The current job market seems to say that possessing a college degree is an advantage even if students are learning very little during their four years of colleg

The current job market seems to say that possessing a college degree is an advantage even if students are learning very little during their four years of college. The problem with these studies is that what they actually say and the spin are two very different things. For example, from your link: "After four years, 36 percent showed no significant gains in these so-called "higher order" thinking skills." So 64% of students showed significant gains in higher order thinkings skills? That's non-trivial. This says to me that a good majority of college students are much stronger than when they left high school. And I suspect, much to the chagrin of many on HN, that many of those in the 64% are also top students. And for those that aren't top students, they're obvious in other ways. The other thing the article seems to point out is that you can get through college with minimal effort if you choose to, but if you do put in the effort you reap the rewards. While college is too expensive, I'm not sure its failing as an institution of learning. Its biggest problem appears to be making it too easy on those who want to take the easy way out.