> You're talking about career changes as opposed to initial schooling Yes, but it's the same question. Initial schooling is implicitly accepting a working age

> You're talking about career changes as opposed to initial schooling Yes, but it's the same question. Initial schooling is implicitly accepting a working age adult contributing no income for four years. We're just accustomed to it. > what assumptions do you think need to change? * 18 year olds are capable of making decisions about what career they will want for the rest of their lives * Leaving (or pushing back entering) the work force for four years in pursuit of a degree is a nigh-universal good * Taking four years of time / 120 credit hours is a reasonable and good target around which to structure degrees, regardless of what amount of knowledge must / should be imparted * Training on the job cannot replace any meaningful amount of what four year degrees can offer * Anyone can get a degree, and should be encouraged to do so regardless of whether or not they actually can or will I mean, there are more, but that's a good start.