A Dartmouth op-ed asks if a four-year degree is worth it—but it dodges the real comparison: college vs. trade school vs. direct-to-work. In Episode 79, Steve Gibson breaks down the true ROI question, the cost problem, and why higher ed needs to return to fundamentals—fast.

In Logic Dictate Hot Topics — Episode 79, host Steve Gibson responds to a Wall Street Journal opinion piece by the President of Dartmouth College discussing whether a four-year degree is worth it. Steve argues the piece misses the central issue: the real question isn’t whether college is “good” in the abstract—it’s whether a four-year degree is worth it compared to alternatives like trade school, technical training, or building a career in fields (like software and other skilled roles) that may not require a traditional degree.

Steve also tackles the financial reality: when a degree can approach hundreds of thousands of dollars, the opportunity cost is enormous—money that could otherwise be saved, invested, or used to build a career without debt.

Key themes in this episode include:

• The real comparison: four-year degree ROI vs. alternatives
• Why testing and measurable standards still matter
• How meritocracy and diversity can coexist—without lowering standards
• Why universities should emphasize equal opportunity, not equal outcomes
• The uncomfortable truth about political posturing on campus
• Why “make college affordable” begs the question: who created the cost crisis?
• Why this debate gets even sharper in the age of artificial intelligence (and what Steve calls “synthetic intelligence”)

Learn more about the philosophy behind Logic Dictate:

https://www.logicsdictate.com
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