For Baby Boomers, college was a rare privilege. For many Gen Xers, it became a non-negotiable requirement—parents pushed their kids to get a degree as the only safe route to stability. Twenty years ago, that was sound advice. But AI has shifted the ground. Today, AI tutors can accelerate learning, specialized bootcamps train people in months, and many employers quietly admit that degrees no longer matter if skills are provable. Yet tuition keeps rising, student debt is staggering, and Gen Xers now find themselves sending their own children into the same system they were told was essential.

The conundrum

Should the next generation still pursue traditional college, even if it looks like an overpriced relic in the age of AI? College provides community, resilience, and a shared cultural foundation—networks that AI cannot replicate. But bypassing universities in favor of AI-driven learning promises faster, cheaper, and more relevant paths to success while still achieving a college degree online or virtually. Which risk do we accept: anchoring our kids to an outdated model because it worked in the past and it feels safe, or severing them from an institution that still shapes opportunity, identity, and belonging?