Why are college enrollment rates decreasing? - The future of higher education; Technology?& Financial Literacy.?

The college number of undergraduates enrolled in college nationwide is reported to be down 9.4% in comparison?two years ago totaling about 1.4 million students decrease. There decline is a result of two ongoing issues: Technology?& Financial Literacy?

Since the pandemic the surge in technology?advancement?through learning has highlighted?an opportunity?in which students can seek knowledge?in different?fields online via social media platforms & online content. Instead of the typical 4 year university college plan, the next generation is exploring the option of going straight into the workforce or starting their own?business post high school graduation. Figuring out which profession they would like to pursue, and using the internet?to learn?more about that specific field they're seeking. With so much knowledge at their disposal a 4 year?education is now being looked at as a "waste" of time and the knowledge can be perceived?to be learned through a series?of videos, books, blogs, etc. As a college graduate, I don't agree with the idea of college being a waste of time because of the networking value, experience?& opportunities it creates, however we can't turn a blind eye to the ease of information through technology.?Think of it in the aspect of a teenager in 2022, instead of going straight to college to learn something you can learn on youtube. What if you were to get a job right after high school while teaching yourself your desired expertise. In addition?to the recent decline in textbooks and uprise in technology?(apps, computers, phones ,laptops) college learning can be a bit outdated compared to a technology device with information being updated in a matter of seconds versus yearly.?

The typical stereotype about college is that it's too "expensive". As colleges increase tuition annually, scholarships become hard to find and receive. It presents a challenge for students who want to go to college after high school. The misunderstanding of financial literacy and how you can receive funding for free students miss out on the ability to receive?assistance that doesn't?come with debt; learning?how grants work, scholarships, and alternative work study programs students?can take advantage?of. In addition to student?financial literacy, colleges are suffering financially to stay open. "The number of colleges closing down in the past 10 years has quadrupled compared with the previous decade" -?with the increased college tuition across the different?universities & decline in enrollment, colleges are struggling to fund operations. We must find a median on both sides for students?& colleges to operate in a healthy?financial state to continue the circulation?of education?in the United States.?

The future of education will determine the social & economic status for our next generation of leaders. College is still an essential asset to success, we must continue to support and improve the college education system while working to provide a solution?for students?to enroll & graduate. As a first generation graduate?student college changed my life and my family's financial state, college is a gateway that changes lives for the better & improves the quality of living financially & socially for teens across the world.?

Where do we go from here?

- Sebastian Sanders?