'Losing A Generation': Fall College Enrollment Plummets

New data shows community colleges were the hardest hit. Scott Dalton for NPR All throughout high school, Brian Williams planned to go to college. But as the pandemic eroded the final moments of his senior year, the Stafford, Texas, student began to second-guess that plan. "I'm terrible at online school," Williams says. He was barely interested in logging on for his final weeks of high school; being online for his first semester at Houston Community College felt unbearable. "I know what works best for me, and doing stuff on the computer doesn't really stimulate me in the same way an actual class would." Paying for college was always going to be hard, but it was even harder to justify the expense during a pandemic. "We had no money for it," he says, "and I'm not trying to go into debt and pay that for the rest of my life." He wondered if college in 2020 was "really worth it." So he postponed and instead got a job at Jimmy John's so he could start saving up. Williams is one of hundreds of thousands of students who decided to put off higher education this year. According to new data from the National Student Clearinghouse, [undergraduate enrollment this fall declined by 3.6% from the fall of 2019](. That's more than 560,000 students and twice the rate of enrollment decline seen last year. Most of that decline occurred at community colleges, where enrollment fell by more than 10%, or more than 544,000 students. [Read More Here]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- On to the news… Historians for Johns Hopkins University have discovered that the founder of the Baltimore-based school owned slaves. The findings contradict a long-held belief that the wealthy philanthropist was a staunch abolitionist. Researchers Martha S. Jones and Allison Seyler made the discovery after delving into previously undiscovered government census records as part of a university-led project on the school's history. [Read more here.]( — [Jaclyn Diaz]( NPR Breaking News Reporter MacKenzie Scott, the author and philanthropist, says she has [given away more than $4 billion]( in the last four months, including to dozens of colleges and universities. The New York Times’ Anemona Hartocollis reports, “These donations went to colleges and universities that many people have never heard of, and that tended to serve regional, minority and lower-income students.” [Read more here.]( And before you go, something to make you smile... Rose Wong for NPR It's supposed to be the happiest time of the year, but this year it doesn't really feel like it. With many of us hunkered down at home, some having lost jobs, others having lost friends and family members to COVID-19 or other illnesses, it's tempting to give this holiday season a miss. But it's important to find joy and meaning in the midst of this dark winter — and carrying on with favorite holiday traditions can help. NPR checked in with medical researchers to figure out how risky our favorite customs are, and highlight ways we can all celebrate more safely. [Read more here.]( We’ll be off for the next two weeks for the holidays — see you in 2021! --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. --------------------------------------------------------------- What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [npred@npr.org](mailto:npred@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Music, Politics, Code Switch and more! [Facebook]( [Twitter]( You received this message because you're subscribed to Education emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]