OpenTube

Why Is Gen Z Dropping Out Of College after 2 weeks?!

Social Symone ♡

546,635 views

Gen Z college students are dropping out just weeks into school as higher education, student debt, college costs and social media fuel a growing debate about whether college is still worth it.

Some students say college is too stressful, expensive or simply isn't for them. Others are switching to online programs, considering trade school or pursuing entrepreneurship and social media instead.

But are Gen Z students giving up too quickly—or are the rising cost of college, student loans and changing career opportunities making young adults rethink traditional higher education?

We look at college dropout stories, FAFSA and financial aid, college affordability, student debt, trade school, the creator economy and an 18-year-old D1 athlete who left college to pursue business and social media.

So is Gen Z actually less resilient? Are college costs and student debt changing the calculation? Are trade schools, entrepreneurship and alternative career paths becoming more attractive? Has social media changed young people's expectations about how quickly success should happen?

Or have students always dropped out early—and TikTok simply allows us to see something that previously happened privately?

This conversation goes beyond one generation. It's about education, personal finance, student debt, career decisions, social media, work ethic and what young adults believe success should look like in 2026.

Do you think students should give college at least one semester before leaving, or should they leave as soon as they realize it isn't right for them?

Chapters:
0:00 Gen Z Is Leaving College After TWO WEEKS?!
0:47 Going Home After Just 2 Weeks on Campus
1:08 She Says She Didn't Actually Drop Out
1:46 Is Gen Z Giving Up Too Quickly?
3:48 Should Parents Make Their Kids Stay in College?
4:51 Do Young Adults Need More Tough Love?
7:04 The Reality of Adjusting to College
8:45 Is Social Media Making This Look New?
9:25 Why Are College Freshmen Crying?
10:36 Their Parents Made Them Stay
11:19 College Isn't for Me... I'm Going to Trade School
12:56 Even Easy Assignments Are Too Stressful?
14:08 Does Success Start With Your Mindset?
16:04 Students Share Their College Struggles
18:13 What Future College Students Should Know
18:55 Why Are Students Dropping Out So Quickly?
19:46 Can Dropping Classes Protect Your GPA?
20:28 What Federal Student Aid Actually Tracks
21:08 Some Students May Not Be Ready for College
22:24 Are Finances Driving Students Out?
23:38 College Costs Beyond Tuition
24:05 Why Two Weeks Can Actually Matter
25:42 Why This 18 Year Old D1 Athlete Dropped Out
26:21 He's Choosing Business and Social Media Instead
28:24 Did Social Media Make Dropping Out Possible?
29:59 Is Influencer Culture Changing College?
30:38 Does Social Media Make Us Expect Instant Success?
31:18 Why Some Say Gen Z Isn't Prepared for College
32:16 Are Phones Destroying Attention Spans?
34:08 Is the Education System Part of the Problem?
35:15 Even Teen Jobs Are Getting Harder to Find
38:00 Did School Prepare Students for College?
39:17 Professors Aren't Going to Remind You
39:48 Is This Really a Gen Z Problem?
40:14 Is Gen Z Weak or Misunderstood?

just some cool words:)
Gen Z, Gen Z 2026, Gen Z college, Gen Z college students, Gen Z dropping out of college, college, money, finance, college dropout, college dropouts, dropping out of college, college students dropping out, college dropout 2026, college 2026, college students 2026, higher education, higher education 2026, college experience, freshman year college, college freshman, college stress, college burnout, college anxiety, college costs, cost of college, college tuition, student loans, student loan debt, student debt, student debt 2026, FAFSA, federal student aid, financial aid, college affordability, paying for college, college debt, personal finance, education and careers, career planning, trade school, trade school vs college, college vs trade school, is college worth it, is college worth it 2026, social media, social media influencers, influencer culture, creator economy, Gen Z careers, Gen Z work ethic, Gen Z attention span, college resilience, future of education

20 Comments

@SocialSymone Creator 3 weeks ago Pinned

🕵🏾‍♀️ How long do YOU think people should stay in college before they drop out?

@HokeTheDog 3 weeks ago

The first month of ANYTHING is awful. Whether it's school, a job or a new place, just hold on.

@leticiaincremona8102 3 weeks ago

Unsafe vs. uncomfortable. If she felt unsafe she made the right decision going home.

@Hebinushi 3 weeks ago

Ngl… I think one reason some people might not be excited to go to college as much anymore is because the reality of the sheer cost of it is becoming much more daunting. I avoided it for years despite being a top 1% student who has ALWAYS wanted to get a Masters minimum, because I didn’t want to be in debt the rest of my life. How is someone supposed to have fun when they know they’re throwing money down the drain and not even guaranteeing they’ll get a job to pay off their debt after?

