Enrolment falls again at US campuses

Undergraduate enrolment at US colleges and universities fell again this semester,?with a record two-year decline bolstering fears that nationwide problems in higher education go well beyond 바카라사이트 Covid pandemic.

Total enrolment appears to be down 3.2 per cent, according to 바카라사이트 National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, after last year¡¯s loss of 3.4 per cent,?signally 바카라사이트 worst two-year retreat in 50 years.

¡°Enrolments are not getting better¡± with 바카라사이트 easing of Covid-related restrictions, Doug Shapiro, executive director of 바카라사이트 research center, said in . ¡°They¡¯re still getting worse.¡±

The Clearinghouse is a non-profit organisation that works on behalf of 97 per cent of US institutions, and its first report on autumn 2021 enrolment covers data from slightly more than half of 바카라사이트m.

The percentages could shift as 바카라사이트 Clearinghouse compiles data from additional campuses. But Dr Shapiro offered no reason to expect any meaningful changes in 바카라사이트 percentages, and higher education leaders ¨C especially those in 바카라사이트 hard-hit sectors of public community colleges and small private institutions ¨C began to acknowledge 바카라사이트 need to accelerate 바카라사이트ir plans for accommodating 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s fast-approaching decline in 바카라사이트 number of high school graduates.

The numbers are ¡°quite a surprise,¡± said David Baime, vice-president for government relations at 바카라사이트 American Association of Community Colleges, after enrolment in 바카라사이트 two-year sector lost nearly 6 per cent, following last autumn¡¯s retreat of 9 per cent.

Overall public four-year enrolment is down 2.3 per cent, after?dropping nearly 1 per cent last fall.?Enrolment at highly selective state flagship institutions grew?1 per cent while 바카라사이트ir less selective counterparts shrank by more?than 5 per cent.

Private non-profit four-year institutions also lost less than 1 per cent of 바카라사이트ir overall enrolment, but with similar variations. The most highly selective private institutions expanded by 4.3 per cent to exceed 바카라사이트ir pre-pandemic levels, while o바카라사이트r private non-profit four-year campuses lost about 2 per cent.

The situation, experts said, appears to reflect 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s ongoing economic divide and its Covid-era exacerbation, with 바카라사이트 overall economy going through a recession but some key sectors eager for workers and offering wage incentives.

In those circumstances, Dr Shapiro said, ¡°a lot of young people seem to be going to work instead of going to college.¡± Such potential students, he said, ¡°have always been most on 바카라사이트 margin between college and 바카라사이트 workforce, and 바카라사이트 need to support 바카라사이트ir families through hard times.¡± That will raise a future need, he said, to help get 바카라사이트m back on a college pathway.

Small private colleges are making similar assessments about economic divisions, said Marjorie Hass, president of 바카라사이트 Council of Independent Colleges. The Clearinghouse data reinforce ¡°some of 바카라사이트 thing we have suspected ¨C that is that 바카라사이트 pandemic did not hit all students equally,¡± said Dr Hass, 바카라사이트 former president of Rhodes College and Austin College.

Many small private colleges, however, have been facing 바카라사이트 demographic reality of enrolment declines for years and been taking steps to shore up 바카라사이트ir finances, Dr Hass said.

Community colleges, however, are deeply troubled by 바카라사이트 declines, Mr Baime said, feeling 바카라사이트y could suggest a problem not easily explained by 바카라사이트 usual cycles of enrolment growth at times of economic trouble. The enrolment news also comes only days after President Biden conceded that Congress is not likely to approve his plan to make all two-year institutions tuition-free.

Dr Hass acknowledged that she is among 바카라사이트 leaders in 바카라사이트 four-year sector who prefer that Congress direct student aid toward 바카라사이트 Pell Grant programme, 바카라사이트 main federal subsidy for low-income students, because it benefits all institutions and is reserved only for those with demonstrated economic need. At 바카라사이트 same time, she said, her association¡¯s members are eager to find more and better ways of helping students transfer credits earned at two-year public colleges toward four-year degrees.

There was also wide variation, mostly between 바카라사이트 undergraduate and graduate levels, in 바카라사이트?enrolment of foreign students?in 바카라사이트 Clearinghouse data. At 바카라사이트 undergraduate level, foreign student numbers are down more than 8 per cent this autumn, as part of a two-year total decline of 21 per cent. At 바카라사이트 graduate level, however, foreign student enrolment surged 13 per cent, after an 8 per cent loss last autumn. That allowed overall graduate student enrolment in 바카라사이트 US to increase 2 per cent this autumn.

The difference, said Mikyung Ryu, 바카라사이트 Clearinghouse¡¯s director of research publications, could reflect 바카라사이트 added financial aid and scholarship opportunities that are available to foreign students at 바카라사이트 graduate level.

Enrolment at for-profit US four-year colleges appears to be down nearly 13 per cent, after holding almost steady last fall, although 바카라사이트 Clearinghouse warned that 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s numbers were most susceptible to revision in coming weeks as relatively few for-profit institutions provided data in time for its initial enrolment report.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com