If he does, I have two Christmas wishes of my own:
the first would be for all the children of the world to join hands and sing in the spirit of harmony and peace...
...and the second would be for $30 million a month to be given to me, tax-free, in a Swiss bank account.

(Thanks, Steve Martin!)

There's a tremendous amount of research that has been done on this very question. I refer you to Pascarella and Terinzini's 2005 book: How College Affects Students. At 848 pages, it comprehensively covers studies on every imaginable aspect of the college experience, summarizing how it affects students (it's not just a catchy title).

The short summary? College matters. And not just STEM degrees, either.

Here's a link to more information about the book. You can find it in your local library, too.

http://muse.jhu.edu/login?auth=0&type=summary&url=/journals/journal_of_college_student_development/v047/47.5davis.html

I think you misunderstand the accuracy of modern genetic testing. In most cases "markers" are identified that are associated with an increased risk of a condition or disorder. Increased risk != a guarantee that the person will develop the disorder or condition. Further, many (myself included) would consider screening for disorders or conditions (like alzheimer's) for which there is no cure and no benefit to early intervention in children unethical. (Once you become an adult, you are free to make your own choices.) Who is to say that living a life with an increased risk of _____ (alzheimer's, breast cancer, skin cancer, etc.) is not a life worth living?

It has nothing to do with what you want. It has everything to do with what they can sell. They make much more money on bundling the various "packages" together because it forces people to buy features they really don't want.

Have you compared the rent in DC to the rent anywhere in Kentucky? The cost of living in DC is much, much higher and as a result you would expect them to spend more on facilities and personnel. By analyzing only "average" spending, you miss the true tragedy of U.S. public education - we have some of the best public schools in the world and some of the worst. The best schools tend to be attended by the children of the wealthy (if they attend public schools), and the worst are much more likely to be attended by the poor. And while money by itself doesn't "solve" anything, money provides the opportunity to implement reforms and changes that can make a big difference in quality. Improvement without spending more money seems quite unlikely.

Please go visit an underfunded school - a school that has a crumbling, dangerous building, too few or outdated textbooks, under-prepared, under-paid, and over-worked teachers who are charged with teaching too many students - and tell them that "money does not solve this problem." Unfortunately in the U.S., you won't have to go too far to find such a school.

Homework is one thing, but many online courses are moving to require proctored examinations (either in person at a testing center or using a webcam and screen monitor). So unless you can fake your photo and all of your personal info (which the online proctors use to verify your identity), you may actually have to demonstrate some kind of skill or knowledge.

I don't see why seasonal produce is better. You can get nearly anything "in season" if you are willing to ship it. Sure, a tomato grown down the street tastes better in August than a tomato from Brazil in February, but I don't see any way to get a tomato to grow here in February. If I want to eat a balanced diet year-round, it is not possible to eat locally all the time.

As a country we spend millions of dollars every year on cancer research. New treatments are being investigated and studied all the time. What are we doing to prevent gun violence?

Because kids also die in car accidents and from hunger, we shouldn't be bothered to do anything about gun violence? That is illogical.
Please explain how the so-called "fiscal cliff," related to taxes and spending, has anything to do with school security, gun violence, or mental health care.

Excellent points. It could also be the case the people who drink more coffee have more money, and are therefore more able to afford cancer treatment (thus reducing the "risk").
I would recommend this article in The Atlantic: Lies, Damned Lies, and Medical Science. It points out many of the fallacies of this kind of medical research.

You can also look at prison population and the violent deaths in the U.S, both of which feature a larger proportion of men. I'm certainly not opposed to programs to support women or minority groups. But where is the outcry for programs to help men graduate from school, stay out of prison, and avoid violent death?

At one point the Federal Department of Education wanted to require ALL distance education programs to acquire permission from each state where they did business. But that has now been withdrawn (http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/07/31/education-department-wont-enforce-state-authorization-distance-education-programs).

I wouldn't be surprised at all if other states also still implement this policy, although it seems like overkill for a site that is not trying to offer degrees or actual credits.

All media outlets have one objective: make money. They do that by getting your attention (to their tv channel, or website, etc.). If they have to bend the "truth" a bit to get your attention, then so be it.

buy an LCD (or LED) screen. That will save much more electricity than changing the colors you use on it. I can never figure out why so many energy saving tips focus on such small things (e.g., turn off the water when you brush your teeth) but ignore the big issues (like my neighbors who water all afternoon in 100 degree heat and have a stream of water running directly into the sewer).