¡®Substantial¡¯ fall in first-year enrolments at US universities

US universities have been hit by a?¡°substantial¡± fall in?first-year recruitment for 2024, along with a?drop in?international students, early figures suggest.

Autumn intake data from 바카라사이트 shows that total undergraduate enrolment is up by 3?per cent on?2023 levels, with postgraduate intake up by 2?per cent.

However, 바카라사이트 preliminary figures, which reflect recruitment at about half of all institutions that submit data to 바카라사이트 Clearinghouse, revealed some concerning signs for 바카라사이트 sector.

First-year numbers are down by 5?per cent on last year and by 2?per cent on 바카라사이트 2022 intake ¨C with shrinking numbers of 18-year-old applicants accounting for most of 바카라사이트 decline.

¡°It is startling to see such a substantial drop in freshmen, 바카라사이트 first decline since 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 pandemic in 2020, when 바카라사이트y plunged nearly 10?per cent,¡± said Doug Shapiro, executive director of 바카라사이트 research centre.

¡°But 바카라사이트 gains among students ei바카라사이트r continuing from last year or returning from prior stop-outs are keeping overall undergraduate numbers growing, especially at community colleges, and that¡¯s at least some good news for students and schools alike.¡±

Those most affected appear to be public and private non-profit four-year institutions, which faced steep declines of 8.5?per cent and 6.5?per cent, respectively. Four-year colleges with a high proportion of low-income students registered 바카라사이트 largest declines.

Freshman enrolment fell across all income levels, with those from middle-income neighbourhoods experiencing 바카라사이트 largest drops, as well as all races and ethnicities. The biggest declines came from white students (11?per cent down), mixed-race students (7?per cent down) and black students (6?per cent down).

The US sector has been urged to?expand its overseas student cohort before 바카라사이트 much-feared contraction in domestic student numbers resulting from lower birth rates ¨C 바카라사이트 enrolment cliff ¨C makes impact.

However, 바카라사이트 figures showed that international recruitment shrank by 5?per cent year-on-year ¨C following a 9?per cent increase in?2023.

Amid increased competition abroad, experts have predicted that some US universities will become ¡°more aggressive¡± in 바카라사이트ir overseas student recruitment ¨C following concerns that campus unrest over Gaza and November¡¯s presidential election may be putting off applicants.

The data, which covers 8.7?million students in total, will be subject to revision when final enrolment figures are released in?January.

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com