For at least the last 25 years, the primary goal of K-12 schools in the United States has been “college for all”—the ideal that all high school graduates go to college. As a result, America’s schools do not typically provide young people with work experience or make career education central to their offerings. This gap leaves high school students with little understanding of work and the practical pathways to jobs, careers, and further education.
Today, college for all is losing public support. When Americans were asked to rank their priorities for K-12 education, “being prepared to enroll in a college or university” dropped from the 10th highest priority (out of 57) in 2019 to 47th in 2022, according to the nonpartisan think tank Populace. Other surveys reveal a growing skepticism about the value of a four-year degree. More than half of Americans (56 percent) think a degree is not worth the cost, with skepticism most pronounced among college-degree holders ages 18 to 34.
Many employers, meanwhile, no longer use a college degree as the gatekeeper credential for jobs, shifting from degree-based to skills-based hiring. And a study published by Strada Education Foundation of the careers of more than 60 million workers and millions of online job postings found that 10 years after degree completion, 45 percent of graduates were underemployed in jobs not requiring a degree.
