Resolution criteria

This is a subjective market that will resolve based on a community poll of Manifold users.

At the market's close, a multiple-choice poll will be posted in the comments or as a linked question asking: "Is college (higher education) a scam?"

• YES: Resolves to YES if a simple majority (greater than 50.0%) of voters in the poll select "Yes."

• NO: Resolves to NO if 50.0% or more of voters select "No" or any neutral option.

If no poll is posted or if the poll fails to gather at least 25 votes within 7 days of the market's close, the market creator will resolve the market to YES or NO based on the general consensus of the comments on this market page.

Background

While "collage" is an art form consisting of pasted materials, this question refers to "college," a spelling error frequently seen in viral online debates (such as "collage is a scam" video clips).

Public sentiment regarding the value of a traditional four-year university degree has shifted significantly in recent years. Critics argue that skyrocketing tuition costs, lifelong student debt, and "useless" degrees make college a poor investment compared to trade schools or entering the workforce directly. Proponents maintain that higher education offers essential critical thinking skills, higher lifetime earnings on average, and necessary credentials for specialized careers like medicine, engineering, and law.