College freshman enrollment on the decline in the U.S.

New data shows that freshman enrollment in college has dropped for the first time since 2020. NBC News' Zinhle Essamuah examines why high school graduates are passing on higher education and where they're heading instead.
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#College #Enrollment #Education

[@lilshaolinboy]

Imagine trying hard in school, getting good grades and going to college, only to become an indentured servant to the student loan system

[@beautifulloser8074]

I finished with a Bachelor in Computer Engineering. Debt free. You have to control your spending and get scholarships wherever you can.

[@TheNeutralist99]

​@@beautifulloser8074mine was in bachelors in general studies with concentration in accounting and social work. Landed a government white collar job. Feels nice imo. The classes I took under the degree is what bolstered it

[@jaycee9153]

@@beautifulloser8074 Maybe you can hire insecure @lilshaolinboy and teach him the ropes?

[@MissRed92837]

In all other western civilized countries college and universities are for free! Because these countries want educated citizens.

[@johnsmith9966]

Imagining

[@SeBaStiAN01Niceboy]

I am not surprised by the rise of tuition costs and sketchy high-interest student loans.

[@cs0345]

Low birth rates are partially to blame for it too. The population of young people aged 18 to 25 is decreasing. They should've mentioned this at some point

[@FunFilmFare]

And don't forget the rise of jobs that don't require a college degree.

[@randyt700]

Lol watch admissions get pretty relaxed with applicants and look out for the government incentivizing/enticing high school students with easy student loans.

[@dadwire1483]

Whites are dying off, aging not having babies, but the 3rd world are in multiples! Collapse of the West..?

[@theperfectcast9038]

@@randyt700 we’ll see a bit of a brain shock, but I’m guessing education demand will meet the market of college graduates in the next 20 years.

[@bonnielovely]

when the youth doesn’t see a future, they won’t try

[@manoftomorrow5987]

Good. Those that try will strive in the long run

[@victorhardin2186]

​@@manoftomorrow5987na

[@EnergizingBane]

@@manoftomorrow5987debatable

[@chrisvaughn5960]

True

[@sqweeps.03]

@@manoftomorrow5987brain dead ahh take💀

[@carlosgamez6230]

The cost of college is my whole yearly salary x3 which is a whole joke. We will never get the same life’s our parents got

[@TB-1-1]

When I was in college a cheap one bedroom was $350 month and an expensive one was double that. Now a cheap one is over $1k with all the price gouging. I feel sorry for the younger generations.

[@BadMannerKorea]

@@carlosgamez6230 So you make $12,500 a year? Sorry for you.

[@self-employedsuccesssecret2983]

Not with that attitude

[@BusArch42]

As a parent of three college students it’s on us to make sure to level the field. I’m gen X and it was pretty expensive for us too. Boomers had it pretty good but college costs started to rise rapidly in the early 70s. I had to work two jobs and it took me 5.5 years to finish. My husband finished on time but took out student loans. It took us three years living on my salary and using all of his net to pay them off. We didn’t want that for our kids. We both went hungry in school and that was not okay. We started saving for college the minute they were born. They all earned full ride scholarships to our local university and we ended up with 66k each in 529s. One lost hers but thanks to living at home and getting help she will still finish debt free. The other two should finish with 50k in the bank. Our goal is to give them a hand up. We also plan to finance their first houses at the lowest rate the IRS will allow.

[@grobble8954]

You have a bad job.

[@Exisist5151]

Honestly for the better. College costs too much nowadays.

[@MissRed92837]

In all other western civilized countries college and universities are for free! Because these countries want educated citizens.

[@777Skeptic]

@@MissRed92837 Meanwhile, America is going to turn Idiocracy from a comedy to a documentary.

[@EhCloserLook]

America is becoming the movie ‘Idiocracy’. This is exactly what a certain orange man wants.

[@Wongseifu548]

@@777Skeptic Unfortunately that's what republicans want unfortunately.

[@tringuyen7519]

90% of the students in engineering schools of US universities are international students on student visas. US universities are valuable to international students!

[@nickodelacerda2040]

Went to trade school instead, now I’m 5 years in making $38 an hour as a licensed electrician with no debt

[@Man_in_a_Gucci_Suit]

How much was the trade school tho?

[@deli7328]

@@Man_in_a_Gucci_SuitNot as much as you’d think, way LESS than college.

[@Man_in_a_Gucci_Suit]

@@deli7328 I mean I know that but also if you go like Tulsa welding school it cost same as going to university Or UTI or several other trade schools My friend went to U of H for $20k for 2 years student loan debt isn’t as bad as they stereotype it to be It’s still bad for sure but I mean it’s an investment

[@devonforsure260]

Come work for me in the northeast I'll pay you more than that!

[@eegernades]

A lot of students plan to head into trades. Defend your union and don't vote against them. Saturation is heading for the trades and wages will be suppressed like other industries. The rich don't want to pay.

[@lxrdeknives5412]

As a recent college grad I can 100% see why. The cost is ridiculous and a degree really isn’t worth much anymore. I’ve been out 3 months and can’t find a job that pays more than $16 an hour because every “entry level” job now requires 5 years of relevant experience. Your better off starting at the bottom at a company and just working your way up having your company pay for any education you may need

[@radjedi2010]

Good luck starting at the bottom with any desirable company as just a high school graduate.

[@nuclearwaste2062]

​@@radjedi2010go to a trade school. Learn a skill like electrician or plumbing. You can make very good money there.

