Santos Enrique Camara, who dropped out of Shoreline Community College at age 19 in 2015 after completing two semesters studying audio engineering, poses for a portrait outside his home Friday, March 24, 2023, in Marysville, Wash. Camara, now 27, had difficulty paying tuition and finding time to do schoolwork while caring for his younger sister. “I seriously tried,” he said. “I gave it my all.” For now, Camara is happy working as a sous-chef and cook at a local restaurant while planning a tour with one of his two bands.

Oryanan Lewis works in the computer lab at Chattahoochee Valley Community College in Phenix City, Ala., on Feb. 23, 2023. She has an autoimmune disease and nearly had to drop out of community college due to sickness, but, through support, got back on track and is now finishing her second year of a medical assisting degree. AP photos