Why Gen Z Students Start at Community Colleges and What Happens Next

After growing up during the Great Recession and watching their Millennial predecessors struggle with massive student loan burdens, Generation Z students' pragmatism is playing out on community college campuses across the nation.

As many college leaders can attest, Generation Z presents a new set of challenges and opportunities for higher education. Growing up during the Great Recession and observing the effects of the Millennial student loan crisis had a significant impact on Gen Z and their views of higher education. To take advantage of the promise of this new generation of students, colleges must be responsive to prospective Gen Z students who will make higher education decisions based upon their perception of value and cost. In this executive briefing, we present the results of our 2018 College Pipeline Survey, which tracked the experiences of students who chose to begin their college career at a community college over a four-year university. This resource explores both the respondents’ characteristics and their higher ed journey, providing two- and four-year college leaders with insights on how to best serve this unique population. Meet the Value-Driven Pragmatists This executive briefing introduces a key prospective student profile—the value-driven pragmatist—and the three traits that inform their engagement with higher education. Value-driven pragmatists are: Cost-conscious Driven by Long-Term Goals Tech- and Information-Savvy Different Experiences, Different Outcomes This briefing also identifies the underlying inequities in access to services and resources that may prevent some of these students from achieving their ultimate goals. These hurdles include: Developmental Education Placement Access to Community College services Directional Social Networks Download the Briefing Download…