A "diplomas for all" philosophy probably does leave everyone behind. But, an "opportunity for college for all" philosophy does not. With higher education, you

A "diplomas for all" philosophy probably does leave everyone behind. But, an "opportunity for college for all" philosophy does not. With higher education, you get out of it what you put in. The technical schools aren't much better. If you're going just for the certification/degree, you'd better be damned sure that the increased debt you take out is going to be offset by increased earning potential. Often, that's not the case. I've been through two rounds of post-secondary education, earning a bachelor's degree and a law degree. I can say without hesitation that I wasted my time with the bachelor's degree. Not because the school was bad, but because the effort I put in wasn't proportionate to the tuition paid. Law school was just the opposite. It hasn't necessarily increased my earnings (I co-founded a technology services company before law school and probably made more money at that) but I expect the law degree to pay out over a longer period of time. Even if I were to completely abandon the practice of law, what I learned will pay dividends in any number of fields. To say that someone can simply engage in a trade and make money doesn't reflect the full value of an education. A dedicated student may study in one field and wind up working in another. But the thought process and skills they obtain through their education give them a higher probability of success in whatever field they may choose. The flip side is that an unmotivated student who drops out of college three years in hasn't gained anything but debt. The trick is figuring out your motivations before starting school.