The Wrong Debate About College

A recent Open to Debate formerly known as Intelligence Squared U.S.  debate tackled the proposition that Too Many Kids Go to College. Arguments in favor: the cost of higher education is rising out of proportion to its value; it stifles entrepreneurial creativity (because Plan B is to found a million dollar software company, natch); and the bachelor’s degree is a false credential that doesn’t accurately signal what a college graduate knows and can do. Arguments against: Post-secondary education is the best hedge against poverty, unemployment, and dead-end jobs.