Weekly Wisdom | College Alternatives Grow
Some Good News For Generation Z
Two weeks ago, this blog highlighted that Gen Z is facing the worst first-time job entrant market since 1988, with many of the unemployed being recent bachelor’s degree graduates. Considering that the average bachelor’s degree costs nearly $100,000, the value proposition of a traditional degree program continues to decrease. And that’s before you take into account excessive grade inflation, anti-American ideologies being taught by woke professors, and nonsensical courses. Thankfully, alternative options to traditional college are beginning to emerge.
Options worth considering:
As an older post of mine discussed, the demand for all types of tradesmen is significant and will only increase. Trade school and other vocational schools are a GREAT option for many high school graduates.
Companies like Coursera and online colleges can offer certificates that teach specific skills. As the AI revolution gains steam, pursuing a skills-based AI certificate could really add value to a resume.
Some companies are offering elite high school graduates a chance to skip college and gain on-the-job training. Palantir, for example, just announced its Meritocracy Fellowship, which teaches its fellows technical skills over four months, along with courses in the humanities.
Gabriel Petersson, a recent high school dropout, landed a job at OpenAI as a research scientist by educating himself about AI via YouTube and ChatGPT. The internet and current AI tools reduce the cost to learn almost any skill.
While elite colleges and good degree programs are still worth the cost, the decline in the value of a bachelor’s degree will continue. Conservatives should use this opportunity to demand increased educational standards, better prices, and fewer ideological professors at our major colleges. Until then, reasonable alternatives to traditional college are quickly emerging, which can fuel the economy and provide good-paying jobs to recent high school graduates. And we should welcome it!
