Americans' confidence in higher education has taken a nosedive
Americans’ confidence in higher education has fallen sharply since 2015, with recent Gallup data showing a big rise in those who say they have “little or no” confidence in colleges and universities. Commenters cite soaring tuition, heavy student debt, credentialism in hiring, and administrative bloat as major drivers, alongside concerns about ideological capture, weak educational outcomes, and an arms race for elite admissions. While some note that a four‑year degree still pays off on average, many argue that for non‑STEM fields and lower‑ranked schools the economic and personal return is no longer clear, prompting growing interest in trades, gap years, and self-directed learning.
Perceived Decline in Value and Purpose of Higher Ed
- Many argue degrees no longer deliver strong economic returns or the promised “broad perspective and independence.”
- Universities are described as credential mills optimized for passing tests and satisfying HR filters rather than genuine learning.
- Several see college as mainly a rent-seeking credential used by employers to gatekeep jobs, often in roles where degrees are unnecessary.
Costs, Debt, and Economics
- High tuition and large student debts dominate concerns; some note students were “tricked” or pushed into costly degrees without financial literacy.
- Explanations for rising costs include restricted supply via accreditation, easy credit, administrative bloat, competition on amenities, and strong global demand.
- Others note that, statistically, a 4‑year degree still yields higher average earnings, though this is contested and seen as confounded by selection effects.
Poll Results and Meaning of “Confidence”
- Commenters dissect the Gallup poll: “great deal/quite a lot” of confidence dropping from ~57% to 36%, and “very little/none” rising from ~10% to 32%.
- Some criticize vague wording (“confidence in higher education to do what?”) and mixing of response categories, calling the metric low-information and highly politicized.
Politics, Ideology, and Trust in Institutions
- A major theme is concern about ideological monocultures, especially in non‑STEM fields, diminished free speech norms, and “woke” or activist programs.
- Others push back, saying public sentiment mostly mirrors partisan media narratives and that broad loss of trust now hits science and experts more generally.
- Academic fraud, replication crises, and COVID-era messaging are cited as eroding trust; debate continues over how widespread fraud actually is.
Field Choice, ROI Variability, and Alternatives
- STEM and licensed professions (engineering, nursing, medicine, law) are widely seen as still paying off; some claim certain humanities or “X studies” have negative ROI.
- Many advocate cheaper paths: in‑state publics, community colleges, trades, apprenticeships, gap years, or self‑directed online learning.
- Trades and manual skills are defended as intellectually demanding and often leading to happier, more stable lives.
Elite Admissions and Overcompetition
- Top schools’ falling acceptance rates are attributed to more applications per student, online applications, and international applicants.
- Several argue chasing top‑10 schools forces unhealthy, hyper‑curated childhoods, while lifetime earnings gaps vs. “normal” schools are modest.
Pedagogy, Student Experience, and Neurodivergence
- Some neurodivergent commenters report school and likely college are misaligned with how they learn (need context, just‑in‑time learning, deeper understanding vs rote).
- Broader critiques target K‑12 and higher ed for overemphasizing memorization, underemphasizing relevance, critical thinking, and multiple teaching styles.