elearnspace

When higher education is viewed as being primarily about getting a job, reports of this nature understandably arise: “Today’s economic downturn has blindsided a generation of young people around the globe brought up to believe that a college degree guaranteed them financial prosperity. Whether in the US, China, or in countries in between, graduates from even marquee-name schools are feeling the crunch, prompting many rightly to rethink the value of their education”.
Later in the article, the author turns the focus of college to something more in line with my thinking: “College is not intended to be a trade school. Its purpose is to develop the skills necessary to be lifelong learners who are capable of finding new information, evaluating it, and applying it to the real world”. Of course, if you have a degree and are looking for work, saying “I feel good about my capacity to handle information and can clearly see my contribution to the history of ideas” feels rather hollow.