Context is Worth 20 IQ Points:  Our daughter just graduated from Oregon State University with a degree in computer science.  Our question as parents is: “Can she get a job?”  Five years ago, when our daughter started uni, we thought that CS would be the forever meal ticket for her.  Why?  Every company needs computers and programmers.

That was pre-explosion of AI.  Now, I guess not so much!  Why?  Supply and demand.  The supply of CS grads in the US increased 40% in the last 5 years (WSJ).  The demand for CS grads without AI has decreased 30% thanks to AI (WSJ Handshake).  Why?

The Chat GPT can program and do it pretty well.  World Economic Forum predicts that AI will be one of the professions most impacted by AI.  Well, more work/career/job  disruption.

Wall Street Journal Artlcle:  WSJ had a piece called CS Major graduate Into a World of Fewer Opportunities (May 30, 2024).

Is College Worth It?:    :  Or, the question every parent and person now asks: “is college worth it.”

Why it matters:  Depends on who you ask? 

Students:  Students have to pay off student loans.  If you’re in a private uni in the US, they can be $60k or more a year.  They wonder if they should have pursued a trade such as plumbing or welding.  Guranteed jobs.

Parents:  Parents cosigned the loans, so they are on the repayment hook for a lot of years.  They wonder if they should have counseled their kids a little better about financial and job adulting.

Politicians: Taxpayers may be saddled with student loan debts if they can’t pay them off.  Pols may be held to account.

Unis:  They may have to change their mission on the purpose and value of a higher education.  They need to develop new programs to ensure graduate employability regardless if the student gets a CS, French history, or gender studies degrees. 

 Bottom Line:  There is a lot of college regrets.  Wouldas.  Shouldas.  Coulda’s