Great article, Erik! I agree that college is still so important for all the reasons you describe, and not just for what you learn. I completely agree with the line “AI gives you answers; college gives you understanding”.

I have two daughters currently in college, and they are learning an incredible amount information, and also how to make sense of it and use it responsibly. They have stories of professors who figured out which students are using chatGPT to complete assignments or write papers. Their profs try to give them guidance on how to use, but not abuse AI. This is a valuable lesson they would not learn on their own.

As you state, it is so important for colleges to evolve to meet present & future challenges, and that includes using AI and also adapting to know which career paths may be in jeopardy due to AI.

I do think college is way overpriced, especially in the US. It’s unattainable for many now, so I can understand why people decide they can’t afford to “waste” their money on it. I don’t know enough to understand why it’s so expensive now, but I hope universities will find a way to bring costs down. My alma mater, Wake Forest, is starting a program where tuition will be free for students in North Carolina whose family income is under $200,000. That seems like a step in the right direction. I’m currently living in Canada, and I perhaps have limited experience, but it seems that tuition costs are much more reasonable here, and schools don’t compete to be the most prestigious.