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Has the cost of college reached a tipping point for a significant number of middle-class students?

I’m seeing more signs of just that, and it’s happening at the undergrad and graduate levels. 

Just this week, for instance, a new survey of 1,500 high school counselors conducted by the education consulting firm EAB found 63 percent reported that fewer students at public schools plan to attend college than four years ago. And 53 percent of those counselors said cost was the primary reason. 

It’s a different story at private schools, though, where only 13 percent of counselors surveyed saw a dip in college-going in that same time.

I heard examples of this in a public high school near where I live, in St. Paul, Minnesota, where I recently talked to seniors about what they planned to do after graduation for an episode of the EdSurge Podcast. The high cost of college was the first thing many of the students mentioned:

“I’m thinking about going to college in California, and my grandparents all went there for a hundred dollars a semester and went into pretty low-paying jobs, but didn't spend years in debt because it was easy to go to college,” said Maya Shapiro, a junior. “So now I think it is only worth going to college if you're going to get a job that's going to pay for your college tuition eventually, so if you’re going to a job in English or history you might not find a job that’s going to pay that off.”

When I mentioned that I was an English major back in my college days, the student quickly said, “I’m sorry!”

Meanwhile, a new study released this week by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce found that the cost of graduate education has risen to the point where a significant number of degrees will not pay off. The center says that 41 percent of master’s degree programs and 67 percent of professional degree programs for which data was available would not pass their “debt-to-earnings test,” meaning they would not bring enough earnings to cover the cost plus interest from typical student loans.

These data points raise tough questions for higher education — about who will get to go and what alternative paths are available to those who decide college just isn’t worth it.

They’re issues we’ll keep tracking here at EdSurge.

— Jeff Young, reporter and editorial director at EdSurge

👂EAR TO THE GROUND

CAN BOTS DO SCIENCE?: A new project uses AI to produce the whole life cycle of science – forming research questions, carrying out experiments, writing up results in academic papers, and even doing a robot peer review. Where does that leave researchers? 

Sponsored by ETS Research Institute

MEASURING WHAT MATTERS: With today’s technology, we can measure critical skills and knowledge in ways that better support learners, employers and educational institutions. Join our distinguished panelists for an insightful webinar, Unleashing the Untapped Potential of Assessment to Power Human Progress, Thursday, October 10, from 12 to 1 p.m. PT / 3 to 4 p.m. ET. Register now to watch live.

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To be truly ready for the modern workplace, students must be agile communicators, both orally and in writing, and be AI literate with a disposition toward lifelong learning. Discover nine strategies to develop AI-literate graduates and build an institutional reputation for producing workforce-ready professionals. Read now. 

🎧 ON THE PODCAST

COSTS AND BENEFITS: The high cost of college is changing how high schoolers think about whether or not to go. A new book, “Rethinking College,” argues for changing the narrative around higher education to be more welcoming to gap years, apprenticeships and other alternatives to college at a time where a degree is so expensive that students worry about its value.

✍️COLUMNIST CORNER

ADDRESSING CLIMATE ANXIETY: When it comes to addressing climate anxiety among college students, it’s important for faculty at colleges and universities to understand not just what students know, but also how they know it, argues Alison J. Head, an information scientist and social science researcher. She shares what she’s learned from surveying students about the issue, with lessons for professors, librarians and administrators. 

📈 STAT-O-MATIC

40 percent

The proportion of students who do not look at college rankings at all when selecting which institution to attend, according to a new survey by the consulting firm Art & Science Group. This week the latest college rankings by U.S. News & World Report hit newsstands (or the internet anyway), sparking the usual flurry of press releases by colleges that did well and complaints by institutions that fell in the standings. So it’s sobering to note that the survey found only 3 percent of students use rankings throughout their college search.  

📣 SPOKEN WORD

“Can you imagine? It's like buying a house but not knowing how much aid you're going to get. And having to make a commitment right then and there.” 

— Melissa Emery-Arras, a director of the U.S. Government Accountability Office, in a hearing this week before a U.S. House subcommittee. An investigation by the GAO found that there were a host of problems in last year’s rollout of a revised Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. And Education Department officials say this year’s form will again be delayed. (NPR, and you can find more background on the effects on students at EdSurge)

💼 BYTE-SIZE BRIEFS

University of Michigan becomes one of the first colleges to create AI tools for its campus. (Detroit PBS)

2U emerges from Chapter 11 bankruptcy. (Higher Ed Dive)

Burnout of administrative staff risks “destabilizing” colleges (Inside Higher Ed)

💾 FROM THE ARCHIVES

MOVING AWAY FROM ‘SEAT TIME’: Influential institutions are throwing their weight behind the idea of competency-based education in high school and college, arguing that what really matters are the skills students gain, not the time they spend studying. But what would it actually take to set aside the clock when it comes to learning — and who stands to benefit? 

📆 GOINGS ON

GET MORE EDSURGE IN YOUR INBOX: EdSurge publishes articles every weekday on our website, and you can keep up with the latest news and insights in our newsletters. If you like EdSurge Higher Ed, you might also enjoy EdSurge PreK-12 or EdSurge Top 5, our roundup of our most popular stories. You can manage your subscriptions here.

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Events

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Using AI to Transform the B-School Classroom | October 1 | Online

Join Noah Askin and Steven Walters to explore Breakout Learning’s AI-driven platform that enhances student-led discussions and streamlines grading, used by top business schools for deeper insights and effective debriefs.

2024 ASCD Leadership Summit | October 18 - 20 | Nashville, TN

Three Days of Transformative Leadership Growth! Discover innovative leadership approaches, collaborate with other district leaders, and get strategic insights to improve your school's practices. REGISTER NOW

NEXT: Bridging Pedagogy and Innovation: AI and Beyond | November 1 | Akron, OH

We will explore the intersection of pedagogy and innovation in "The AI Classroom," and discover how embracing AI can empower educators to create dynamic, inclusive, and forward-thinking learning environments.

The 2024 Global Learning for an Open World Conference (GLOW) | November 20 -  21 | Online

The GLOW Conference is a top virtual event promoting sustainable development, global competencies, cross-border collaboration, global citizenship, and equitable access to quality education through innovative methods.