College is no longer a given for Gen Z.
In 2022, 718 WCASD students took the SAT, down from 869 students in 2020. This is a decrease of almost 20 percent. Why the decline? Are fewer students college-bound? Have students lost interest in school? Did school closures cause students to become apathetic towards school and learning?
A new YPulse report found two in five Gen Z students agreed with the statement: “The pandemic has made me less interested in pursuing higher education.”
Consumed with pandemic-era grief, Gen Z’s apathy towards attending college has grown — even influencing students as young as middle schoolers.
The report (summarized here) lists five reasons why interest in college is decreasing amongst Gen Z.
1. The vast majority of Gen Z middle school students say they don’t see a future pursuing college.
2. Gen Z students are more likely to find Google and YouTube more helpful than a teacher.
3. Gen Z college students struggle to stay interested in their classes and believe they don’t teach practical skills.
4. Gen Z students wish they learned about alternative career paths growing up.
5. Gen Z students believe work experience is more important than a college education.
Has your child lost interest in attending college? How has WCASD contributed to this? Has the district taken steps to address this issue?
Many colleges have also accepted other tests for entrance, such as the ACT. In addition, many students see the ACT as "easier" than the SAT and so take that test. Would be interesting to see if the ACT test taking numbers have gone up in the same period.