Incoming college students confront intensified mental-health problems, with over 30% reporting depression or anxiety in the Healthy Minds Study. Many experienced pandemic lockdowns and increased online isolation during formative years. Campus environments are strained by culture-war conflicts, budget cuts, and restrictions tied to protests and free speech. International enrollment faces visa obstacles and potential declines. Tuition and fees at some colleges exceed $100,000, while the average Gen Zer carries about $23,000 in student debt. The rise of generative AI threatens job prospects and creates confusion and academic integrity risks. Colleges must address inefficiencies and balance vocational skills with broader educational aims.
The class of 2029 is on edge. Today's 18-year-olds spent middle school locked down in a pandemic. They've grown up more online and socially isolated than past generations, and in the Healthy Minds Study, a survey conducted by a consortium of universities, more than 30% of students report feeling depressed and/or anxious. The campuses they've just arrived at are entrenched in a culture war, as the Trump administration has cut research budgets or pulled funding to enforce restrictions on student protests and free speech.
As for the dream jobs these colleges are preparing them for, many are wondering how much longer they'll even exist, as companies look to embrace generative AI. And what, exactly, should they be doing with AI themselves? The most native GenAI users yet have been caught between admonishments that the world will leave them behind if they don't master the ability to prompt ChatGPT and the risk of getting caught cheating on their assignments if they rely on the chatbot.
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