Fewer students are enrolling in colleges and universities this year — more than 600,000 fewer, in fact.
That’s according to a new report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, which captures data from 97% of institutions that give out degrees. The fall represents about a 3.5% drop from the year before — from 17.5 million students to 16.9 million.
Fred DuVal serves on the Arizona Board of Regents which oversees Arizona’s three public universities. He said the drop in enrollment is a big concern.
It’s a drop that lines up with the pandemic, but, the question remains: Does it spell long-term trouble?
Emma Whitford has been covering this for Inside Higher Ed. The Show spoke with her to learn what it means on a national scale and how the pandemic has played a role.
