Ep 7. Adam Ruins College

Adam Ruins Everything is a comedy series that explores various aspects of life and debunks common myths and misconceptions. In season 3 episode 7, titled "Adam Ruins College," Adam Conover takes a sharp look at the higher education system in the United States, revealing how it functions and raising questions about its effectiveness and affordability.

The episode begins with Adam interviewing a high school student who is excited about going to college, but alarmed at the financial burden it might bring. Adam clarifies that college can indeed shape a person's career and increase their earning potential, but it is not the only way to achieve success and happiness. Moreover, the way colleges are run today creates a lot of problems and perpetuates unfairness and inequality.

Adam goes on to explain how higher education institutions are marketed as elite, sophisticated, and prestigious, attracting a huge number of potential students each year. However, those same colleges have become exclusive and expensive, reducing the accessibility of higher education to only a small segment of society. College admissions standards often rely on a student’s high school test scores, which are heavily correlated with their socioeconomic status. This leads to a disproportionately low rate of qualified low-income students being admitted to these colleges, decreasing diversity as a result.

The episode then dives into the financial aspect of college, including the price of tuition and student loans. Adam uncovers how these fees are inflated due to the efforts of the college industry to maintain their 'prestige'. He reveals how universities have steadily increasedn the prices of tuition and fees over the years, much more than other consumer goods, such as housing and food. This increase in price is not directly linked to improvements in education quality; rather, it is a result of colleges competing to offer more and more extravagant amenities like luxury dorms, football stadiums, and amenity-filled recreation centers. All this comes at a huge cost to students, who are forced to take on massive amounts of debt to pay for their higher education.

Adam also contests the long-time adage that college is the "best time" of one's life. Not only is this statement unrealistic in terms of the high workload and steep learning curve, but the pervasive party culture on many campuses can lead students to get caught up in distractions and other non-academic activities. This detracts from real learning, and can put students at a disadvantage when it comes time for them to secure a job after graduation.

To make matters worse, student loan debt, which is expected to hit an all-time high in 2021, is making it extremely difficult for graduates to pay off those loans, start their lives, and make large purchases, such as homes or cars. Adam discusses the issue, with a particular focus on how the debt burden disproportionately affects students from lower-income families. After all, the average college loan amount can reach thousands of dollars, and in some cases, students are accumulating debt that can take up to 20 to 30 years to pay off. As such, the college experience becomes a lifelong financial burden on young people, and they are forced to accept jobs they don’t want simply to pay off their debt.

Overall, the season 3 episode of Adam Ruins Everything, titled "Adam Ruins College," is an eye-opening examination of the higher education system in the United States. Adam Conover uncovers painful truths about the cost of a college education, the admissions process, and the overall impact that higher education has on young people's lives. He proves that college is not necessarily a guarantee of future success and that it is not an 'equalizer' within society. He advocates for a more fair and sustainable system that would widen access to education, provide realistic returns on investment, and promote true lifelong learning. This standalone episode is both amusing and insightful, with a perspective that any viewers will find thought-provoking.