In 2021, college attendance has reached the lowest amount in years. Wamu.org shockingly states that one million fewer students are enrolled now than before the pandemic. In fact, less than 60% of students attending four-year colleges have received a bachelor’s degree. That’s fewer than half of the students graduating. Community colleges are doing no better, with bizarrely fewer than 20% of students getting their associates degree or certificate.

Not everyone may understand that this is alarming and potentially frightening. With so little people graduating and getting careers, who’s going to fill in for the jobs society needs? As of late, there has been a nursing shortage since 2021. Some sources even claim this decline could stretch through 2030, which is quite scary. Careers such as nursing are imperative to people all over the globe, not just the United States. Without them, there’s no one to treat ill/wounded people.

This situation begs the question; why is this happening? Well, there’s a few possibilities. First, of course, would be the pandemic. Covid-19 has struck fear in many people, and left them lost. It’s also caused a plethora of unemployment and prevented people from attending college. Another reason could be cost. College is beyond expensive nowadays, and people simply just cannot afford it. Frankly, it’s no wonder there has been a decline in enrollment. Overall, this could potentially be very alarming for the future, and youth should definitely consider this when choosing their futures.