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LOOKS AHEAD By / ECMC GROUP & JESSICA KIRBY
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Newsflash: Four-year college may be losing its luster among teens. In fact, a new survey says fewer than half of teens considering a four-year degree believe one is necessary for success. The new national Question The Quo survey from ECMC Group finds the number of high schoolers considering a four-year degree has dropped 23 percentage points since the pandemic began, and although most think about future education every day, they want lower-cost, quicker paths to a career. But that doesn’t mean they are finding the choice to consider other options an easy one. While they may be open to other paths, they feel pressure to take the one that leads to a four-year college. The study, fielded in September 2021, reports that fewer and fewer teens plan to attend a four-year college, with less than half now considering it and 53% believing they can achieve professional success with education attained in three years or less. At the same time, high school students are keenly focused on the connection between education and a future career, with 69% percent saying it is important to have on-the-job experiences, like apprenticeships and internships, during their postsecondary education. And while the cost of college continues to be a driving factor for where they choose to go to school, connection to a job also ranks high. “Over the past 20 months, we have seen a significant shift in teens’ thoughts about education beyond high school with more and more looking for options beyond a four-year degree as a path to a career,” said Jeremy Wheaton, president and CEO of ECMC Group. “Now, we as educators must ensure they have the information and support necessary to select and complete the right education path for them—regardless of the path they choose.” ECMC Group’s Question The Quo Education Pulse surveys have examined high schoolers’ attitudes about their future education and work throughout the pandemic. The surveys of high school students ages 14-18, conducted in partnership with VICE Media, took place in February 2020, May 2020, January 2021, and September 2021, and sought to uncover how teens are thinking about and planning for their future education and careers amidst an ever-changing pandemic environment. The survey data also points to differing thoughts between demographics, including men and women as well as those from different income levels. For instance: • Female students are more likely to think about their education and career every day compared to their male counterparts. • Female students and students from high-income households are more likely to believe that education beyond high school is necessary compared to male students and students from low-income households.
