[Oldexpat]

A lot of these kids should be going to a trade school. There are many good middle class jobs out there.

[Dilbert San Diego]

But there’s no “prestige” in going to a trade school and learning some blue collar skill. The “prestige” is in going to a four year college.

Many don’t realize that it wasn’t until after World War II that huge numbers of middle class people started going to college. In historic terms, it’s a recent phenomenon that we have a situation in which almost all middle class people expect their children to go to college. Yet based on the structure of the economy, relatively few jobs in our economy really require a college education. And many of those that do require specific degrees or specific skills, not just possession of a generic bachelor’s degree in some random liberal arts field.

[dhs12345]

Yup.

[driftless2]

"A lot of these kids should be going to a trade school."

Yes. I would bet for more than 50% of college grads have virtually worthless degrees as far as gainful employment. Time to put the brakes on Big Ed(ucation) i.e the outsize influence of colleges and universities.