Writer: Jerrica DuBois
2 min read October 2022 — More students are taking stock of the value of a college education — and deciding it’s not worth it. According to research supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation released last week, the group of 18- to 30-year-olds without college degrees provided insight on why enrollment rates have continued to decline across the country.
“Many young adults are questioning if education is right for them,” Ana Patterson, president of Southwestern Adventist University, told Invest:. “We must do a better job of communicating the value of attaining higher education. How we frame it is extremely important. Even though it might seem tempting to go straight into the workforce, one of the biggest challenges for higher education is showing the long-term value provided in terms of knowledge, networking and career opportunities.”
The Gates Foundation study offered several conclusions on the value proposition of higher education and one of the most telling is how much the marketplace has changed. Students now have more options, and they choose their path based on the tradeoff for their investment. Of those surveyed, 47% indicated they have taken classes via YouTube, 25% have taken courses to receive a license and 22% have taken classes to receive a verified certificate.
Another study conducted by the Art & Science Group echoed similar findings. Students aren’t necessarily particular about the source of their education. They interviewed more than 750 high-school seniors and nearly 60% of those students believe a liberal arts education is readily available at any type of institution. Students are now trending toward majors with clear pathways to the job market, such as the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and math.
That leaves liberal arts colleges balking at the perception that they offer academics with little return on students’ investment. According to the study, about 75% of students believe a college education that prepares them for a job is the best kind but only 31% agree that employers want graduates with a liberal arts background.
Some states are also taking the initiative to improve education and provide more access and opportunity for students. One of the major challenges for some areas was the emergence of the digital era, which put those with limited internet capabilities at a disadvantage. With the onslaught of remote learning, those states that were lagging had to play catch-up to keep their students engaged and provide access to higher-education opportunities. According to West Virginia officials, 40% of rural residents in the state don’t have broadband. In response to the overwhelming need for Wi-Fi connectivity, the state enacted the Kids Connect program, which created more than 1,000 wireless hotspots in parking lots at schools, libraries and parks.
Kentucky residents faced a slightly different problem. While they had the technology, many did not know how to use it effectively for teaching and learning.To circumvent that issue, the state invested in technology training and professional development for professors.
“I believe that the real mission of higher education is relevance,” Neil Matkin, district president of Collin College, told Invest:. “We have to be relevant to our communities, taxpayers and students who come to us to improve their lives. We are aggressively assessing where we are today and identifying emerging trends to ensure our programs are highly responsive to our community and the students we serve.”
