Why College Education Is Becoming Obsolete

Ashley Thorne

The Chronicle of Higher Education has an interesting opinion piece by Seth Godin called "The Coming Meltdown in Higher Education (as Seen by a Marketer)" [subscription required]. Godin suggests alternatives to the four-year college, such as "gap years, research internships, and entrepreneurial or social ventures after high school," and believes that "There are tons of ways to get a cheap liberal education, one that exposes you to the world, permits you to have significant interactions with people who matter, and teaches you to make a difference (see DIY U: Edupunks, Edupreneurs, and the Coming Transformation of Higher Education, by Anya Kamenetz)" without going to a mainstream college. Godin argues that from a marketer's point of view, the typical American college is headed for obscurity for these reasons:

  • Most undergraduate college and university programs are organized to give an average education to average students. [See "Seven Imaginary Curricula"]
  • College has gotten expensive far faster than wages have gone up.
  • The definition of "best" [college] is under siege.
  • The correlation between a typical college degree and success is suspect.
  • Accreditation isn't the solution, it's the problem.

Image: Pixabay, Public Domain 

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