The purpose of this study was to understand undergraduate students' perceptions of the teaching profession and how these perceptions influence their decision to enter, or not, the teaching profession in the state of Illinois. The Illinois Association of Regional Superintendent of Schools (2023) survey reported 79% of schools say they have a teacher shortage problem and 93% of districts say the shortage is as bad or worse than last school year. A qualitative multiple case study research design was used to understand the perceptions of undergraduate students. Interviews were conducted with 12 participants from two universities, six students from a private university and six students from a public university. Through a thematic qualitative analysis, four themes were discovered that played a significant factor in the reduction of individuals' view of the teaching profession: perceptions of substandard pay, perceptions of teachers and the profession, perceptions of administrator support and mentorship, and the destruction of a noble profession. These findings speak to how the on-going attacks on public education and teachers has large scale impact regarding perceptions of the teaching profession and aggravate the persistent teacher shortage. This study concludes with recommendation for future research related to the ongoing teacher shortage. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]