College loses its monopoly on the American Dream

Axios reports that confidence in college is slipping across America. A Gallup survey found just nineteen percent of college graduates said it was a good time to find a quality job at the end of twenty twenty-five, compared to thirty-five percent of those without a degree. Three anxieties are driving the shift: burdensome student debt, the difficulty of getting the courses you need, and the reality that a degree no longer guarantees career success. Yet families keep sending kids to college, pressured by schools, parents, and broader culture. Some students are turning to trade programs instead, completing industry certifications and finding clearer career paths. Schools now face pressure to demonstrate real student outcomes, not just marketing, to rebuild families' trust.

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