For many marginalized groups, attending college remains an unattainable goal, with most questioning if the tassel is worth the hassle. Recent trends indicate fewer Latino and Black high school students aspire to attend college, with numbers dropping considerably in the past few years. Experts attribute this trend to rising inflation, low unemployment rates, and increasing college costs, which have made the opportunity cost of higher education exceptionally high for low-income, first-generation students and men of color.