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I understand your reasoning, but I don't like the idea of pigeonholing people into college-bound, not college bound based on their early life experiences. One of the great things about this country, that is not replicated in lots of places around the world, is that one can be a ‘late bloomer’ and achieve amazing things. I agree with making vocational training more widely available, but also think that we should not be looking at vocational training as an alternative for ‘those who aren't suited for college’. Actually, there are probably plenty of people who did well in college that just don't have it in them to be a good tradesman, and who wouldn't do well with vocational training.

That said, I very strongly believe that an important component of getting beyond the expenses incurred for higher education, and the unpreparedness of those going out into the work force, is to expand online courses and learning, start the use of these in elementary school, diminish the requirement for ‘bricks and mortar’ institutions in this context, and institute privately administrated standardized testing to determine whether or not a person has mastered a specific level of expertise in an given area. This could be done with most things, and I guarantee that many who never attend a university physically will out test those who do.

An electrician who runs his own business is more autonomous and wealthy than an engineer who does not. I agree with your assertion, but try to drive this idea home to a young person in our educational system.

It's hard enough to explain autonomy and working for a living in the same paragraph…they all think autonomy means you don't have to work.

Starting out in a trade or a woman married and having a family does not eliminate the possibility to achieve a college education. There's plenty of availability with online and night courses. The college campus is no longer for students just out of HS.

Some of the wisest younger people I know started out that way. Got a job skill, got a job, then started taking college courses. If anything, encouraging everyone to go to college immediately after HS is for many sabotaging their developing a skill and getting a job.

Can you imagine what challenged neighborhoods will be like if everyone just hangs out for two more years, at the government's expense?