According to Pew research, By a steep 22-point margin, Republicans now believe American colleges and universities have a net negative effect on the country. In 2010, Republicans still said college was a good thing by a 26-point margin. So that’s a complete collapse in GOP support for higher education (self-identified Democrats and independents have always thought college is good by overwhelming, 40-point plus margins, and still do).
Trump represents the dumbing down of the USA
As someone with a Master's Degree, I question how valuable higher education is today given the cost and the environment. First off, the cost has ballooned astronomically over the past 20 years primarily due to the government trying to "help" everyone go. I'm not so sure it's worth being saddled with tens of thousands of dollars in debt when there are plenty of professions out there where one can make a decent living without attending a four year university. Second, universities have become incredibly hostile to thoughts and opinions that don't meet the ideals of mainstream liberal dogma. When you turn on the television and see the events at Mizzou and Berkeley it's hardly any surprise parents would start to question paying an exorbitant amount of money to send their kids into that kind of environment.
I also find it interesting how the Democratic Party has gone from being the party of the blue collar worker to that of pandering to snobby elitists, as indicative by your own comments.