Should everyone go to College?

This morning I was driving the familiar roads from Decorah to Iowa City.  It has been one of those weeks when listening to more music, pod casts, books on tape and my own symphonic and solo literature listening just wasn't going to cut it.  So I tuned into The Roundtable on Minnesota Public Radio.  I do not regularly listen to talk radio and I never call in (I swear!)

This was the show today-

http://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/09/11/bcst-friday-roundtable-kerri

Three college presidents from around the twin cities discussed ideas about how to make college education more attainable and successful for a greater number of students.  The conversation is interesting.  I work in an industry that has been steadily growing over the last 5 or 6 decades. 

The topic of how many and which students should go to college didn't really come up, but I kept asking myself after points made by the college presidents, "does everyone need to go to college?" and "who should go to college?".  I think it's a safe idea to have discussions about.  College was great for me.  I was in my element.  I enjoyed learning.  I enjoyed staying up late at night in practice rooms and the library studying. I even enjoyed classes (like chemistry!) even though I didn't get great grades in them.  I felt comfortable trying new things and sometimes failing.

I don't think college is like that for all.  Some students do not have the money to ever fail. Some students don't have the time.  And, more and more, I'm observing that students don't want to.  They don't even want to be in college (aside from the sweet parties).  Often, it seems college is a way to get a job.  It's also some sort of middle ground between adulthood and living with your parents that allows you to do things you would never dream of doing again!  Is that really the point?  Is it really worth paying all that money and going into so much debt for something many don't want?  

I've concluded that instead of pushing every student in the U.S. Public school system to attain college, it is time to help students find the training in the field they want and not only consider a bachelors degree as the ultimate prize after high school.  Maybe this will kill my job, maybe I should encourage everyone to play trombone in college.  But, it seems that isn't a realistic place for society.