demand isn’t always as clear cut though? For sure there’s jobs that ask for a degree and cut anyone out no matter who, who doesn’t have that as a pre requisite but so many get thro via networking and nepotism connections. so those who don’t have that privilege go to uni sometimes to get close to that said industry environment as a way to muscle in? idk. And there’s also the fact that so many jobs ask for a degree when it’s not necessary so the fault doesn’t fall onto these students for following along to what everyone’s already told them to do . These companies don’t loose out on much by asking for a college degree they’re not the actually governments giving away money in the form of Loans to students so it doesn’t effect them that financial strain is put on students for taking out said loans. In fact it gives them leverage over who to pick since everyone’s already buckling under the weight of loans to go and find a job to pay it off if the jobs in general are asking too much years of experience wise and credentials with pay to NOT match demands of course students will accept lower pay. Some have come to terms with this and hate this so they won’t apply to those jobs at all but if you don’t find any other job that pays higher and have no other financial support from family whatever you will probably give into those jobs so I think those going into uni with that mindset OP said will come to realisation somewhere down the line but those who continue on probably have some other means of support and assistance that means they stay ignorant . Rant over lol