That College Degree: Emotionally, It Still Matters (and probably shouldn't)

"I didn't go to college."

That's the poignant "confession" made so often during tarot readings. Those sharing what should be a snippet of their background emotionally have embedded it as a major human flaw. 

It's almost as if not earning a college degree assigned them to a low tier in society. Yes, there's a kind of kind of caste system operating. That's prevalent in HCOL (high cost of living) areas such as Manhattan and Los Angeles.

The feeling of being less-than is even among those without college degrees in the trades who are probably enjoying more employment security than knowledge workers with advanced degrees. On professional anonymous networks Blind, Glassdoor, Fishbowl and Reddit, the postings scream fear about the possibility of losing a white collar job, the reality of not finding a comparable one after a layoff and the disappointment of not receiving a promotion. 

It's also despite the cost of a college degree. According to US News that cost - tuition and fees - went up 5.5% for 2024 - 2025. For a private institution of higher education the average annual nut is $43,505. For public out of state $24,513. For public in-state $11,011.

What do I "see in the cards?" For most, the solution is to take that psychic leap out of feeling inferior. Human beings are capable of that inner magic. 

After all, we grow from the pain of loss. That ranges from the death of a parent to the end of a marriage. 

As a society we are transcending the former constraints of aging. Some are even grateful we don't have the reduced professional opportunities which Generation Z is encountering. Semiretirement is jolly fine. The stock market has been kind to boomers and Gen Xers.

It's even okay to adjust to minimalist living. My article of being post-car is receiving tremendous attention on LinkedIn. Like other nations, America could be becoming a country of e-bikes, scooters and mopeds. The new status is being debt-free. A car, even a used one, can impose plenty of debt. Then put those brakes on the credit card and start the cycle of debt all over again. 

For those who want to experiment with higher education, I recommend piloting that at the community college, focused on a specific career path. That could produce an Associate degree, along with certification. Want to go further in education? Calculate the ROI.

Meanwhile, the shock of those who piled up academic degrees is that AI is transforming knowledge into a commodity. Employers don't care what we know. They mandate evidence of what we can do. That's exactly why the hiring process includes creating case studies, marketing plans and/or proposals for implementing change. That's not just for a position at a management consulting firm such as McKinsey. It's also for entry-level positions in public relations.

Someday, sooner than later, LinkedIn will remove the slot on our profiles for our alma mater. Retrofit that space for a three-word description of a recent work result. 

Being a human being starts from the inside.

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