Chelsea Waite

And they described to us not necessarily feeling ready to just sort of jump into the college experience. And I think it's really a testament to students knowing what they themselves need when they're able to kind of look at the thing that most people might see as like the best path and say, look, I don't know if that's my best path.

And they described to us not necessarily feeling ready to just sort of jump into the college experience. And I think it's really a testament to students knowing what they themselves need when they're able to kind of look at the thing that most people might see as like the best path and say, look, I don't know if that's my best path.

It's mixed. And I think there's there's we're in a moment right now. A lot of people are kind of wrestling with this question. What we heard from many parents is that they really wanted their child to make the best choice for them.

It's mixed. And I think there's there's we're in a moment right now. A lot of people are kind of wrestling with this question. What we heard from many parents is that they really wanted their child to make the best choice for them.

It's mixed. And I think there's there's we're in a moment right now. A lot of people are kind of wrestling with this question. What we heard from many parents is that they really wanted their child to make the best choice for them.

And some parents really were willing to say, look, if college, especially if college right after graduation is not the best choice for my kid, I want to support what's going to be best for my kid. And I think parents are also seeing the data. They're seeing the evidence that college is really expensive. It doesn't always pay off.

And some parents really were willing to say, look, if college, especially if college right after graduation is not the best choice for my kid, I want to support what's going to be best for my kid. And I think parents are also seeing the data. They're seeing the evidence that college is really expensive. It doesn't always pay off.

And some parents really were willing to say, look, if college, especially if college right after graduation is not the best choice for my kid, I want to support what's going to be best for my kid. And I think parents are also seeing the data. They're seeing the evidence that college is really expensive. It doesn't always pay off.

There still is clear evidence that more education over your lifetime does mean more lifetime earnings on average. But the average is key there, where if you actually look at the spread from the lowest to the highest earners at different levels of educational attainment, there's a whole lot of overlap.

There still is clear evidence that more education over your lifetime does mean more lifetime earnings on average. But the average is key there, where if you actually look at the spread from the lowest to the highest earners at different levels of educational attainment, there's a whole lot of overlap.

There still is clear evidence that more education over your lifetime does mean more lifetime earnings on average. But the average is key there, where if you actually look at the spread from the lowest to the highest earners at different levels of educational attainment, there's a whole lot of overlap.

So basically, some people with less education end up earning far more than people even with more education than they have.

So basically, some people with less education end up earning far more than people even with more education than they have.

So basically, some people with less education end up earning far more than people even with more education than they have.

Yeah, we do. We hear some. And here's where I think it's coming from. Teachers all went to college. So everybody in a school, for the most part, has gone through a path that's included college at some point.

Yeah, we do. We hear some. And here's where I think it's coming from. Teachers all went to college. So everybody in a school, for the most part, has gone through a path that's included college at some point.

Yeah, we do. We hear some. And here's where I think it's coming from. Teachers all went to college. So everybody in a school, for the most part, has gone through a path that's included college at some point.

So it is hard to kind of get out of your own experience and really recognize that taking an alternative pathway that at least doesn't look like getting a degree right now—maybe you get a degree later— You know, recognizing that that's actually a legitimate and sort of celebration-worthy choice for a student is hard when your school of experience says college is really valuable.

So it is hard to kind of get out of your own experience and really recognize that taking an alternative pathway that at least doesn't look like getting a degree right now—maybe you get a degree later— You know, recognizing that that's actually a legitimate and sort of celebration-worthy choice for a student is hard when your school of experience says college is really valuable.

So it is hard to kind of get out of your own experience and really recognize that taking an alternative pathway that at least doesn't look like getting a degree right now—maybe you get a degree later— You know, recognizing that that's actually a legitimate and sort of celebration-worthy choice for a student is hard when your school of experience says college is really valuable.