In a classic scene from the first episode of the Cosby Show, Theo tells his father that he isn’t going to college. Using Monopoly money, Dr. Huxtable explains the cost of life and the insufficiency of a “regular” salary of someone without a college education.
The scene works in part because of the obvious financial advantages of going to college. This episode first aired on September 20, 1984. For thirty years, the question of the value of college has been settled. How do I know? Cliff Huxtable told me so.
Yet, it seems every few months there is a story in the press questioning the value of college such as this one from The Economist back in April.
I’m all for debate. We have serious issues facing how we finance higher education as I’ve detailed in this space before. We should debate these questions. However, the constant stories about whether college is worth it aren’t a debate. Put simply, they are dangerous.
