College students are making “stopping out” the new “dropping out.” According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, “Approximately 39 million people in the U.S. have some college experience but no credential.” Which means many young people are carrying debt without any of the benefits. In the 2020-2021 academic school year, only 2.4% of stopped-out students reenrolled in college. Colleges are searching for ways to improve their graduation rates and looking to “stopped out” students might help them reach their goals. If institutions were to remove barriers like costs and small credits holding students back, like physical education or a single math credit, then students would be more inclined to reenroll. In the end, students are putting their aspirations on hold in pursuit of their financial well-being. YPulse’s education report shows that for Gen Z, work experience is outranking a college degree when it comes to what they think they need to be successful. (NYT, HigherEdDive)
