University admissions, part-time jobs, student loans, and the job market were far easier matters to deal with in the columnist's day, with far more safe landing spots for students if postsecondary didn't work out. I know, I was there too with her back in those days, and I work in a university now. These niceties she's talking about are only for a very small number of students, and they make students stronger, not more fragile. The columnist, as usual, generalizes from a few small examples to suggest she has a view on a wider condition. Also as usual, she doesn't. The 'back in my day' crowd eats it up though, which I guess is the point.