[@artic_dh]

Starting from the bottom and working your way up? thats not a thing anymore.

[@mjg239]

You could consider government or state jobs, there's a channel on KZbin by a man named Armand Curet, look him up. He offers a lot of advice on KZbin in his videos for people like you in your situation. Good luck!

[@platinumpineapple9943]

I know computer science graduates that cant even find a job and mechanical engineering and its been years since they graduated. One of them just works at cost co now

[@k.p.2706]

Birthrates in the USA declined in 2007 and never returned to those levels. The year 2025 will reflect this drop because the number of 18 -year-olds will be the lowest on record in recent history. Many schools at every level (primary, secondary, and college) will be closing. Too bad they didn't bother to mention this in their segment.

[@KNRS927]

Having kids is just so expensive now, and sending them to college is just a major expense that many kids don’t want to deal with now. Last thing kids want is to still struggle with employment after college and dealing with those loans too.

[@divinedianec3170]

​@@KNRS927Some colleges have started banning scholarships& Student loans.

[@AxePlays-hc5dj]

Saving This

[@28ebdh3udnav]

Yep, that too but, it's sad and angers a lot of people, that one reason why they're talking about the college enrollment is because illegals are given free education but after high school, they can't go to college because they don't have a legal status

[@tubaboytom]

That doesn't matter. The US still takes in a lot of immigrants that come through the immigration process. We've always been supplementing our domestic loss in population with a foreign mass.

[@natalieroy4849]

It's too expensive. I value education and there's no denying that access to knowledge and the ability to critically think is very important. An educated society makes for a prosperous nation. It's unfortunate the US government has allowed the business of education to become so out of control that now it's becoming unreachable for the majority of the population. I don't want my kids to be saddled with debt or be forced to take on predatory loans, especially at a time when wages are stagnant and making ends meet is difficult for many. I'm encouraging my son to pursue a trade and hopefully find an apprenticeship that will pay for his certification. Same with my daughter, after she takes advantage of the running start program in our state. Unless something is done, college education will be reserved for the wealthy.

[@theperennialmillennial3849]

Class based affirmative action combined with tuition free college are the only means of rectifying the issue. For the time being though, affordable education is reserved to those who pay for online learning platforms and/or auditing (which is still free).

[@MissRed92837]

In all other western civilized countries college and universities are for free! Because these countries want educated citizens.

[@natalieroy4849]

@@MissRed92837 many of them but not all.

[@RickCunningham-gs1ec]

They also pay +60% in taxes in those European bastions too. No thanks. I’m not paying for someone else’s exploits

[@heyaisdabomb]

​@@RickCunningham-gs1ec You "stat" is not true, just google it. Their taxes are similar to ours.

[@Rocket_Man.]

and once you graduate with your degree and debt, most engineering jobs will overlook you because you didn't have 8+ years of experience 💀

[@Wongseifu548]

That's not true. That's not even remotely true

[@thedude5040]

Bro, I was hired in engineering with zero experience.. not even an internship. Graduated 2018. Paid off student loans in 2021. Today I'm almost a self made millionaire.

[@theemeraldwarriors8703]

@@thedude5040 respectfully, are you living under a rock? This isn't 2018 anymore. Then, jobs for fresh grads were widely abundant. Very few companies are hiring non-experienced engineers today. If you have time, dig up your resume from 2018, fake your name, and apply to a few jobs with it. Tell me if you even get an interview.

[@hikarichoichiro5557]

@@thedude5040 Are you slow in your head or something? Do you not know what happens each year? I can't believe you graduated from engineering with this level of unawareness. 2018 was pre-covid. The economy went bad and many tech companies froze hiring in 2022 when the interest rate was raised to 5 percent from almost 0 percent during 2020 to 2022. Engineering firms have been saving money by cutting and raising hiring standards every year since then. In 2024, survey says 60% + entry level jobs require 3+ years experience. Many of my new grad friends from ivy leagues were struggling to find a reasonably paid engineering jobs out there.

[@thedude5040]

@hikarichoichiro5557 We still hire engineers with zero experience. Qualus. we have many offices Florida, NC, Tennessee, TX, KS

[@FSR431]

IT'S MONEY. No one wants to get out with $100K debt. Simply not worth it. The reckoning for the overblown commodity of higher ed has come.

[@NegativeOpposite]

So if colleges were fully public like our K-12 system you would support higher education?

[@FSR431]

@@NegativeOpposite Ah yes, let's give it over to the government to reform higher ed. What could possibly go wrong there?

[@NegativeOpposite]

@@FSR431 By your logic we shouldn’t have public K-12 because that’s exactly the same thing as extending it to cover college.

[@BadMannerKorea]

The percentage of people who have 100k student debt is 1%. Not sure why you’d talk about statistical outliers…

[@mocheen4837]

That is why parents should start saving in 529 plans as soon as their kids are born.

[@ST-rj8iu]

What does a college degree teach? 2 years of redoing HS and BS courses that don't provide hard skills. EDIT: I have two college degrees and 2 minors. I don't use my degrees. Most people I work with are not in the field they majored in.

[@TheNeutralist99]

Gen ed courses include stem and business and your standard liberal arts classes. Say you just do 2 years at a public community college/uni for accounting. You take 5 core classes in that area and that's it. That AA in accounting will get you places. Quick and free with pell grants/scholarships.

