Do not go into debt to provide a college education for your kid in a "soft" major.

But even some of the "hard" majors are looking a bit dicey. Computer scientist jobs are being outsourced to India where that expertise is growing rapidly. High energy physics is moving to Europe or even Asia as that is where the cutting edge research machines are being constructed, those remaining in the US being headed for mothballs. The ports debacle likely means the Muslim world will shift to flying Airbus rather than Boeings.

What are sharp, hardworking teenagers with excellent grades and test scores from middle class backgrounds to do? Both too much complacency (the world will continue for my generation as it did for my parent's generation) and too much alarm (life isn't worth living) are bad. To develop self awareness of the coming world on their own and to establish a basis for making good choices (most high schools likely don't and won't help much in either case), what books should they read or movies should they see? Unless their parents are wealthy, attending almost any private school means they will graduate with significant debt. With instate costs where they are, even attending any state-assisted four year school means they will graduate with some debt. Those looking to professional degrees will graduate with considerable debt. Tough choices compared to those of my generation.

Maybe going to learn a special trade, such as mastering the installation of solar panels or solar water heaters, for which there will be a local demand instead of college is a better path?