"The cost of a traditional undergraduate education is now out of reach for most middle-class families, in many cases even with financial aid. When higher education talks about value, we cite the lifetime earnings differential between those with a degree and those with a high school diploma—though even that feels less predictably true in a labor market increasingly disrupted by AI."
"In the end, we struggle to define value clearly enough to justify a quarter-million-dollar price point. More importantly, value—no matter how well validated—is hypothetical if the product itself is out of reach."
"The current model of higher education doesn't just operate within scarcity—it was built on it. Selectivity itself became a proxy for value, leading to a disconnect between the perceived worth of a degree and its actual accessibility."
Higher education faces a trust issue rooted in its outdated model rather than ineffective messaging. Polls indicate declining confidence, prompting institutions to enhance marketing efforts. However, the rising costs of education make it unaffordable for many middle-class families, even with financial aid. The perceived value of degrees, including potential earnings and critical thinking skills, lacks consistent outcomes. The system, originally designed for the elite, has not expanded to meet current demands, leading to a disconnect between selectivity and actual value.
Read at Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs
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