Common opinion among millennial graduates with ed debt whose careers were thwarted by various recessions.

The more nuanced perspective is that not everyone’s long term goals will be greatly furthered by higher education. It does have value on its own, and to some extent broadens the outer limits of the perspectives you might achieve in life, but it doesn’t teach you anything you can’t teach yourself with a library card. The argument for going into trades instead is a strong one, especially from a financial angle, but also job stability, work-life balance, mental health, etc.

All the same, I not-for-profit higher ed generally offers too much good in an individual to discount it as a scam. For many, it’s where the curtains are thrown open on their world. It just shouldn’t be considered the only viable path as perhaps it once was.