There are several reasons why fewer Americans are choosing to attend college today versus a decade ago. First of all, college tuition and fees have been rising steadily over the years, making it difficult for many students and families to afford higher ed. Alternative pathways are also becoming more accessible and affordable, such as vocational or technical training programs. These programs also tend to offer more immediate career prospects. Find out what the most recent data states about this trend and how your students may benefit from learning about alternatives to a traditional 4-year college pathway in this sneak peek of FinCap Friday below:

For a detailed piece about individual stories related to this issue, check out some recent reporting by Melissa Korn in The Wall Street Journal and a piece covering this very topic on NPR before the start of the pandemic. 

About the Authors

Tim Ranzetta

Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.

Yanely Espinal

Born and raised by Dominican, immigrant parents in Brooklyn, Yanely is a proud product of NYC public schools. She graduated from Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School in 2007 before going on to receive her bachelor's degree at Brown University in 2011. As a Teach For America corps member, Yanely taught third and fourth grade in Canarsie, Brooklyn. She received her master's degree from Relay Graduate School of Education in 2013. She spends her spare time making YouTube videos about personal finance on her channel, MissBeHelpful. Yanely also loves to dance, sew, paint, listen to podcasts, and babysit her 10 nieces and nephews!