Enrollment

Hoped-for gap year enrollment boom turns out to be a bust

Report dashes hopes that members of the high school class of 2020 who didn't immediately go to college would enroll this fall.

By Natalie Schwartz • Dec. 3, 2021

42% of stopped-out young adults cited financial reasons for leaving college, survey finds

The longer former students stay away, the less likely they are to return to college.

By Laura Spitalniak • Dec. 2, 2021

Explore the Trendline➔

International Students

A look at trends in international enrollment — and what the numbers mean for U.S. colleges and universities.

By Higher Ed Dive staff

Share of Common App colleges requiring admissions tests continues to plummet

Data through mid-November also suggests a rebound from declining application numbers earlier in the pandemic.

By Jeremy Bauer-Wolf • Nov. 29, 2021

Why one college is pledging to pay half of its students' loans

Cornell College officials are hoping a promise to pay up to $12,000 of debt for 65 graduates will help them stay in school.

By Natalie Schwartz • Nov. 22, 2021

Update shows undergraduate enrollment decline growing to 3.5% this fall

Declines were particularly steep at community colleges and for-profit institutions.

By Natalie Schwartz • Nov. 18, 2021

5 charts breaking down the decline in international enrollment

We analyzed annual figures from the Open Doors report on international educational exchange to understand trends playing out in the sector.

By Natalie Schwartz • Nov. 15, 2021

International enrollment fell 15% last academic year — but signs point to a rebound ahead

The annual Open Doors report paints a dismal picture for higher ed, but surveyed institutions say new international enrollment increased 68% this fall.

By Natalie Schwartz • Nov. 15, 2021

University of Austin shared a worldview, but does it have a business plan?

Startup liberal arts university says it aims to recenter education on the pursuit of truth. Experts will watch whether it can be financially sustainable.

By Rick Seltzer • Nov. 9, 2021

South Carolina governor uses federal relief funding for tuition-free technical college

Gov. Henry McMaster set aside $17 million for the program and urged the state legislature to invest $124 million more to maintain it through June 2024.

By Jeremy Bauer-Wolf • Nov. 8, 2021

Navigating the online college search process

Students need guidance throughout the admissions process - omnichannel communications can help.

Nov. 8, 2021

California community college enrollment slid 15% in 2020-21, new data shows

The figure represents a decline of about 319,000 students, with particularly sharp decreases among African Americans, Native Americans and men.

By Natalie Schwartz • Nov. 4, 2021

How would lottery admissions at selective colleges change their student bodies?

In simulating the system, the share of men, low-income students and those of color who were admitted declined.

By Jeremy Bauer-Wolf • Nov. 3, 2021

Colleges' net prices drop as inflation outpaces average published tuition

Sticker prices crept up incrementally this year, but students pay less on average after inflation and financial aid, College Board finds.

By Rick Seltzer • Oct. 27, 2021

Undergraduate enrollment drops 3.2% this fall, deepening last year's losses

For-profits and community colleges saw the sharpest year-over-year declines, the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center found.

By Natalie Schwartz • Oct. 26, 2021

Amherst College ends legacy admissions

The Massachusetts liberal arts institution is among the first highly selective colleges to stop boosting applications from alumni's relatives.

By Jeremy Bauer-Wolf • Oct. 20, 2021

Anti-affirmative action group appeals UNC-Chapel Hill decision to Supreme Court

The leader of Students for Fair Admissions called for an end to race-conscious admissions policies "as soon as possible."

By Jeremy Bauer-Wolf • Updated Nov. 12, 2021

Graduate school applications rose 7.3% in fall 2020, report finds

Interest and enrollment in graduate programs saw a boost during the pandemic, according to new data from the Council of Graduate Schools.

By Natalie Schwartz • Oct. 18, 2021

Ex-USC dean indicted in alleged scheme to get kickbacks for social work school

The Justice Department alleges the dean worked to steer public money to the school in exchange for benefits for a Los Angeles politician's son.

By Natalie Schwartz • Oct. 14, 2021

Overtly religious advertising can harm a faith-based college's STEM reputation

Religious advertising can influence public perception of academic quality, new research finds. What does that mean for colleges' marketing?

By Mathew S. Isaac, Carl Obermiller and Rebecca Jen-Hui Wang • Oct. 11, 2021

Selective schools prioritize prestige in face of rising demand for college, report says

A National Bureau of Economic Research working paper suggests that such a focus is socially inefficient.

By Jeremy Bauer-Wolf • Oct. 7, 2021

Washington University in St. Louis uses 65% endowment return to adopt need-blind admissions

Surging investments powered a $1 billion financial aid initiative at the private university. But need-blind admissions can be very expensive for institutions.

By Rick Seltzer • Oct. 5, 2021

UC system seeks to add 20,000 students by 2030

A working group will examine paths to growth, including more online education, mergers and faster times to degrees.

By Rick Seltzer • Oct. 4, 2021

Can colleges compete with companies like Coursera?

Arthur Levine discusses how trends like personalized education are unfolding, what's driving them, and what can go right or wrong for colleges.

By Rick Seltzer • Sept. 28, 2021

Kentucky State says it needs emergency funding to make it past spring

Regents are asking for money to cover a $15M shortfall from unpaid expenses and a projected $7M gap for the 2022 fiscal year.

By Natalie Schwartz • Updated Oct. 20, 2021

Inside one HBCU's plan to waive tuition for a year

Clinton College, in South Carolina, isn't charging students tuition in 2021-22. Officials say enrollment swelled because of the offer.

By Natalie Schwartz • Sept. 24, 2021