Inspiration or job-preparation?

For some unknown reason, perhaps because she’s an outpatient at the University’s Strong Hospital, my wife gets the University of Rochester Alumni Magazine.
We did not attend University of Rochester.
It’s hoity-toity. My wife’s brother graduated there, but I wouldn’t have gained admittance.
In fact, I was barely admitted to the college I attended, Houghton College, south of Rochester in western New York (“HO-tin;” as in “oh,” not “how” or “who”).
I had to attend summer-school to prove I could do college-level work.
Which I could, because it was that or ‘Nam.
The UofR Alumni magazine makes an interesting point.
College costs so much any more you have to graduate with a job lined up.
Fortunately this wasn’t the case when we were in college.
Houghton cost perhaps $2,500-$3,000 per year at that time (middle ‘60s).
My father made up the difference my first two years, but after that it was President Johnson’s National Defense Student Loan program (NDSL).
I might be able to generate $1,600 with a summer-job, but the rest I paid for with student-loans.
So I graduated with debt, but it wasn’t staggering, about $3,400.
I paid it off in about four years.
And I wasn’t a walkaway — I paid it off.
So my college experience was inspirational.
I majored in the good professors: history.
My wife also majored in good professors, history and English.
History and English wouldn’t cut it in today’s world.
You’d graduate with staggering debt.
The only way to pay that off is Engineering or Business Administration.
Major in history and land a job at Mickey-D’s.
Even as an Engineer or Doctor, paying off your debt might take 10 years or more.
I never regretted attending college, and I was the first in my family to earn a degree — although I’m pretty sure my father could have.
And I feel fortunate it was inspirational instead of mere job-preparation.
Professors used to value my opinions. —I doubt that could happen in today’s world.

• “‘Nam” is of course Vietnam, the Vietnam war.
• “Mickey-D’s” is McDonalds.