What is an Education Worth?
"Universities...that strive for something more than mere return on investment — notably the education of the entire person — are given short shrift by examining mere financial metrics."
"Education is not merely about finding the right answer; it is knowing how and why we arrived at that conclusion in order to appreciate the process. Campus should be a place where complex issues are confronted, preconceived notions are challenged and faculties of critical thinking are stimulated."
The U.S. Department of Education's new College Scorecard brings to the forefront a question at the core of higher education: should an education's worth be measured strictly in terms of financial return on investment? Doesn't such an evaluation make education nothing more than a financial investment? While fiscal responsibility and wisdom should play key roles in virtually all life decisions, life itself is not merely the sum of all financial calculations. By making education such a calculation, are we, ironically, devaluing education?
The Observer l September 27, 2015