Fewer 18-year-olds are enrolling, especially at four-year schools. But the number of applications continues to grow

Summary

College enrollment among 18-year-old freshmen fell 5% this fall, with declines most severe at public and private non-profit four-year colleges.

Experts attribute the drop to factors including declining birth rates, high tuition costs, FAFSA delays, and uncertainty over student loan relief after Supreme Court rulings against forgiveness plans.

Economic pressures, such as the need to work, also deter students.

Despite declining enrollment, applications have risen, particularly among low- and middle-income students, underscoring interest in higher education. Experts urge addressing affordability and accessibility to reverse this trend.

  • prole
    7·
    3 days ago

    As someone who has a STEM degree and works in a STEM field, I have the exact opposite opinion. I did not know my major for ~2 years (though I was leaning in a direction), so I took a number of courses that I otherwise would not have needed. And I am SO FUCKING GLAD that I did as I now have an actual well-rounded education. I truly don’t even think you are aware of what you’ve missed out on.

    Interacting with engineers on a daily basis, it is immediately obvious to me just how damaging it is to silo education so much. These people are incapable of thinking critically about anything outside their very specific area of expertise.

    Good luck trying to discuss politics with an engineer.

    I now have additional student loan debt that I would not have otherwise had. But it was 100% worth it. The most useful courses that I took were completely unrelated to the degree I ended up getting.

    • Duamerthrax@lemmy.world
      3·
      3 days ago

      How much do those extra classes cost and why is it the responsibility of the a job certificate program to have those? Those extra classes could be taken at your leisure after you have a job.

      Good luck trying to discuss politics with an engineer.

      I have never had a problem finding a stem major with political opinions. Most far more radical then what you’d be comfortable.

      • asdfasdfasdf@lemmy.world
        1·
        3 days ago

        Basically everything is connected in many ways. To be a great cook you need to learn math, history, science, biology, etc.

        There are plenty of institutions which allow you to only take courses relevant to your degree, but they are trade schools.