In the United States, approximately 43.1 million people, including 37.6 million working age adults under the age of 65, enroll in postsecondary education, but leave without earning their intended degree or certificate. For many institutions and policymakers, re-engaging Some College, No Credential (SCNC) students is a top priority due to the scale of this population as well as the national push to increase postsecondary attainment among U.S. adults. At least 43 states have set ambitious college completion goals, making it critical to reach SCNC learners to meet those targets and strengthen the workforce.
A new report from Trellis Strategies shows that many of SCNC learners leave higher education due to factors like financial hardship, work conflicts, caregiving responsibilities, or other personal challenges, not academic failure. In this way, re-engaging these students represents both a persistent challenge and a significant opportunity for today’s higher education system, the report notes.
To better understand the experiences behind these trends, the report captures the voices of students who left college without completing their degree. While national data provide insight into enrollment patterns and outcomes, this survey offers a closer look at the personal, financial, and institutional factors that shape students’ decisions to stop out, as well as what might encourage them to return.