way of fulfilling career potential , especially given this game's stakes, is a chance few risk managers would take.

Exhibit C: visibility rates vary

How many 17 year olds know what they want to do with the rest of their lives? How fair is it to expect a 17 year old to even have a solid idea of such?

Colleges provide safe spaces that encourage intellectual investigation and lets one make mistakes (certainly far more so than do professional settings). They are the ideal place to figure out who you are , who you want to be, and what you want to do... or not. That 3- or 4-year finish line may not be crossed with career intentions crystallized but the entirety of the experience will shape the entirety of one's development. At the end of it, one can expect to be far more mature , well rounded , and better prepared for whatever path is ventured down.

Exhibit D: hourly breakdown

Simple facts: college graduates are:

Healthier . Happier . Richer .

More connected ... get hired more quickly ... move up faster ... reach higher positions .

Perhaps that should have been 'Exhibit A?'

Closing argument

Grab that sun while you can

With 30 or 40 years of life to be spent in the workforce (and entirely reasonable to continue it's slowly trend up for the past 20 ) is there a better reason not to go to college? It's such a unique and special time, with such a short duration, and so impactful, it truly qualifies as a 'once-in-a-lifetime' opportunity.

It's true that one could defer enrolling as a late teenager, reassuring oneself with (admittedly, incredibly inspiring) stories of returns to school and late completion of degrees. In reality, like so many best laid plans (see: the graveyard of new year's resolutions or 'I'll go to the gym tomorrow' promises), these opportunities are exceptionally rare and often reserved for those whose whose success has afforded them such luxury.

Of course, there is also FOMO ; spending one's life in the shade regretting missing out on the brightest part of life ? It's not something to miss out on.

Breaking bread

Did you have this internal debate prior to launching your career? Perhaps you're having this very conversation with a young person, possibly a mentee; how are you advising them? What are their arguments against going to school? As a clear advocate for a higher education, I'd love to hear from both sides of the bench.

* Note: 'college' used interchangeably for 'university.'

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