Plan B: Skip College

I have been harping on the idea that college degrees are hyped way more than they are worth, and is an ongoing topic in this blog.
Of course, expressing such an opinion while within academia means that I practically never hear anybody seconding my arguments.  (editor: does anybody even talk to you in the first place, for you to "hear" anything?!)
But, given the severe economic conditions in society, I would argue that this issue will not fade away, but will actually gather strength.  As this NY Times report indicates ... an excerpt:

College degrees are simply not necessary for many jobs. Of the 30 jobs projected to grow at the fastest rate over the next decade in the United States, only seven typically require a bachelor’s degree, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Among the top 10 growing job categories, two require college degrees: accounting (a bachelor’s) and postsecondary teachers (a doctorate). But this growth is expected to be dwarfed by the need for registered nurses, home health aides, customer service representatives and store clerks. None of those jobs require a bachelor’s degree.
Professor Vedder likes to ask why 15 percent of mail carriers have bachelor’s degrees, according to a 1999 federal study.

It is not at all the case that I am against higher education--I love it.  But, I want counselors, faculty, administrators, .... to provide high school students with some kind of a full disclosure, a la:

Professor Rosenbaum said, high school counselors and teachers are not doing enough to alert students unlikely to earn a college degree to the perilous road ahead.

The lack of full disclosure means that it is nothing but a .... ponzi scheme :(