Overview
Should everyone go to college? If not, who should? And who should pay? Today, more and more students are encouraged to go to college—but should they be? This segment explores Bryan Caplan’s book The Case Against Education.

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Grade level and subjects
• Recommended for grades 6-12
• Subjects: Other
• Works in Classroom, Hybrid, and Homeschool settings

What students will learn
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
• explain the signals a college degree sends to potential employers;
• discuss the value of a college education;
• summarize arguments for and against encouraging college for all; and
• explain Bryan Caplan’s argument in favor of a world with less education.

Sample discussion questions
• Why do you suppose most people go to college?
• Bryan Caplan says higher education is lucrative for some individuals, but not for the country. What does he mean?
• Why might employers require degrees for jobs that can be performed without a college education?
• John Stossel suggests that tuition costs have increased as a result of government subsidies in higher education. How might this be true?
• If college were to become less accessible, Caplan says people could start their lives earlier. What does he mean?

What’s in the free teacher’s guide
This printable 7-page Teacher's Guide includes a lesson description, learning objectives, a fill-in viewing guide with answer key, discussion and analysis questions, and classroom activities.

Standards alignment
Aligned to state standards — use the SITC Standards Tool to match this video to the standards in your state.