After several deaths in her family and an eviction that left her homeless, Jevona Anderson’s life began to unravel. By 2025, Anderson — then 59 and nearing completion of her bachelor’s degree — was failing classes and falling behind on bills. Eventually, she dropped out, joining a growing group of students who have left college before finishing.
Often referred to as “stopouts,” the group includes about 38 million working-age adults in the U.S. In many cases, they have student loans to pay but lack the credential of a degree to boost their earnings.