@Starriaaa 3 weeks ago

College isn’t for everyone, I hate how people are making this a Gen Z thing when every generation had hella ppl flunking out, they just didn’t have social media to complain on

@ninabeanss 3 weeks ago

people should normalize community college and trade school more

@anangelstavern 3 weeks ago

I cried a lot in college (still, Im a junior) because I feel so absolutely stupid and clueless compaired to my peers. I feel like I have to try twice as hard as them to keep up in class and its a humiliating and isolating feeling. I lived on campus for the first two years and ive struggled making friends, I only have one on campus I see two times a week. Some of the professors are great, others rip into you for no reason and really destroy your sense of self (ive had two profs like this, and I have to take multiple of their classes). The workload is larger and harder than ive ever seen and it gets harder every year. Mind you guys, I am a deans list student in the top 10% of students in the nation (alphi chi). So if I'm feeling overwhelmed and dumb, I can't imagine how badly most people are feeling.

@jacqueline8566 3 weeks ago

YALL FORGETTING THAT SOME OF THESE ROOMMATES ARE NASTY, TRIFLING, DISRESPECTFUL, AND PUT THEIR OTHER ROOMMATES AT SAFETY RISK

@brainiacandbeyond 3 weeks ago

Everyone isn’t mature/ready to leave home at 17/18. Two years of community college + living/working while staying at home should be an option for many folks TBH

@tiffanymartin2710 3 weeks ago

Nobody WANTS to do the assignments. It's what you HAVE to do if you're in college.

@sagefields 3 weeks ago

I chose to go to a uni close to my parents and just stayed home all through college.
My friends made fun of me for it, but I graduated with just 3K in debt. I don't regret it at all.

@JeffStackzz 3 weeks ago

Some people may see it as quitting, but the first girl who decided to leave college and continue online in my opinion is the most flexible in the situation. She removed a negative facet of her life while continuing her education, saving money and is able to make money while working. Smart move.

@lynnbrown3777 3 weeks ago

Going away to college at 18 is overrated and yes I went away to college. I'm glad I went because I didn't have much of a support system at home like my husband did. The workload from college especially coming from an urban high school was surprising but with God's help, I was able to graduate. College is NOT for everyone and I can't imagine living with these students whose parents don't hold them responsible for anything. I can see colleges being unsafe. But I'm grateful that my college was very safe.

@cherie..cherry 3 weeks ago (edited)

as a gen z in college, the way my dorm mates leave poop in toilets, scream in the hall, and leave feminine hygiene products in the open snd on the seat, some people are NOT prepared for social living or being away from home. even weeks into the semester, people lack decency and home training. so i, of the belief that at the very least, living away from home is not for everyone.

@alexcyabasilio8547 3 weeks ago

The girl who mentioned feeling unsafe on campus- removing herself from danger was obviously the best decision. Let’s remember that when something’s done against a woman, society tends to victim blame.

@Atihcan_ 3 weeks ago

22:42 The bar is so low for kids to graduate high school now and days. Examples of this are the state’s “passing grades,” a lack of academic integrity with the use of AI, and teachers passing students along without improving their fundamental skills. There’s also a lower amount of students building their stamina of consistent high quality work and consequences that widen the gap between 12th grade and their freshman year in college.

@aishahm 3 weeks ago

Why are we overlooking the part where they said they felt "unsafe"? College campuses can be extremely unsafe, especially for women. That should not be overlooked at all. 😮‍💨

@stischer47 3 weeks ago (edited)

As a former college prof and advisor, it's amazing the number of students who are in college and in a major because that's what their parents wanted them to do. I thought that we'd learned that college is not for everyone and there are college degrees not worth the paper the diploma is written on. The British have a good idea - gap year.

@pattyolascoaga5706 3 weeks ago (edited)

As someone who had a VERY difficult time in college (had two semesters where I was on academic probation), and finally graduated at 26, it took me so long to realize that a big part of it for me was ADHD and a feeling of intimidation that prevented me from asking for help. Once i did, it became clear that there are so many resources for struggling students like mental health & financial help, and advisors and professors that are more than happy to assist us with classes/assignments/extensions, etc. "How bad do you want what you're saying you want" is so true because i know i WANTED IT, so i made sure i got it, regardless of going through several periods where i felt like my degree would never be attainable. PLEASE ask for help if you feel stuck, it's so worth it in the end :-)

@jreeves1425 3 weeks ago

College isn't for everybody, and there is no reason that a young person should stay and rack up debt. They don't have to be a traditional student. Go to a trade school, get a job, join the military, whatever. They can always go back later if they want.