When it comes to whether to go to university or not, it’s easy to think that the ‘math no longer maths’. The cost of getting a degree has increased between 20 per cent and 50 per cent since 2021; the starting salaries for graduates have stalled or declined and that’s for those who can get a job; 30 per cent of graduates haven’t secured a job six months after finishing; and to top it all off, classrooms are empty as cash-strapped students shun a social life to make ends meet.

It’s no wonder a September survey published by Deakin University shows only 27 per cent of Australians think a degree is “very valuable” while 76 per cent said they were “too expensive” and “not worth it”.