[@ST-rj8iu]

@@TheNeutralist99 Quickbooks and other tools are replacing accounting roles. The largest firms are using these tools to replace people. obviously for doctors and lawyers, yes degrees matter. Many degrees are worthless. I know. I have two bachelor degrees and two minors in 4 years

[@trainerkam3218]

​@@ST-rj8iu Yeaaaa fetting a good degree is tricky. Itd be nice if the country dient put so kuch emphasis on capitalism or there were other social reasons to go to university. With how things are now, its hard to trust future job prospects reports when industries are insisting on cutting costs by not hiring ppl or paying well

[@saintsalieri]

You went to a terrible college or didn't pay attention or something. College is wonderful and we need to make it accessible again. Unfortunately we just elected a fascist.

[@TheNeutralist99]

@@saintsalieri i think getting rid of the DOE is a wrong move imo

[@jacobartis9853]

As a current college student I can tell you exactly why. The increase in tuition year on year is crippling to and its because these universities are getting increasingly greedier and more blatant with ridiculous junk fees like you wouldnt believe.

[@frankiecarrrierivg03]

And if you drop classes within the semester that sucks cause you end up paying up

[@shannon890]

Back in 2012 the school said they had free wifi, I was billed 500 a year for “free wifi” at a big state school

[@lilmamagc]

agreed

[@TexJester-no8th]

People are finding out college degrees are EXPENSIVE and WORTHLESS. Trade school admissions are going up.

[@Wongseifu548]

Nice troll account

[@TexJester-no8th]

@Wongseifu548 Thank you, but what does that have to do with anything? If you disagree with me, tell me where you think I'm wrong - otherwise, you sound like a petulant 4 year old...

[@BilldoeTruth]

Expensivevilshellter NYC staff 😢

[@davidbosley7126]

Honestly that is a good thing that trade school is going up for admissions, to go up, i would say if you want go to college, then the degrees would be Engineering, Doctors, Business, Sciences or Laws are the useful ones. everything else is useless for college and you can learn it online or go to trade school like you said, since some don't want to end up 6 figures in debt.

[@JasonLarsen-t3v]

The pay in trade school jobs will go down as the number of people working in those trades goes up.

[@mlou4902]

To any high school student watching this video: don’t let anyone guilt you into going to college. Find a trade, make a profit, and if you want to go, you can pay for it after. Even the way they talk about the problem is frivolous and problematic. “The student loan situation” really should be “this is a predatory tactic”. How a country thinks it’s okay to have just about every student who’s culturally diverse take out a loan on an education plan they aren’t even sure is exactly what they want, is ludicrous.

[@eegernades]

Trades is a temporary solution that's been paroted for 3 years now. Saturation is incoming and with that, suppressed wages.

[@DarkwellorBZ]

Wage suppresion is already here good luck fighting the hundreds of people in the unemployment line over the exact same thing nationwide 😂😂😂

[@Qce-i6d]

I'm working part time and attending community College part time to learn a trade. It may be taking me a but longer to complete college, but I'm okay with that. Better to absorb the material than rush thru it.

[@aidangardiner3762]

The fact that stock footage of clubbing is what we associate with "going to college" demonstrates just how worthless and farcical our college education system is

[@kjh7108]

It’s a financial prison with the possibility of not finding a job. Education should never be this expensive.

[@aarontoalet]

I'm not surprised. As a teacher, every time I ask if they're going to college, I get unsure responses, or an emphatic "no".

[@kenho-wr5ul2rh7m]

mainly because of the tuition fee and related cost? here in China the tuition fee is around $650-$1300 per year, minority and poverty have like up to 95% reduction, basically free eduation

[@aarontoalet]

@ I teach in low income areas where they would be eligible for Pell Grants.

[@PineappledoesnotbelongonPizza2]

​@kenho-wr5ul2rh7m Yeah, but you have the hardest exams in the world. Only the absolute smartest people can attend college because so many people fail to pass those Gaokao exam.

[@greeneyesfromohio4103]

@@kenho-wr5ul2rh7m - in America tuition is like $20,000 a year 😂

[@starpoptarts]

@@aarontoalet this! low income ppl need to know that they are eligible for pell grants and more financial aid from FAFSA since they are low income

[@FayDougall]

I remember back in the 60's, 70's and 80's parents would star a collage fund for their kids when they were born. Because of the cost of living these days parents don't even consider trying to save for post secondary education . Young people now a days would rather go into the work force and make money than go into debt studying for a career that may not pay enough to pay the bills

[@c.eb.1216]

Gerber baby a penny a day 😂

[@yoboybigj875]

Most teen are doing trade school..I went into the restaurant because It always demands I make a good living being a chef but other would look down on me because I don't have a degrees

[@josephvanname3377]

I was a professor, and now I have no respect for colleges anymore due to their unprofessionalism.

[@rc8929]

If you were in the business, it falls on to you to have spoken up and make changes. Failure to do so is a big miss on your part.

[@KNRS927]

@@rc8929one person isn’t gonna change a system. And end of the day, people have a job they have to worry about too and last thing needed is these politics getting in the way. Not everyone is expected to be a “social justice” warrior.

[@ritaruchlin9661]

What to do you see? Are the kids less prepared for college coming from HS? Does college expectations are not as high?

[@broimagine2794]

@@KNRS927except when michelle obama changed the school lunch program. we can change the system, we just have to speak up and fight for it

[@KNRS927]

@@broimagine2794 Michelle Obama is a former First Lady for over 8 years and one of the most beloeved and well-respected people in the U.S. that even people overseas know. You’re comparing apples and oranges there lol. A normal person like us won’t change anything compared to a former First Lady and probably one of the most powerful women in the world at one point. Yeah….

