premise: The traditional view, that gaining a degree will provide long-term employment security, has been questioned. The traditional story goes that to get ahead in society, one must spend three to four years and, in most cases, accumulate debt along the way. To leave school with no further education is to gain an unsatisfying career with little potential. However, it can be questioned whether this pattern provides a valid representation of contemporary society. With the rise of tuition fees, the average student debt is at an all time high. In addition, there is even greater competition for graduate jobs. The Chronicle of Higher Education notes that between 2007 and 2009 the number of students going to university increased by 20% in the USA, 60% in Europe and almost 200% in Asia. With these increases in competition, it is little wonder that the traditional path is being questioned.
hypothesis: There has been a decrease in the number of people going to university