Rethinking the college-for-all ethos

ABSTRACT A college-for-all ethos has been an echoed refrain of American society since the 1990s, but in recent years, it has found a challenge in the burgeoning belief that a college degree is of subjective value and potentially unnecessary to find a well-paying job. This article casts light on these opposed viewpoints in an effort to determine the objective modern-day value of postsecondary education. In the article, we use Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Model to provide a framework through which educators can support students as they attempt to discern the best postsecondary and career plans for them. We examine current literature to determine whether or not the two aforementioned perspectives align with current research, assess research demonstrative of Bronfenbrenner’s posited complexity, and dissect the concepts put forth through our use of the Ecological Systems Model.