[@Emmichelley]

College isn't worth the struggle anymore. Even after going to community college first, getting thousands in scholarships, and then finishing out at a state school, debt is inevitable. Buying a degree used to be the key to success but now it leaves you broke and unemployed, or at best working paycheck to paycheck. Trades are much more valuable now, and most colleges aren't focused on education, it's just a corporation.

[@ninjapirate123]

But if more men go into trades, most women refuses to date or marry them, but if it was the other way around, then a lot of men want them if the women is beautiful or attractive

[@Qce-i6d]

An affluent big name college in my region got a brand new stadium and expanded campus, yet they are STILL whining to the city that they need more facilities. Meanwhile, it took my local community college quite a while to get funding for a sorely needed campus rebuild.

[@JRock-rz3td]

News flash everything is on the decline in the u.s. and possibly in turn the rest of the world

[@BrianLockett]

Decline has been this way for decades. We're just nearer to the tail end of these inevitable results.

[@natelynn5774]

Decline ever since 2001..

[@NegativeOpposite]

Rest of the world? No? Other places are growing. the US is in decline.

[@Pixelfreak101]

@@NegativeOppositeeverywhere.

[@portcybertryx222]

@@NegativeOppositepoint out one country with a substantial economy where there aren’t any problems that are just getting worse and have a detrimental impact on the whole. I’m happy to discuss.

[@evansullivanrichgels5531]

People are realizing it's a scam, simple as that.

[@renecarballo5831]

The decline of birthrates is a big contributing factor.

[@MSaleh-vy8rr]

Wages not keeping up with rent and housing is far reach for millennials and Gen z

[@ninjapirate123]

because most people are staying single

[@vu4uboo582]

Here in CA there's now a waiting list to get into college right out of high school. It used to be a gurantee to go right to your nearest community college right out of high school. Now foreign exchange students get first priority.

[@DarkwellorBZ]

they literally pay the most too…broken system

[@Mscldrew]

If you raise the minimum wage to $25 an hour why would you spend 100k on a degree to get $27

[@kidchupacabra4369]

thats never gonna happen especially in the south i give it $15 maybe but dont think its gonna happen in impoverished areas like the one i live in.. Cost of living is low and the wages start at $8 a hour

[@mustang8206]

As a college student this makes me happy. College is a scam unless you have a scholarship and are studying a few specific degrees

[@frankiecarrrierivg03]

Like the medical field ?

[@anthonyr.capellan3198]

And engineering

[@mustang8206]

@@frankiecarrrierivg03 healthcare, engineering, law IF you can get into a good law school, and business IF you can get a good internship

[@GothicGali]

Increased community college enrollment is a good thing given the amount of nonsense GEs colleges require to keep you spending money and time there longer than necessary. Save on the GEs, transfer to a 4 year. Seems like a no-brainer to me. Younger Gen Z have seen what ruin their older peers and Millennials encountered with expensive colleges. They’re choosing to not be fooled. Some think trades are better for them. The important thing they realize is this - You have to start making money young, not getting into debt young. They’re not ignorant, they’re practical, and they understand student loan debt is not the same as other debt. You can’t declare bankruptcy on it and you can never escape it. Even if you work in the public sector, you’ll be paying for at least 10 years before the debt can be wiped or reduced.

[@zelloguy]

I did that path. A lot of community colleges have agreements with their state universities and you can transfer. I graduated with my Bachelors in Economics last year debt free. Getting a job is the hard part though.

[@biskys6718]

@@zelloguy i was trying to do this but transfered over to my university earlier than expected for sports. got clocked with almost $10k in classes over just 2 years now not even being full time, and one of the semesters i had to pay full price for withdrawing as i tried to figure things out and not make my GPA worse, DESPITE my advisor never telling me such a thing was possible or that there was no amount of refund whatsoever

[@divineboi97]

Bad loans , high tuition, no real skills learnt Go to trade school and open your own business

[@Phornax7]

Problem with trade school is it's almost useless outside of the trade. I'm speaking from experience.

[@theperennialmillennial3849]

Unfortunately, we can't all be entrepreneurs. 🤷‍♂ I believe for dreams to come true, we'll need to fundamentally reform our understanding of economics and business. The overarching question is how...

[@BrianLockett]

Sure, go to trade school and work a job where you'll need limping by the time you retire.

[@bonnielovely]

trade school is expensive & not every area has jobs available, and not everyone has the means to open a business or get a loan to do so. college teaches many skills that are required for a functioning society. including medical science, engineering, writing, humanities, political science, philosophy, chemistry etc. why do you state “no real skills learnt” when you’re talking about college?

[@777Skeptic]

You don't get an education in trade school though. You learn a trade, and that's about it. It's like going to clown school. You learned to make balloon animals and paint faces, but you didn't really get an education.

[@Joe-n4q]

College is no longer a ticket to getting a decent paying job. The best option is to not spend money and find a way to survive than to get into a bunch of debt and not able to survive.

[@frankiecarrrierivg03]

Yeah working multiple double job at a minimum wage job 🤡☠️😤

[@Joe-n4q]

@@frankiecarrrierivg03 Or working a trade that will give you a modest living and working your way up to a higher income?

[@frankiecarrrierivg03]

@@Joe-n4q another alternative to work a trade is maybe pursue in real estate there’s no college for that

[@Mxyzptlk30]

With the Trump administration and Trump's distaste for the Dept of Education, I would expect to see this trend to continue.

