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The net result of highly affordable college will not be better employment opportunities for those who cannot afford college today. The net result will be increa

The net result of highly affordable college will not be better employment opportunities for those who cannot afford college today. The net result will be increased competition for a limited number of quality jobs. The value of a degree largely lies in its exclusivity. The increase in people going to grad school, particularly Master's programs, is a response to the increasing number of people with bachelor's degrees in the workforce. This is not to say affordable college is a bad thing by any means.

InitialLastName 10y ago
The net result of highly affordable college will be, at the very least, a better educated populace. In theory, this will make a workforce that is better at doing more valuable jobs.
- vkou 10y ago
  Like driving for Uber and not screwing up my double-caramel-infused iced soy mocha. (I still wonder as to what kind of rube can get that wrong. I clearly said 'SOY MOCHA.') We have plenty of qualified people. What we don't have are jobs where their qualifications are valued. See: the job market for hard sciences.
  - neuromantik8086 10y ago
    > See: the job market for hard sciences. I've often fantasized about the possibility of a deluge of rich philanthropists just up and deciding to establish institutes modeled after IAS, Boyce Thompson or HHMI Janelia en masse to soak up the excess scholars produced by universities (Boyce Thompson might be a bit of a black sheep in that list, but I include it anyways since it's technically independent to some degree). Unfortunately, I don't see that occurring within my lifetime. An expansion of gov't labs would have a similar effect, but that's a real stretch in these times.
- gozur88 10y ago
  I'm not convinced. As more mediocre students get accepted to colleges the curriculum has to be dumbed down to accommodate them. And, as others have noted, this is really pushing on a string. We're not doing anyone any favors by having them spend five or six years studying a field in which they'll never be able to find a job.
  - InitialLastName 10y ago
    I don't see anything about expanding the acceptance rates, just making it more possible for some people pay for it without going into debt. It's perfectly possible to not get accepted to a SUNY or CUNY school.
r00fus 10y ago
What if those 4-year grads went on to make their own companies and "grow the pie" so to speak?
brogrammernot 10y ago
The perceived value of a degree may live in its exclusivity, but real value is any degree as still to this day a degree is a checkbox for many decent paying jobs. The net result will indeed be better employment opportunities, as it opens up a large section of the job market requiring degrees across the United States. They will be competing for better jobs than the ones they currently can get without a degree
jressey 10y ago
This may be arguable, but I perceive another 'net result' of fewer people having student loans. Classical economics suggests this will lead to increased spending, growth, and higher employment. More money spent should also lead to higher wages.

InitialLastName 10y ago

The net result of highly affordable college will be, at the very least, a better educated populace. In theory, this will make a workforce that is better at doing more valuable jobs.

vkou 10y ago
Like driving for Uber and not screwing up my double-caramel-infused iced soy mocha. (I still wonder as to what kind of rube can get that wrong. I clearly said 'SOY MOCHA.') We have plenty of qualified people. What we don't have are jobs where their qualifications are valued. See: the job market for hard sciences.
- neuromantik8086 10y ago
  > See: the job market for hard sciences. I've often fantasized about the possibility of a deluge of rich philanthropists just up and deciding to establish institutes modeled after IAS, Boyce Thompson or HHMI Janelia en masse to soak up the excess scholars produced by universities (Boyce Thompson might be a bit of a black sheep in that list, but I include it anyways since it's technically independent to some degree). Unfortunately, I don't see that occurring within my lifetime. An expansion of gov't labs would have a similar effect, but that's a real stretch in these times.
gozur88 10y ago
I'm not convinced. As more mediocre students get accepted to colleges the curriculum has to be dumbed down to accommodate them. And, as others have noted, this is really pushing on a string. We're not doing anyone any favors by having them spend five or six years studying a field in which they'll never be able to find a job.
- InitialLastName 10y ago
  I don't see anything about expanding the acceptance rates, just making it more possible for some people pay for it without going into debt. It's perfectly possible to not get accepted to a SUNY or CUNY school.

r00fus 10y ago

What if those 4-year grads went on to make their own companies and "grow the pie" so to speak?

brogrammernot 10y ago

The perceived value of a degree may live in its exclusivity, but real value is any degree as still to this day a degree is a checkbox for many decent paying jobs. The net result will indeed be better employment opportunities, as it opens up a large section of the job market requiring degrees across the United States. They will be competing for better jobs than the ones they currently can get without a degree

jressey 10y ago

This may be arguable, but I perceive another 'net result' of fewer people having student loans. Classical economics suggests this will lead to increased spending, growth, and higher employment. More money spent should also lead to higher wages.