For generations, the path for teenagers has been seemingly clear: graduate high school with good grades, go to college to train for a well-paying job, then use your degree to get hired. But how probable is this path now that economic, social, and educational climates have shifted significantly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic?

High school senior Yanni Jiminez is weighing this very question as he decides on his next endeavor.

It's commencement season for the Class of 2023. That means high school and college graduates will be weighing options for the next leg of their education or career journey.

Two issues that are likely to shape their decisions have also been a constant source of news lately: One is the future of the U.S. News & World Report college rankings, and the other is the value of the bachelor's degree. This episode of Future U takes a deep dive into both topics.

Students are told that enrolling in a community college is a smart, affordable on-ramp to a bachelor’s degree—two years at community college, two years at a university and then a degree.

But the reality is often something different, with far too many students getting off track because of broken systems. A new scan of public data on transfer student outcomes reveals major gaps in the information state and system-level leaders need to create change.