Commentary
The United States continues to see a dramatic decline in the number of students attending college, with 1 million fewer students now enrolled since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Americans’ perception of higher education has also changed considerably.
The share of U.S. adults who believe colleges and universities have a positive impact on the country has dropped by 14 percentage points since 2020. Less than three-quarters of Democrats and only 37 percent of Republicans now feel that higher education makes a difference for the better.
It’s a stark shift in attitude from just over a decade ago when states, higher education organizations, and the federal government pledged to work toward ambitious goals around college completion and equity in student outcomes….