If you believe that a college education is an unequivocal path to success, let’s examine some sobering realities. We are currently witnessing the most educated generation in history, yet they seem to be the most medicated, lacking essential skills, holding minimal wealth, and facing a lifetime of renting rather than homeownership.

Consider this: in recent years, skilled laborers such as plumbers and electricians have been commanding impressive incomes, sometimes surpassing those of doctors. Meanwhile, for a fresh graduate, the prospect of emerging with a staggering $200,000 in debt after four years of college, potentially landing a job paying $70,000, doesn’t seem like a worthwhile investment. And to add insult to injury, after graduation, you’ll receive calls soliciting donations.

The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the vulnerabilities of institutions like colleges and exposed how easily influenced we can be. Even when colleges closed their doors while local businesses remained open, they convinced students and their families to pay full tuition for online education. It’s baffling. Just as COVID made us question our priorities, college has convinced us that life is meaningless without it. Yet, the plumber next door, earning $400,000 annually and owning multiple investment properties, seems to be doing better than the college-educated couple next door, who are grappling with $400,000 in debt and a life that feels suffocating.

I believe COVID lifted the veil partially, but we need more skilled individuals in America. While I consider college a 99% waste, there’s no denying that certain degrees, like computer science, engineering, law, and accounting, hold value. However, even these degrees often require additional certifications or years of education.

As for business majors and various other fields, I believe it’s often more practical to intern for a year and gain tangible skills than to excel at pleasing instructors who may lack real-world experience.

Furthermore, why does education take so long? Is it necessary to study English for 12 years? The answer is no. Educational institutions, both public and private, create more obscure classes and majors to extract more money from students and government funding, preserving their comfortable positions.

If you’re a student or a parent contemplating higher education, ask about your goals and direction. Let’s abandon the cliché of “finding oneself.” Instead, seek a skill that makes you valuable to the world. Life becomes better when you possess both the skill and the financial stability that college often fails to provide. I implore you not to allow a teenager to burden themselves with a $200,000 loan to attend college and waste time on irrelevant classes taught by uninspiring educators whose primary agenda may be indoctrination.

Don’t let the illusion of college cripple your life or your child’s future.