[chaxor]

It would be great if there were more emphasis on some of the aspects that made academia so great many years ago, but unfortunately the scene has changed dramatically.

My perspective on the value dwindling comes from several graduate degrees and teaching at some of these 'prestigious' universities in the northeast.

It is of course just my singular experience, but the handful of research institutions I have worked at actually provided more of a typical 'academic' atmosphere than the universities, unfortunately. I still really want to believe that universities provide the most innovative research environment, but the incentive and operational structures don't really make it as optimal.

The reason I mention the new generation viewing its value as dwindling is that the cost isn't really 'worth it' and many of the best educational resources are actually free online now.

I'm an academic, so the fact that the investment doesn't pay off doesn't really bother me (academics typically don't care about money), but many people do want some financial advantage from education, and that isn't as present anymore.