[CubicleNinjas]

I think the comments in this thread would be most useful if everyone noted how much debt they had on leaving college. :)

When you owe 80k to an institution there is quite a bit of incentive to believe in college's power. I think this pressure is a net positive though in a few ways, as it forces personal action and makes one double-check their decisions.

I left school with no debt, but not a full degree. It allowed me to take risks with my first few jobs which ended up paying off in the long haul. Had I needed money to pay loans I don't believe I would have been so lucky.