HIGHER-EDUCATION BUBBLE UPDATE: Reader Brian Wohlgemuth writes:

My wife and I are getting hounded with four/five calls daily for various for profit universities trying to speak to my daughter. I’ve overheard their approach and it can be best described as a “desperate used car salesman”. I’ve told them to stop calling, some have listened. Some have also apparently outsourced their marketing to overseas call centers.

Last night they called at 10:06pm EDT. I have a feeling I’m going to get more calls like that…

If my theory of the higher-ed bubble is right, its bursting will show first in those places that are (1) most dependent on student loan money, and (2) least able to convince students to go into debt for their services. So desperation here would be a leading indicator, I think. It’s when traditional colleges start showing similar desperation that we’ll know it’s really happening.