Maybe I'm just noticing it more but it seems to be an increasing trend in H!Plandia to decidedly not go to college. Or (if true) is it an increasing trend in Japan generally, I wonder?
There still haven't been that many who actually went, when you count up all of the past and present members of H!P. There was just a period when several prominent senpai (e.g., Tsugunaga, Suzuki, Wada) were all going at the same time. And I think that set a level of expectation for the kouhai — especially those like Hirose, who is proudly bookish — so that they now feel obligated to announce their decisions.
Yeah it's that announcing part that seems like a somewhat unfortunate surge to me. Like ok uni's not for everyone, and there's nothing wrong with that, but ladies, at least give yourself a bit of wiggle room to be undecided in that headlong rush from full-time-idol to wife-of-poorly-earning-entertainer.
I really wasn't expecting much college students this time around. The majority of H!P is too new and probably is afraid to balance both full time idol and full time uni. I personally think we'll see a boost with the '01 line.
Does anyone have a list of the highest education that all of the H!P members have attained? At least they're not dropping out after middle school anymore.