Episode: 601

Episode Title: Bypassing College

According to the Gates Foundation, there are four main reasons that young people are bypassing a college education. Here’s what they are, next on The Perna Syndicate.

Ep 601 show: 

This is The Perna Syndicate and I’m your host, Mark Perna. Thanks for tuning in! A recent study released by the Gates Foundation sheds light on four big reasons why young people, ages 18 to 30, are bypassing college. 

The first is the “Where’s the ROI?” group, which made up 35% of everyone surveyed. These respondents question the overall value of the college degree. They’re just not sure that investing time and money in a college education is going to yield net benefits. 

The second group represents 29% of the survey and could be called, “Why Change the Status Quo?” They feel that hey, life is not so bad right now, so why turn it all upside down to go to college? They may also have significant family responsibilities that make it harder to go. 

The third group represents almost 1 in 5 respondents, who can be summed up as, “It’s Not For Me.” While other segments may express a desire to go to college someday, this group has already determined that it’s not a fit for them—ever. 

Finally, we have the “Cost-Conscious Explorers” that comprise 18% of respondents. They have the strongest intent to go (or return) to college, but also significant barriers to doing so. They are also the most open to policy changes and supports to help them enroll. 

This is just the beginning of the fascinating insights this research uncovered. As we’ll see this week, the college degree no longer reigns supreme. 

Tomorrow: what are the biggest reasons people are avoiding college? It’s not just the price tag. We’ll cover that and more tomorrow on The Perna Syndicate!