One of the things I think this and other articles on the subject miss is the decline in the quality of K-12 education. How much of the premium of the college degree increased because a highschool diploma became nearly worthless?

I lucked out, and went to a great highschool and was on the AP track. With few exceptions I had great teachers. I didn’t have a critical thinking “class” but even our art teacher would engage students in lively debates.

When I got to college I realized many people couldn’t write an intelligible sentence, much less a 5 paragraph essay, that is left for remedial college courses to fix.

My children will know how to write a five paragraph essay before they leave highschool and will have completed first year calc — this is my vow!