Page 71 - Crisis in Higher Education

Underlying Problem • 45

7. Bucking the trend: For decades, in reality for centuries, work has
moved from manual to intellectual. For bright and capable high
school graduates to choose not to attend a university or a community
and technical college and pursue work with little skill or intellectual
content seems to be the wrong choice.
8. Changing job market: Two or three decades ago, there were many
more unskilled jobs that paid well and required a high school degree
or even less education. Looking forward, competition from develop-
ing countries like China and Mexico is likely to keep a lid on wages
for jobs requiring limited skill and education—in fact, wages may
actually decline. If this trend continues, two or three decades from
now the return on investment for a bachelor’s degree will be much
higher. Students and their parents should consider this possibility as
they evaluate an advanced degree.

It seems clear that a university degree should be a good investment.

REFERENCES

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2. Office of the State Auditor, State of Colorado. 2010. Higher Education Student
Fees, Department of Education: Performance Audit, July. http://www.leg.state.
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ILE/2046%20Higher%20Ed%20Fees%20July%202010.pdf (accessed July 8, 2016).
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November 12. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2015/11/12/
baby-boomers-and-the-end-of-higher-education/ (accessed June 14, 2016).
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(accessed July 5, 2016).
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7. The University of Toledo. 1966. Financing Your Higher Education at the University
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