The Indiana Commission for Higher Education has released its college-going scorecard for 2025 and it was the worst year on record.

Only 51.7% of students from the 2023 cohort are currently enrolled in college. That’s only slightly lower than last year’s figure, but it continues a years long downward trend. To understand just how far this rate has fallen, you have to look back: in 2009, that number was 66.5%.

I’m a believer in the “college isn’t for everyone” mantra. Obviously, the trades, military, and even entrepreneurship are viable and respectable options for many students. But the reality is that most middle-class jobs being created in today’s economy require some level of postsecondary education. That will only become more true in a future shaped by AI and automation. A recent study concluded that by 2031, 66% of good jobs will require a bachelor’s degree or higher.

2031 isn’t some far-off, dystopian techno-cyberpunk future. That’s literally when this school year’s graduating class would begin their careers, assuming they go to college. And they probably should.

Some people have used the phrase “college isn’t for everyone” as a cop-out. Yes, the “college or die” mentality wasn’t helpful either. But we must adopt a mindset that still prioritizes the pathway most students should be aiming for, and that’s still college. Students can reach meaningful employment without a degree, but many graduate without a plan to actually do so.

In this country, we tend to venerate the past when we talk about the economy. But this is no longer the “before times.” High school graduates or, God forbid, dropouts, can’t just walk into a factory, and instantly become middle class. Think to yourself: how did most of the people YOU know reach that income bracket?

We owe it to our students to be honest about what the future requires. That starts with acknowledging that, while college might not be for everyone, it is still for most. And pretending otherwise won’t help them. It’ll only leave them unprepared.