Resolution to Re-enroll: More than 50% of Those Under 35 Plan to Return to School This Year

New Study.com survey indicates academic stress and financial burden among primary reasons for stopping out

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. , Jan. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A recent Study.com survey among the growing population of U.S. adults with some college and no credential revealed 52% of those under 35 years old plan to re-enroll as part of their New Year's resolutions, significantly higher than the 30% of all survey respondents. Of those under 35 who plan to re-enroll, 55% of those are driven to complete their degree while nearly 18% are motivated to advance their careers or increase their earning potential.

The decision to stop out of college is taking an emotional and financial toll on the more than 40 million Americans with some credit, no credential – especially among the under 35 set. College financial burden continues to be a primary reason why students withdraw with more than 75% of younger respondents (those under 35 years old) reporting that debt is a significant factor to stop attending college. Academic stress is another factor as impactful as finances, with nearly 72% of younger respondents reporting that they stopped taking courses due to stress and anxiety.

Key Findings

Emotional and Psychological Impact:

• Nearly 50% of younger respondents feel disappointed in themselves for stopping out, with 30% saying their self-confidence was negatively impacted.
• 65% of those under 35 also report having experienced negative social interactions or stigma due to not completing their degrees.
• 73% of younger respondents are likely to re-enroll in college if they feel more confident in themselves.

Financial Burden:

• Nearly 43% of younger respondents are discouraged by past debt experiences.
• 46% of those under 35 say their experience with college debt has made them more cautious about borrowing more.

Designed to Save Money and Build Confidence

"Study.com courses are designed to build confidence and make complex concepts easy to understand through short form, engaging content," explained Laura Dansbury, VP of Product Management, Study.com. "Our courses empower students with knowledge and skills, and help meet the needs of those who most need support, such as first-generation college students and those from underserved populations. Since we introduced our college courses, we've helped to save students more than $475 million in tuition costs."

Study.com continues to build on its commitment to provide life-changing education solutions to learners across the country by offering to pay off college debt of four lucky students through its College Debt Payoff program. Now through January 31, 2025, learners can share the story of their educational journey and the obstacles they've overcome via video for a chance to win up to $10,000 towards their student loan debt.  

Methodology

The "Some College, No Degree" survey was conducted online from December 20, 2024, to January 3, 2025, and included 900 participants from the population with some college education but no degree. The majority of respondents had completed fewer than 60 college credits. The age distribution of the respondents was as follows: Generation Z (13.22%), Millennials (31%), Generation X (25.22%), Baby Boomers (28.22%), and Other (1.00%). In terms of ethnicity, the respondents were predominantly White (62.67%), followed by Black or African American (13%), Hispanic (14.67%), Asian (3.89%).

For a full version of the report, please visit: https://study.com/featured-insights/new-year-new-degree.html 

About Study.com

Study.com opens the door to the life-changing impact of education for more than 34 million learners and educators a month through its award-winning online learning platform for K12 curriculum, college courses and test preparation. With learners and educators in more than 11,000 school districts nationwide, Study.com is recognized by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) for meeting Level IV evidence standards. Headquartered in Mountain View, CA, Study.com has been honored as one of the world's most innovative companies by Fast Company and included in the GSV150, celebrating the world's most transformative private companies in education, for the last four consecutive years. The company has donated $29 million across social impact programs committed to increasing educational equity. These programs include Working Scholars®, an accelerated pathway for working adults to earn a debt-free bachelor's degree; College Saver, which has saved students more than $475 million in tuition costs, and Keys to the Classroom, which seeks to help aspiring educators prepare for and pass their teacher certification exams.

SOURCE Study.com