[@Wongseifu548]

Unfortunately that how trump wants his electorate dumb and foolish

[@Hdhfhhdh]

⁠@@Wongseifu548we spend so much money on education and yet our education outcome did not get better and college is more expensive than ever . Clearly that department has Failed . So might as well get rid of it

[@Cocoa_Kalypso]

The less educated a population, the more "leaders" like Trump can get away with.

[@maribelle7673]

​@Wongseifu548 Unfortunately, judging by the Election, he got what he wanted 😏

[@David_Lerner]

@@Hdhfhhdh if something is failing, you don't get rid of it. instead, change how works it. pretty dumb to get rid of it.

[@christian623]

I seriously don't get how people can defend this country.

[@azulaquaza4916]

What a dumb question. Why would North Koreans defend Korea or Russians Russia?

[@prod.winterxphool6227]

I don't think he literally means the military.

[@IsaiahMiguel]

I don’t get why people like you still live here if you hate it here We’re definitely better than most countries in the world, yeah everything’s expensive, but I don’t see you running to Africa or North Korea or Russia

[@TheRecklessMetalhead]

"Best Country in the world," blah blah blah..... "Best Healthcare system in the world," blah blah blah...... "Best quality of life in the world," blah blah blah..... "Safest country in the world," blah blah blah..... "Cheapest country in the world," blah blah blah..... "Has the number one freedom in the world," blah blah blah..... As a non-patriotic American, I am ashamed of this country.

[@mq-r3apz291]

@@TheRecklessMetalhead /our country is above average in citizen life quality but nowhere near best Sweden, Denmark, Norway happier than us Our healthcare is price gouging 3 countries mentioned bettter work benefits, free healthcare current america is expensive A good portion of our coutnry is pretty 3rd world and if not a futre dystopian homless drug infested city, like kensington Cant have much freedom when many are having to work 3 diff jobs just to get by with the inflated rent and stagnent wages As a happy american I can say best coutry is a big cap. But I still personally appretiate my country but i dont expect many to feel the same

[@SuperMogul]

Going to college to get into tremendous debt. Isn't a great selling point! Lol

[@MissRed92837]

In all other western civilized countries college and universities are for free! Because these countries want educated citizens.

[@annai157]

He doesn't mention the influence of dual enrollment, and the number of college students who simply skip the freshman year. He did say that the number of college students as a whole is on the rise.

[@nickthereaderandwanderer]

Exactly!

[@DarkwellorBZ]

There was a student I went to school with who was on her Senior Year of biomedical engineering at 18. I thought I was clever skipping one year of pre reqs. It feels crazy; I would have never thought that was something people could do.

[@wanderingquestions7501]

I recently checked tuition at my undergraduate school. Since I was in college in the 80s that schools tuition went up 18 fold. I was able to work my way thru school grading papers and tutoring. I was paid $5/hr back then. But wages haven’t increased such that a student can make $90/hr to pay that high cost. What it cost is go to college is absurd. How can the average person afford that? I also finish school w/ just $11,000 in student loans and easily paid that off. And the USA thinks it can compete w/ China…. Phffff

[@Roasty420]

As a 28 year old male I wanted to go to college after high school, but then I realized how much debt I’d be for college debt and honestly, it ain’t worth it. Not to mention, the lack of job space and hiring? College is more and more like a trap these days.

[@SPIIIVA]

What do you do for a living now?

[@Roasty420]

@ Landscaping. I get paid $1000 every week and I’m making $15 an hour. In a year I make around $50K. I’m also grinding out content for KZbin, as I make anime videos and all that Jazz. I also produce electronic music and even though I never went to college I’m saving up enough money, so I can make sure I won’t go into debt once I make the choice to go.

[@HayItsCJ]

The problem is that people need passion and drive; to be motivated in a field they like. A lot of colleges feel dead and don't bring that kind of energy to get people excited for their career. Most of them are like: "Here's a book. Good luck".

[@Joe-eq7ug]

I did this back in 2017. I graduated high school and worked 2 years before going to college. I didn't know what I wanted to do.

[@darajoyce5514]

yeah it's okay to take gap years

[@philiplombardo249]

I’m a college professor of linguistics and English. I’ve been in the role now for about seven years, and I’ve seen enrollments dropping year-by-year not just at my college, but others as well. Tuition has gotten too high, scholarships are becoming lower in value, job markets are getting quite unpredictable, and students are not seeing the value in the degrees. Frankly, I’m not surprised. However, for people who want to become experts in say, neurolinguistics or biomedical engineering, the education and the corresponding frameworks must be available. The academic routes simply MUST be taken for these fields. Many students I feel are seeing as well the financial burdens of college and they do not want to be part of that reality.

[@Hdbdj-qt9hv]

I agree, probably the increase of cost to go to a 4 year university is too expensive so most people are taking the community college route. I also think the university experience has changed a lot after COVID.

[@misspiscesdreamz]

Post grad is tough. No jobs want to hire a new grad, expect experience, and low pay

[@tbolton6156]

Apparently, most Americans didn't even know what a tariff was. They're too stupid for college !🥺

[@Wongseifu548]

Bla,e republicans on that one

[@aidangardiner3762]

If your understanding of tariffs is "tariffs = bad" it seems like college education didn't do you much good either

[@broimagine2794]

we were never taught about civics, modern issues, or government in our schools except for a required senior year government/policies class in new york and in college

[@radjedi2010]

@@aidangardiner3762 That's obviously not what he's talking about. It's the plethora of posts and videos showing that, for instance, many people don't know that it's American companies that pay the tariffs, not foreign countries like China.

