College Enrollment Dips as the Promises of Traditional Higher Education Falter

A growing number of 18-year-olds are finding that four-year colleges aren’t worth the cost and opting instead for a technical education.

Alex Kent/Getty Images
Students await their diplomas at Columbia University's graduation ceremony on May 15, 2024 at New York City. Alex Kent/Getty Images

Higher education is entering a turning point: fewer students are going to college and a growing number of colleges are closing shop. New pathways toward career success are emerging to accommodate a generation beginning to question the return on investment of traditional, four-year undergraduate programs. 

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