Is College the Right Fit?
By Amelia Roessler
C . ollege isn’t a golden ticket to success, and it’s no longer the default option. For today’s teens, life after high school could mean a university campus, a welding apprenticeship, a military contract, or launching a small business. The real challenge isn’t choosing college—it’s choosing the right fit. A recent survey found that 90 percent of Gen Z students say they trust their parents to advise them on next steps after high school. The bad news? Parents say they don’t know enough about the vast majority of valuable education and training options their child could pursue and are especially in the dark about anything that isn’t either pursuing a career directly or getting a bachelor’s degree. After all, there are a finite number of traditional colleges, but a seemingly infinite number of pathways beyond college. And it’s not a glass slipper moment—several options could fit just as well.
chancellor for enrollment, says even though many higher education schools visit high schools, there is a lot of information out there about applications, financial aid, and what a school is like right on a school’s website. Rinehart says national enrollment in colleges has been trending down recently. He cites a decline in the number of high school seniors and smaller graduating classes as a reason, coming from the birth rates that have not returned since the 2007 recession. “I think what’s concerning in recent years, even before we started to see the decline in seniors in high school, you started to see a smaller percentage of graduating seniors going to college. So in recent years, maybe 70 percent of high school graduates would go directly to college, and in the last couple of years, that’s been closer to 60 percent,” he says. But maybe your student doubts if they could succeed at college. Rinehart thinks otherwise. He says students should try to avoid imposter syndrome and questioning whether they are good enough to go to college. He believes they are.
“I’m not saying that college is the right match for every person. It certainly isn’t, but I think for most students who really want a pathway to college, there’s a way to get there, and they can definitely do it,” explains Rinehart Local school systems are expanding opportunities beyond the traditional four- year degrees for the students who may choose a different path. The Birmingham Public Schools allow high school students to earn certifications, gain career-related work experience, take advantage of career focused leadership opportunities, and compete in Career and Technical Student Organizations such as Robotics and DECA. Their website cites that the Career & Technical Education aims to prepare students to be college and career ready with modern, advanced, and pertinent programs of today.
QUESTIONS TO ASK
As a parent, all you want is to see your child succeed. You can help by starting conversations on self-reflections of their goals, researching options, and discussing finances openly. Encourage them to explore career interests, think about what they are
THE BIG DECISION
16 APRIL 2026 | BIRMINGHAMPARENT.COM Thinking about college seriously starts in high school. Todd Rinehart, a university vice
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