For many years, the American Dream has been consistent. Work hard in school, get into an elite college and success will follow. 

But for today’s students, that narrative is becoming increasingly unclear. Rising costs, mounting pressure and an uncertain job market have pushed students to question whether traditional, elite academic colleges still represent the clearest path forward. 

For senior Tyler He, the idea of college has long been embedded in his future plans.

“I feel I’ve always had the idea of a traditional academic college in my future plans,” He said. “I grew up with this ‘traditional’ pathway, and I still believe in it.”

For He, family influence initially played a major role in shaping his ambitions, though that motivation has evolved over time.

“Growing up, through [before] high school, most of my college ambitions came from my parents,” He said. “Now in high school, though, most of my ambition comes from myself, as I’ve developed a personal appreciation for education through internships and work experiences.”

While some students question the value of higher education altogether, He emphasizes what college offers beyond credentials alone.

“If you think about the world in a practical sense, your skills and personhood are what allow you to thrive,” He said. “By going to college, you not only develop the necessary skillset to contribute to society, but also a deeper understanding of yourself and the world.”

Despite the intense competition surrounding elite admissions, He believes the pressure shouldn’t be a fear of failure and more as a drive to maximize opportunity.

“Rather than failure, I prefer the term shortcoming or missed opportunity,” He said. “College might not be the end all be all, but it is certainly a strong step, and the American Dream tells us to keep trying no matter what.” [PQ thoughts?]

While many students still see a four-year college as the natural next step, others such as senior Ema McGee, are choosing a different path altogether.

“I’m gonna go to state tech for electrical technology, and hopefully I’ll be an electrician within four years,” Mcgee said. “I never wanted to do a four year school, which I know sounds crazy to people around here, but it’s a normal thing to do back where I’m from. I just personally think that it’s a better route to [take].”

For Mcgee, the decision was rooted not in rejection of education, but in a desire for stability and economic security.

“I decided to go the trade route because it’s where my brother’s gone too, for utilities technology,” McGee said. “I just decided that it’s a good career path, that it has consistency and I can make good money in it.”

She said her experiences ultimately pushed her to re-evaluate what kind of life and career she wanted.

“I feel like I’ve kind of gone back to where I’m originally from, and the culture that I’m used to,” Mcgee said. “I really realize how much I should appreciate that.”

Due to the social pressures, choosing a technical path has sometimes made Mcgee feel out of place in a school culture where four-year colleges are often treated as the default definition of success.

“It just felt like people were judging me immediately because of, like, where you’re from, where I’m from, the way I look, the way I drive… I feel like I’ll accept that I’m a student at Clayton, but I feel like I’m not, I’ll never be part of the culture,” McGee said.

For the past 15 years, College Counselor Katy-Jane Johnson has noted that the path has been consistent: a four-year degree is the clearest way to maintain one’s socioeconomic status. 

“For the first time, in a significant way, people are really kind of wondering, is this the best return on their investment?” Johnson said. “In a very real way, kids from across all different backgrounds, all different walks of life, all different situations, are wondering, is this what works for them?”

Johnson explains that the tried and true path has broken because the economic formula that worked for the previous generation no longer applies. 

“The appeal of college used to be that you would go for four years, find a job where you could live and survive on your own, and move to a city and have that whole experience and save money,” Johnson said. “Then eventually, if you wanted to buy a house, it was sort of the path that gave you that future. But the big shift has been, [that] x plus y doesn’t necessarily equal that anymore; this isn’t necessarily the guarantee.” 

Johnson argues that while the prestige of an institution is often overstated, pursuing a postgraduate education remains the most reliable path to professional growth and employability.  

“It’s not necessarily the name or the brand where you go to school, but more about what you accomplish while you’re there,” Johnson said. “The prestige is always going to be important for some groups of people, but I do think that there’s been more of a shift [in] what makes the most sense for return on investment.”

Finally, Johnson emphasizes that the worst outcome of pursuing elite colleges is not only financial strain but also personal strain. 

“Find things that you love, that are exciting and interesting to you, and things that you’re genuinely passionate about,” Johnson said. “There’s nothing worse than looking back and feeling, ‘Oh, I wasted all this time doing these things I didn’t even like because I thought it was this golden ticket’”.