The value of a degree has, without a doubt, been reduced…

This is certainly true; I’d argue it’s always been true. There’s advantages to ‘better schools’ relative to ‘ok’ schools — but I’d suggest it’s because of the expected better education received.

In truth, there are very well prepared and very poorly prepared degree and non-degree holders at ALL institutions as well as among those not going to a university.The keys to an individual prepared

• having the skills to learn effectively, to problem solve, to communicate, and to work with others.
• understanding that all situations encountered are both opportunities to make a contribution as well as opportunities to earn.
• understanding that the importance of the need to learn is lifelong.

The reason that higher education has such a wide variation in graduates’ capabilities is the same reason there is such a wide variation among those skipping university to, say, travel: the attention to the items listed above. They do not require higher education participation AND, sadly, higher education participation doesn’t necessarily insure even minimal attention to them!