A new survey of high school seniors, who graduate in 2023, has revealed a sizable gap between young, Latino, black and male students who want to go to college compared to those who believe they will. The report titled “Class of 2023: Who Plans to Go to College?”, published by the nonprofit organization Youth Truth on Monday (22), surveyed 25,000 students from 223 schools in 21 states in the US.

The survey found that while 73 percent of Latino students surveyed expressed a desire to go to college, that number represented a 6 percent drop from 2019. In addition, 64% of them said they expect to attend college. Black students also showed a similar drop, with 74 percent expressing a desire to go to college, which is a 5 percent drop since 2019, while 66 percent expected to go.

These numbers closely reflect the national average, which is 74 percent for all young people who want to attend college and 66 percent for everyone who hopes to go. The survey highlighted a persistent gap between students' aspiration and expectations, which has not recovered during the pandemic. This is particularly concerning for children who have fewer opportunities and resources, resulting in fewer educational opportunities.

Overall, women demonstrated significantly higher aspirations and expectations, with 83 percent expressing a desire to go to college and 77 percent expecting to do so, compared to men, who recorded 68 percent and 57 percent, respectively.

Regarding expectations of attending a four-year college, the percentage of all senior students who expect to attend has remained steady at 46 percent since 2019. However, the percentage of students hoping to attend a community college has dropped from 25 percent in 2019 to 20 percent in 2023. Specifically for black, Latino and male students, expectations of attending a community college have declined even further. Since 2019, expectations for black students have dropped from 25 percent to 17 percent in 2023, while for men and Latino students, expectations have dropped from 23 percent to 18 percent and from 34 percent to 27 percent, respectively.

According to NBC News, researchers are concerned about declining college enrollment and earning undergraduate degrees, especially for underrepresented students such as blacks and Latinos. The decline in expectations of attending community colleges is particularly concerning, since these institutions are often an affordable option and a stepping stone to higher education.