According to the National Student Clearinghouse, at the beginning of this decade, there were over 20 million Americans attending college; this fall, there were fewer than 18 million, a decline of over 10%. The proportion of Americans in college has fallen even more than enrollments since 2010—around 17%—because of population growth. The retreat from higher education is substantial. This led to the tuition, staffing and perhaps even the athletic excesses that defining modern American higher education. For years, the American public unflinchingly accepted the siren calls of the “college for all” crowd: you will not succeed in life unless you go to college.

Source: Forbes December 19, 2019 13:52 UTC