[@cyropower7808]

It's because they don't teach important things like finance and economics in schools. You're on your own for that one

[@zfile310]

People saying "good" must think we need less doctors, lawyers, scientists, and engineers

[@brianbest6097]

You sound only a slither of the college population go for those professions. A majority go for useless degrees

[@SmartCreeper]

lawyers are only needed because of governement being just too darn big. bureaucracy is killing the world.

[@lyricvids2964]

This is a good thing, people that want to go to college should continue choosing cheap community colleges rather that take on crippling debt

[@kimyoungbook1327]

Colleges are daycare facilities for older teenagers and immature people in their early 20s. Anyone thinks that 18-year-olds who just graduated from high schools to pay a huge amount of money to go to college to succeed in life? 18 years old knows nothing about life and the world. I went to graduate school but couldn't find a job. I was unemployed for several years and am currently working as a laborer. I realized that college doesn't really help you in life. It depends on what major you major in, but people's interests change as they progress through their 20s. Don't go to college, go to communith college or trade schools or military. These three are much better choice. i remember rude professors, and I want to see that they are crying about layoffs in future because of enrollment decline.

[@PeteyThePanda]

People are waking up and realizing how utterly worthless a college education is. 100K in debt upon graduation to land an entry level job that barely pays above the poverty line. Might as well go work for McDonald’s after graduating HS

[@garcar2814]

Doesn't have to be worthless. I'm gonna graduate next year and make plenty of money right off the bat. College isn't for everyone, but to say it's for no one is ignorant

[@Matthew-o3q]

Im a junior in college, and I can tell you it's been a painful experience

[@dazlederose]

Going to college is not worth it anymore. Companies want experience now not a college degree.

[@FunFilmFare]

right now college is only worth it for a STEM job. Or a job in academia.

[@BadMannerKorea]

“When I say college is not worth it what I actually mean is that there are numerous jobs that require a degree and that degree holders statistically earn more over a lifetime compared to non degree holders. What I mean is that sometimes it’s not worth it”

[@mocheen4837]

Both of my kids are going to college for STEM degrees. My daughter is about to graduate and has already been offered a job at a biotech company. She is applying to graduate school now. Both kids tuitions are paid for in full. A lot of sacrifice and saving to give them a head start in life.

[@HanzBlitz-i8t]

Lie. They also are too cheap to dig too much into work history. Be sure to do the research and lie with finesse.

[@BlazingNChilling7s]

I have a civil engineering degree back in 2011 and still couldn't find a job because these people are asking for experience. They don't care about the senior design project I did back in school, they want to know if I have 3 -5 yrs of field experience. College is such a scam. I'm glad i had a Bright Futures scholarship otherwise i woundn't have gone. It all about who you know not about what you know.

[@DoctorMarshall7]

NOTE: There’s some context missing. My brother is a college freshman, and been known for a while 2005 birthdays were unusually low. I’ve joked that it was easier for him to get into college because of this. Check the stats, its interesting.

[@ErikNiceman]

This is exactly what am saying - no hiring and constant inflation - no point of college (especially for such costs of studies and the quality of it)!

[@hufjgoiz]

Everybody’s trying to become an “influencer” now

[@BrianLockett]

This issue _long_ predates "influencer" culture. If anything, that's probably why so many are seeking alternatives like social media "fame."

[@aem870]

You do know being an influencer doesn’t stop one from attending college, right?

[@celieboo]

100% If you ask middle school kids what do they want to be these days, one out of three will say "content creator" or "influencer".

[@apara2005]

Makes more money than a traditional job.

[@FunFilmFare]

@@aem870 It does if you get paid enough as an influencer

[@aidenalamo6262]

A gap year is so important because they are volunteering during that time, so they can boost their enrollment chances at university by having that volunteerism history on their academic resume.

[@JimYeats]

I’ve never been happier about the fact that I spent about 8-10k to get a nursing degree at community college, so that I could get a 50-60k a year job, pay for my bachelors and masters, and now make excellent money as an NP.

[@xwrtk]

More and more people are done with school then opt out for easy retail, food or similar jobs. The learning part of school and not socializing. Most of the people who went my high school within the years I attended and graduated didn’t do trade school if no college involved. Many students are just done with learning in all forms.

[@ca60453]

Young people see what's happening. Schools are too expensive and the jobs that are requiring bachelor degree then only to pay 11.50 per hour. Its not worth the investment.

[@applescruff1969]

I find it funny how they're trying to find all these answers when there's only one that matters: Cost. To even go to a community college typically costs about twice the average wage a year. If you're not rich, you can't go to college in this country, period.

[@rickyyang8963]

As a Electrical Engineering major, classes are just not worth the time/money/stress most of the things i learned in classes didnt tranfer to the actual job. In fact learned more in a 6 month internship than i have in 4 years.

[@markengel7545]

In College, one Learns enough to be Trained - On the Job.

[@palimdragonmaster3k]

Blame Reagan

[@celieboo]

Absolutely!

[@james_giant_peach]

Why?

[@Wongseifu548]

​@james_giant_peach if you don't know then you need to read more

[@james_giant_peach]

@@Wongseifu548 maybe if you can’t explain something and give reason than don’t tell people who to blame

[@Wongseifu548]

@@james_giant_peach Ok people generally believe Reagan as one of the greatest republican presidents. But alot of what he did had alot of negative consequences that we are seeing the repercussions of those act today. Regeans economy was not that great considering his tax cuts and deregulations did not stimulate growth in fact he had to increase government spending in the defense sector to stimulate growth. He tripled US debt.

