Gen Z is questioning college altogether. Meanwhile, older generations are coming back to finish it

Across the United States, several students are returning to college for the upcoming academic year, but the image painted by many campuses might differ from what one might expect. Traditional sophomores returning after a summer break are notably less in number, while more adults are re-enrolling after being absent for years. Following a period of consistent growth, the percentage of high school graduates directly attending college has decreased, falling from nearly 70% a decade ago to around 60% today.

My 20-year-old son has decided to enroll, yet I hear him and his peers frequently discuss the uncertainty surrounding the jobs they are preparing for, considering the possibility that these jobs may not exist when they graduate. A recent Gallup survey revealed that nearly half of students have contemplated altering their major due to concerns about potential impacts from artificial intelligence (AI) on their respective fields.

It's easy to see why an 18-year-old might question the value of pursuing a college degree in this context. However, as Gen Z's confidence in the degree begins to wane, another group of Americans is investing in higher education in record numbers. Over 40 million individuals possess some college credits but lack a degree, and a growing number of them are now determined to complete their education.

More than one million students re-enrolled during the 2023-24 academic year, marking the highest number recorded by the National Student Clearinghouse and a 7% increase compared to the previous year. They are returning for a reason. In North Carolina, a state initiative called NC Reconnect targets community colleges, reaching out to adults who abandoned their studies without a credential and assists them from re-enrollment through graduation.

Those who complete a credential experience a median increase in annual earnings of around $20,000, a significant amount for a family. This represents a powerful lesson for other states with shrinking workforce pipelines. Despite the fact that a credential often relies on students finishing their education, higher education is rarely designed around the lives of returning learners.

Today, nearly 20% of undergraduates are parents, and roughly half are working while enrolled. These students must manage responsibilities that traditional undergraduates rarely encounter. Among returning students who do not earn a credential in their first year back, fewer than 60% return for a second year. Like many, my path through higher education was not straightforward.

As a first-generation college student, I arrived at the University of Oregon with credits already earned from Portland State University and Clackamas Community College. I worked part-time while in school, including through work-study programs, to help cover my tuition costs. Several years into my career, I enrolled at Portland Community College to obtain a legal assistant certificate.

Later, I returned to college for an M.B.A., attending classes at night while working full-time and raising my children. At the time, I believed my story was unique. However, now it appears to be more common. In recent years, adult and returning learners have transitioned from being on the fringes of higher education to becoming more central to its focus.

A few states have already developed the necessary infrastructure to accommodate this shift, combining outreach with tailored academic and financial support for individuals balancing work and family commitments. These programs are increasingly recognized as models for other states to follow. Nevertheless, the narrative in pop culture about who attends college has not evolved to match the actual student population.

Movies, television shows, and college brochures continue to depict the stereotypical carefree co-ed moving into a dorm. This image, which increasingly fails to represent younger learners, still predominates. As Gen Z increasingly turns away from higher education, it's crucial to note that the traditionally-aged students who enroll now also face a broader range of needs than ever before.

The changes colleges implement for returning learners will benefit Gen Z and future generations as well. Colleges must design advising, scheduling, and data systems specifically for adult and returning learners from the beginning, rather than retrofitting these systems as an afterthought. Policymakers should invest in and expand re-enrollment initiatives with the same commitment they apply to recruiting new freshmen, measuring success by completion rather than just enrollment.

It's high time for colleges, policymakers, and our culture to align with reality. Colleges should incorporate adult and returning learners into their advising, scheduling, and data systems from the outset, rather than treating these aspects as an afterthought. Policymakers should prioritize funding and scaling re-enrollment initiatives with the same urgency reserved for recruiting new freshmen, tracking success through completion rather than just enrollment.

And it's time to retire the decades-old image of the "college student" and instead reflect the diverse group of students actually walking onto campus: parents, full-time workers, and other adults returning to earn their degree. Higher education, and the narrative surrounding who it serves, should mirror the students who are actually showing up this fall, including those returning to complete their education.