is college really worthwhile?

Awesome comment thread over at Dr. Helen's about higher education and its merits. Just awesome.

Commenter "joe" really hit the nail on the head:

Overall, college is a huge drain on our economy. While there is a trick-down effect, most the direct monies go to people who aren't adding to the GDP.

Holy crap, tell me that isn't right on! That guy be speakin' TRUTH!!

And here's another tidbit:

Part of the problem with college is that it usually happens at age 18. Nobody knows what they heck they're doing at 18, no one knows what kind of adult they'll be, what they really want. And your choice of college and major have huge, seemingly (to many people) irreversible consequences. I know way too many people who got trapped by their choices made not even at 18 but at 17 or 16, that determined the course or their entire life. After you drop 10 years and a couple hundred thousand dollars on becoming a doctor, what do you do if you don't like being a doctor? For many people, it means just being an unhappy doctor. For 40 years. Scary.

I see a lot of people like Larry J who entered college later, as more mature people, and made choices that are better for them in the long run.

Again, right on. That's the most profound thing you'll read all day. Too bad some lessons are only learned the hard way.

Anyway, this topic deserves hours of rambling, but I'll cut it short for now. But if you do nothing else today, go read a few comments. There are some good ones in there for sure.