[@TheNeutralist99]

Get in while you still can. The power a degree will bolster you. Get a certificate from a public uni, or go into trades. Get a 2 year AA in accounting. Point is get something and learn something before it gets too expensive and unattainable.

[@rc8929]

Supply & Demand coupled with rising prices. As the supply of college graduates rise the demand or ROI is lowered relative to working trade jobs. The higher price also prices out students who might not be as focused on education or might be too poor (which the latter comment is sad).

[@angelscry2323]

Why go to school when women can go on Only fans getting paid for feet pics, etc. Guys can become monetize as KZbin reactionist or playing video games. Either way they can make much more than they would if they went to school to get a job & no debt. Sad day in America.

[@Exisist5151]

Expanding this out a bit. It’s a bit backwards the entertainment industries are as lucrative as they are for how unnecessary they are to your life.

[@angelscry2323]

Facts 👍🏽!

[@BrianLockett]

Those are the _results_ of our decades-long issue with our expensive and ineffective higher education system. Not the cause.

[@BrianLockett]

​​@@Exisist5151Even firefighters and doctors want to relax to some sports and movies, after a long day at work. Entertainment matters. Just not much quality entertainment around anymore.

[@notyourtypicalfarah7194]

Why are you lying? Way less than 1% of the youth can be successful on OF and social media.

[@AnythingJW]

No ordinary family can afford college tuition

[@BadMannerKorea]

You can work at Target or Chick-fil-A and get your college paid for lol. The military, Walmart, etc. Even paying out of pocket, the average is 37k debt.

[@biskys6718]

@@BadMannerKorea that's a lot of debt when youre barely able to get a job

[@richardalex4516]

Those tuition prices are fierce and incomprehensible. When I finished my 4 year term 15 years ago, I only spent a fraction of what youngsters do now. Seeing them come out of high school and get saddled with decades of debt is uncomfortable to watch.

[@prankdanny]

considering most college are expecting 18-22 year old students to pay around 30-80k in tuition just to get a job in a workforce that only pays 30k-50k in starting entry and with many students coming out saying they can’t find a job that revolves around their major and how they currently work in a place that doesn’t revolve around the degree they earned (showing off the impression that going to 4 year school is useless unless you want to be a nurse, doctor, lawyer, teacher, etc) and with the rise of people saying they made millions of dollars in just being an influencer or making adult content is huge … majority of the kids in my school have no interest in going to university or college and the rate is growing higher and higher with each class

[@KT34462]

Professors make bank

[@lovelight6973]

Why are they even surprised? Seriously. 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@SundarbansCompanySite]

Even with a degree it feels impossible to get an entry level job, no wonder.

[@nowaaaaaaayyy]

Why would they? It's getting more expensive and more useless every year. My cybersecurity degree is absolutely useless I spent 3 months looking for job and no one even set up an interview. My 3 month coding camp got me a job coding right away for a well known company and a decent salary. Biggest mistake of my life was waste 4 years getting that useless peice of paper.

[@miguelplays2921]

Can you help me decide what to do I thought cybersecurity was okay but if coding is the way than so be it lol

[@nowaaaaaaayyy]

@miguelplays2921 Cybersecurity is still a great career don't get me wrong. If thats what you wanna do go for it. But It's more challenging to get your foot in the door. It's all about proof of knowledge. Proof of knowledge through Job experience, certifications, and I guess if you've been caught hacking into something that would actually help lol. You may need to know someone in the field so you can even get an actually interview. You really need to stand out with cybersecurity and unfortunately a degree doesn't do that. I shifted to coding because 1: it's way easier to get started as companies are actually willing to let you learn on the job. 2: Depending on what coding job you get you'll also be working with a ton of tools and software that are also useful in the cybersecurity world. 3: If I ever decide that Cybersecurity is the way I'll have coding knowledge (which is required for basically any cyber job) and the all invaluable job experience. That's just my experience though if you think you can land a job as a Cybersecurity analyst from the beginning who am I to persuade you not to.

[@penguin32383]

Good! HS students have been pushed heavily towards college for decades now, which has driven up demand and caused tuition costs to balloon. Vo-tech schools can offer FAR better ROI.

[@connerwilson3622]

It's a natural adaptation to the conditions. When enrollment declines schools will need to lower their tuitions to get more students. A little pressure on the education system and future students will have their concerns answered

[@root-2q]

Duh. This is the exact year that the 2008 kids are first applying for college. There has been a glut of students in this cohort moving through the school system for the past decade. We knew this was coming

[@ST-rj8iu]

I graduated college in 2008. We were true sheep. Nightmare ever since. I have never seen a good economy.

[@TheRecklessMetalhead]

The financial crisis in the late 00s made many high school graduates go to college/university just to get their first jobs.

[@ST-rj8iu]

@@TheRecklessMetalhead My father lost his job in 2000. You are exactly correct. He didn't have a degree in his 50s. He never recovered and neither did we financially

[@KNRS927]

I think the problem I have with college nowadays is not only is it expensive, but it’s not as valued nowadays as it used to be. That’s why kids go to college and even then, they still struggle to get a good paying job that not only pays more than jobs that don’t require college degrees or the trades, but pays enough so you can pay off loans, living expenses, and still have some disposable income to get by. And even if they do go to college, employers want 2+ years of experience for “entry level” jobs and don’t bother to understand the commitment that is college, and still only pay what other paths that don’t require college pay.

