Originally Posted by MumOfThree
Where is the middle ground between going to university because education is enjoyable, inherently valuable and expands one's ability to think critically v. higher education is a senseless waste of time and (large amounts of) money if you aren't going to use that education "productively"?
Much higher education in the U.S. is a waste of time and money at the aggregate level, but at the *individual* level, the BA credential still has considerable value, because employers use it as a filter. It's an educational arms race that one is almost compelled to participate in.