American Universities are at a crisis point with student numbers declining and liberal arts colleges closing every month. Only 63% of young people completing high school now go on to college and university. Ireland, New Zealand and other countries have figures in the 80s. The number of US universities in the top 500 has also fallen dramatically over the last number of years. This is all happening as Trump continues to block funding to leading universities and as influencers like Elon Musk give the following advice on university enrolment: “Don’t go”. It is all very well advising young people not to go to university when you are a trillionaire. In the real world, universities and colleges are the only institutions that give the credentialization required by many employers. AI might be replacing tutors for many young people, but it does not yet grant credentials. AI might give you detailed information but it is not yet capable of producing a cadaver for you to practice on as medical schools do. AI might be able to give you recycled information of how to deal with depression but it does not allow you to train in supervised sessions with clients in need of in-person support. The day might come when it will play a more integrated role even in these scenarios but it will take a lot for the prestige and cultural capital of university credentials to be ignored by most employers and most parents.

https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2026/08/22/aux-etats-unis-les-universites-traversent-une-crise-sans-precedent-entre-des-etudes-jugees-trop-cheres-et-une-defiance-alimentee-par-le-discours-de-donald-trump_6752520_3210.html?lmd_medium=al&lmd_campaign=envoye-par-appli&lmd_creation=ios&lmd_source=mail