[@consumerdebtchitchat]

They've watched their millennial parents go broke. They've watched gen z struggle. Gen alpha has no excuses for getting into ridiculous student loan debt 😂

[@Pthommie]

We need mechanics, electricians, plumbers, construction workers, health care technicians & other skilled workers. A college education isn't necessary for any of these well-paying jobs. While a college education has benefits for society, if that society has destroyed public education to maintain its status quo, that education won't be applicable in making a better world. At least with technical schools we will be able to find a plumber, electrician or auto mechanic when we need one.

[@Floatdude86]

Some students are going to Europe / Study Abroad for Free Tuition or a cheaper solution to a college degree, they gave up on the American higher educastion system and the huge cost and loans they can never pay back..

[@hawaiifreespeechnews]

Too many kids arrive at college not knowing how to read and write and schools simply don't have the resources or personnel to teach. This is the end my friend

[@nickthereaderandwanderer]

There are resources and personnel available to help. Institutions just need to be strategic in how they make them known. The learning does not just occur in a lecture hall.

[@0Shane13]

That’s just not true

[@underratedgod6899]

People would rather pursue being a youtuber or an influencer than a college graduate these days

[@grandma-br9qg]

there's no benefit to a degree

[@underratedgod6899]

@CC-br9qg pretty much you don't get rich off of a degree and hard work, you get rich from nepotism through connections

[@CF_Texas]

Most people major in a degree that doesn’t pay well and end up in debt because they can’t pay it off after college.

[@ryanschauer2888]

I’m not feeling this ‘hot’ job market

[@xThe_Chief]

Thank god it’s down, shows that students are voting with their wallets choosing community college and trades over a possibly pointless 4 year degree that they can’t use. I hope this continues to be a major shift because it’ll be best for the people and not for these universities.

[@grandma-br9qg]

it's decades too late. writing was on the wall in the early 2000's, not now

[@dylansaborio]

I’m shocked there’s zero mention that a large amount of girls want to become OF models and are doing just that as soon as they turn 18. It’s sickening.

[@nickboi7270]

It's not like applying for a job with the degree/experience you need is going to make an employer not ghost/reject you anyway. Not worth paying lots of money for nothing

[@muhammedaljerari391]

Only certain degrees are worth pursuing. I am a Nursing major.

[@bracebrooks967]

I don't blame high school graduates for not wanting to go to college. Some classes are extremely difficult, and unless you have a full academic, music-related or sport-related scholarship you'll have to take out a loan that takes decades to fully pay off. Also you're not even guarunteed to get a high-paying job shortly after graduating from college. If I had children I wouldn't force them to go to college. I'd make sure they're financially stable or gainfully employed however.

[@stevenatwater7298]

Glad the bubble burst. So many career options that don’t put you 120k in debt in your 20s.

[@RomnysGonzalez]

Getting a college degree doesn't get you a job anymore. So why bother? Better off investing the college money into anything else's or a better option. Just use the college time into getting real life experience because apparently that's what job places want you to do either way

[@SunshineDB-009]

College enrollment is down, military enlistment is down…the younger generation make more money online and social media.

[@christopheryoung2874]

college has become a rip off for most students

[@thegamingchef3304]

Started back to school in fall 2021...Was apart of a Police Academy program and I qualified for a scholarship and they paid for the entire academy. Then I decided to get back in school spring 2023 and qualified for another Scholarship and graduate with my degree this month. I am definitely thankful to God I won't have any debt when I graduate. It was basically a 5 year plan I accomplished in 4.

[@Unordinary-lg4yt]

If everyone’s getting a degree, then it drives the value of it down while increasing competition even further.

[@StrongLeopard]

Someone tell these college grads to stop paying their student loans

[@YTemployeesrPDFfiles]

People are waking up to the scam 👏👏👏

[@jayrussell142]

The fact that you can run a business without going to school but can't work at some businesses unless you go to school, is dumb. Train people on the job, apprenticeship/mentorship, will always be the most conductive way a company can retain employees. More businesses should focus on training specific skills for their need.

[@RussellSproutz1]

I got a Biology degree and now I'm working as a Patient Care Technician so I can use my job to go to nursing school

[@mathewrivers8064]

How about get rid of Gen Ed courses that have nothing to do with what students are majoring in.

[@MissRed92837]

In all other western civilized countries college and universities are for free! Because these countries want educated citizens.

[@777Skeptic]

The citizens want that, but the leaders and politicians? They'd probably prefer less educated ones. Maybe I'm just cynical because I'm in America.

[@MissRed92837]

@ It’s very sad and a disgrace to the American people, that the US government doesn’t want their citizens educated. I have the feeling they do that on purpose, because uneducated people are easier to manipulate.

[@CrabbyOldLady]

Meanwhile, in the US, pubic support for higher education has declined on an an inflation-adjusted basis every year for 50 years.

[@ThatOneMohamed]

No wonder. Look how difficult it is to even get a job after graduating University. People are waking up its not worth it.

[@H33t3Speaks]

College was never supposed to be for those that needed a coming of age story.🎉

[@Taserman_El441]

There's a second reason to all this: some of the work skills doesn't require college degrees, some of us found the passion in trade such a welding, mechanic, construction, and trucking.

[@bekahjoy6600]

Well duh, look at the price tag- and how difficult it is to get a job even with a degree! Not worth it!

[@bigheadrhino]

Worried about doctor shortage. It’s going to be catastrophic.