EDUCATION SPECIAL SECTION FALL 2024
THE COST OF HIGHER EDUCATION
College students incur an average of $ 38,000 in debt as they graduate , setting them up to start out in the red as they enter the working world . Making college more affordable is on the minds of many higher education leaders , encouraging them and others to take a harder look at long-term solutions to help students avoid taking on large amounts of debt . But in the meantime , cost is a huge barrier for many students across the country who have hopes to pursue higher education .
Many parents try to ease that burden for their kids by saving over the years , but even then , parents find themselves averaging $ 35,000 in loan debt post-graduation . Overall , almost 45 million Americans have student loan debt according to recent data from the U . S . Department of Education , leaving many potential applicants wondering if the investment will pay off .
DECLINES IN ENROLLMENT
The enrollment crisis for colleges and universities across the nation has been going on for years . Some high school graduates and college students have instead been seeking out jobs , since the pot is sweetened for entry-level roles as companies try to fill their talent pipelines .
According to a survey conducted by ResumeBuilder , more than half of the hiring managers surveyed said they lowered the education requirements for entry-level positions , stating they did so due to the labor shortage .
Although some high school grads are choosing to start their careers , data does show that first-time freshman college enrollment is up , and higher education leaders are looking at a variety of ways to satisfy students ’ desire for flexible learning models and to reverse enrollment declines .
TECHNOLOGY IN ( AND OUT OF ) THE CLASSROOM
To make higher education more attainable for all , we have been seeing a shift toward a digital-first approach . Online learning continues to grow in popularity , with most , if not all , institutions establishing options for partial or full online learning capabilities .
This option provides both students and professors the ability to learn or teach from virtually anywhere anytime . Students who may have been unable to relocate to the school of their dreams now have the opportunity to enroll in that school , or another one anywhere in the world .
A flexible learning structure also makes it possible for working students to complete schoolwork after their workday , providing an additional incentive for those whose employers offer tuition reimbursement .
CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS
The competition for suitable employees is fierce as the labor shortage continues , leaving companies and corporations to choose from a limited pool of talent . Many organizations are
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