The Crisis in College Readiness, Part I
Enrollment declines, loosened admissions and K-12 teacher shortages are reshaping higher education.
Robin Capehart
Nov 24
Since 2020, American higher education has been buffeted by a convergence of challenges. Undergraduate enrollment dropped sharply in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a cumulative decline of 8.4% from the 2010 peak. Although there was a modest rebound in 2023 and 2024, the sector has not recovered to pre-pandemic levels.
Community colleges and small private institutions have been hit hardest, with some states experiencing enrollment declines exceeding 40% since 2010. These losses have translated directly into financial distress, as tuition revenue and public funding have both contracted. Over 100 campuses have closed or merged since 2020, and even research universities have faced multi-million-dollar funding freezes and grant cancellations.
In addition, the academic environment in this country is characterized by the following:
- In response, over 80% of four-year institutions have dropped ACT/SAT requirements, broadening access but also admitting more underprepared students.
- Severe K-12 teacher shortages, especially in STEM and in rural/urban districts, have reduced advanced course offerings and weakened foundational skills.
- College readiness benchmarks have fallen, with a growing share of students needing remedial education.
- Existing support programs are insufficient, and without comprehensive intervention, student retention and institutional stability are at risk.
Loosening the Gates: The Shift to Test-Optional Admissions
In an effort to stabilize enrollment and broaden access, colleges and universities have dramatically loosened their admissions requirements. The most visible change has been the widespread abandonment of standardized testing. As of the 2025 admissions cycle, more than 80% of four-year colleges and universities no longer require ACT or SAT scores, a dramatic increase from pre-pandemic years.
This shift was initially driven by pandemic-era disruptions but has persisted due to concerns about equity and the limited predictive value of standardized tests. Institutions report that test-optional policies have increased applications from underrepresented and low-income students, but they have also opened the doors to a larger pool of students whose academic preparation is more variable.
The K-12 Pipeline: Teacher Shortages and Eroding Foundations
The challenges facing higher education are deeply connected to problems in the K-12 system. Nationwide, teacher shortages have reached crisis levels, with over 410,000 positions either vacant or filled by individuals not fully certified for their assignments. STEM fields are among the hardest hit: in the 2024–25 school year, 41 states reported shortages in science and 40 in mathematics.
In some subjects, up to 23% of vacancies remain unfilled or are staffed by underqualified teachers. Rural and high-poverty urban districts are especially vulnerable, often forced to eliminate advanced math and science courses or rely on long-term substitutes. These shortages have a direct impact on student learning, particularly in the foundational skills of mathematics, science, and writing that are critical for college readiness.
The Consequence: Declining College Readiness and Rising Remediation
The result of these systemic issues is a growing cohort of students entering college unprepared for rigorous academic work. Standardized test data reveal a steady decline in college readiness. In 2023, the average ACT score for high school seniors fell to 19.5, with 43% of students failing to meet any college readiness benchmarks and 70% falling short in mathematics. SAT results tell a similar story, with only 40% of test-takers meeting readiness benchmarks in both reading/writing and math. Faculty surveys confirm that students are less prepared in critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills than before the pandemic.
Remedial education remains a persistent feature of the college landscape. In the 2019–20 academic year, 40% of students at public two-year colleges took at least one developmental course. While this is a modest improvement from previous years, the proportion remains high, and completion rates for students requiring remediation lag behind those of their better-prepared peers. Only 33% of remedial students at two-year colleges completed a credential within six years, compared to 39% of non-remedial students.
The Limits of Current Support and the Need for Comprehensive Solutions
Colleges and universities have responded to the influx of underprepared students with expanded tutoring and mentoring programs. However, these efforts have not been sufficient to address the scale of the problem.
The persistent gap in foundational skills, especially in math, science, and writing, continues to undermine student success and retention. Without more comprehensive, evidence-based interventions such as integrated academic support, curriculum redesign, and stronger partnerships with K-12 schools institutions risk further declines in retention and graduation rates. The financial and reputational consequences of continued attrition threaten the stability of the entire higher education sector
And so . . .
The current crisis in American higher education is the product of interconnected forces: declining enrollment and financial instability, the loosening of admissions standards, severe K-12 teacher shortages, and a steady erosion of college readiness.
The data are clear: more students are arriving on campus without the skills they need to succeed, and existing support systems are not enough to bridge the gap.
If colleges and universities do not develop comprehensive strategies to address these challenges, retention rates will continue to fall, and the long-term viability of many institutions will be at risk. The future of higher education depends on a coordinated response that addresses both the symptoms and the root causes of this crisis.
Tomorrow: The Crisis in College Readiness, Part II. Practical Solutions for College Readiness.
Capehart served as the president of two universities over a 13-year period where his institutions experienced historic enrollment increases and record fundraising. Today, he serves as a Senior Consultant for Collegiate Consulting, Atlanta, GA.