Virginia Foxx: “College enrollment decreased this year by a million students. Although many claim dropping enrollment is a crisis, this…”

“College enrollment decreased this year by a million students. Although many claim dropping enrollment is a crisis, this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity. This is an opportunity to see that Americans are making more decisions that are best for them. This is an opportunity for Americans to see that college is not the only pathway to a successful career. This is an opportunity for institutions of higher education to rethink how best to serve students. As the Republican leader of the Education and Labor Committee and a former educator, I know the importance of giving every American the opportunity to climb the economic ladder through pursuit of postsecondary education. Yet, the college-for-all mentality has forced many Americans to obtain expensive degrees which may not prepare them for a satisfying career when they could have thrived on an alternative career path. It also allowed institutions to maintain the status quo of high prices and often questionable value. College is not the only pathway to a fulfilling career. Falling college enrollment could demonstrate that more Americans are weighing the cost of college and deciding it just might not be worth it. A study by the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity found that the return on investment for obtaining a bachelor's degree varies significantly.…”