“Is a Four-Year Degree Worth It?”
A Wall Street Journal op-ed by President Sian Leah Beilock
Feb 18, 2026
2 minute read
2 minute read
In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, President Beilock outlines five steps universities can take to strengthen public confidence in higher education and how we’re implementing them at Dartmouth.
“Families across the U.S. are questioning whether a four-year degree is worth it. Student debt has soared. Recent graduates are struggling in a rapidly changing job market. Colleges can also be too ideological: On many campuses, students are exposed to a limited range of perspectives, signaling to them what rather than how to think.
American higher education has a trust problem. We shouldn’t otherwise, and it won’t solve itself. In 2026 I’d like to see colleges and universities across the country take steps to restore trust. As president of Dartmouth College, I’m committed to this goal, and how to restore public confidence in higher education animates conversations among my presidential peers.”