Here’s an uncomfortable truth: American higher education is failing millions of people, and the cracks grow deeper by the day.

As confidence in higher education an American institution declines, it may be tempting to dismiss it as simply another symptom of our divided society. Yet, to do so is to ignore a crisis that threatens not only the U.S. economy, but the foundation of American opportunity.

A recent Lumina Foundation and Gallup report on higher education shows that Americans overwhelmingly understand and value the importance of a college degree in securing better jobs, economic security, and a higher quality of life. But their trust in higher education to deliver on this value is rapidly eroding.

The Lumina-Gallup study found that fewer than half of Americans believe colleges and universities are doing a good job. The reasons for this low confidence are painfully clear: rising tuition, staggering debt, misalignment with the labor market, and a sense that higher education is more focused on selectivity and rankings than student success. All of the above have contributed to reduced faith in what once was seen as a ticket to the American dream. It’s a vicious cycle: as expenses rise and the value of holding a bachelor’s degree becomes less certain, fewer people enroll or stay enrolled, and the system becomes less accessible, supporting a pattern of decline.

A recent New America piece takes journalists to task for oversimplifying survey results, contending that polls such as Gallup’s on higher ed confidence may misinterpret attitudes toward college. After all, higher education is far from the only institution Americans are losing faith in. But if we simply say, well, colleges garner more trust than the U.S. Supreme Court or financial institutions, we’d be failing millions of Americans. Worse, if we accept such comparisons, we will continue to see declining enrollments, increasing student loan debt, and a widening gap between those who benefit from college and those who do not.

Forty-two million dreams deferred

To grasp how the system is failing, look to the 42 million U.S. adults who started college and never finished. These are friends, neighbors, and family members. They bought into the promise of college, took steps toward fulfilling dreams, and, for reasons ranging from financial hardship to family caregiving obligations, they stopped before they could reach the finish line.

This figure—42 million—is not just an indictment of a broken system, it’s a national emergency. Each person represents an untapped opportunity, a story of lost potential, and a reminder that our approach to delivering higher education and ensuring people finish academic programs is failing.

Putting aside the fact that journalists hype the negative and demographic declines among recent high school graduates, it’s a serious problem that tens of millions of people went to college and didn’t finish. That’s a large pool of people who could benefit from college and help reverse enrollment declines, leaving the nation poorly prepared to deal with future needs and challenges.

Enrollment decline: A red flag for the future

College enrollments are accelerating in the wrong direction at an alarming rate. These declines should be a wake-up call for policymakers, educators, and anyone who cares about the country. Work of the future—offering stability, upward mobility, and a chance at a middle-class life—will increasingly require some form of education or training after high school.

Many more colleges need to adapt to changing times by adjusting to serve students stressed from caring for children or relatives and unable to secure stable housing, access to healthcare, or regular transportation and childcare. These people want to contribute to a vibrant and prosperous economy equipped with the knowledge and skills to face the challenges of a rapidly changing world.

By ignoring the urgent need to improve higher education and rebuild confidence, we are shutting millions of people out of opportunity. We’re telling them that they don’t belong, that they shouldn’t dream, and that higher education isn’t for them.

Currently, the higher education system Americans want and need for themselves and their children is not delivering. That’s where the differing perspectives on value and confidence in recent polling come together. We can have both high value and high confidence in higher ed. But it will take work.

We need to rethink how we support and structure higher education by helping colleges and universities address the cracks in the system and apply lessons about what works for today’s students and the workforce of the future. We need to shore up public support for these vital institutions, and college leaders must embrace the urgent need to align how they go about their missions with society’s needs. Only then will we be able to rebuild confidence and deliver on what so many Americans value – a degree that opens opportunity and leads to a good job and a good life.

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