What's that diploma worth?

I was reading an online article that had to do with higher education. Years ago, education articles were glowing as they told of the value of a college degree. But so much has changed--and not for the better.

Let's talk costs. The article reported that tuition and fees at colleges and universities rose 439 percent between 1982 and 2007. Median family income rose just 147 percent during that period. Median household income has fallen 6.7 percent since June 2009. The cost of attending the average public university rose 5.4 percent this year. See a pattern here?

But it might be worth it if the students were getting a lot for their (or their parents') money. That's not the case, however. Nearly half learn next to nothing in their first two years; a third learn almost nothing in four, according to a report authored principally by Prof. Richard Arum of New York University. The article I read had a startling statement: "Students who say that college has not prepared them for the real world are largely right," said Ann Neal, president of the American Council of Trustees and Alumni. "The fundamental problem here is not debt, but a broken educational system that no longer insists on excellence." Another education expert said, "A college degree nowadays doesn't necessarily signal that its holder has any useful work skills."

Who's to blame for this failure? Now, keep in mind that I'm conservative, so you know what's coming. "For decades our schools have abandoned the teaching of basic facts and foundational thinking skills, and replaced both with leftish received wisdom and stale mythologies, all the while they have anxiously monitored and puffed up students' self esteem," said classics Prof. Bruce Thornton of California State University Fresno. So, our students can't do much, but they feel good about themselves. Man, that's sad.

What I see is an attitude on the part of the students that is a real problem. They believe the school has promised them success if they come and plunk down their money. It's like buying soap--you pay a certain amount, and you're guaranteed a useful product. They seem to believe a diploma awaits as long as they have paid their college tuition. I blame the schools because they promise too much and ignore the fact that not all people are cut out for college. The result is disillusioned (and poorer) students

There's more to this article I read, but I want to slow it down. There's much to think about here.