Well, I think there are really two questions here: 1. is it worth it? 2. do you learn anything useful?


The answer to question 2 is no for *most* people. Doctors, lawyers, and some engineers learn something useful in college. Most other people do not. That is the problem.


The answer to question 1 is more ambiguous. You're still a lot better off with a degree because many employers simply won't read your resume without one. It is still a net financial benefit.


The answer to the student loan crisis isn't to make college free. The answer is to make it illegal for most jobs to require a degree. This forces employers and students to actually *think* about what is useful to learn in school. Students take more useful courses (and start productive lives much more quickly) and employers get more productive workers.