Summary
College enrollment among 18-year-old freshmen fell 5% this fall, with declines most severe at public and private non-profit four-year colleges.
Experts attribute the drop to factors including declining birth rates, high tuition costs, FAFSA delays, and uncertainty over student loan relief after Supreme Court rulings against forgiveness plans.
Economic pressures, such as the need to work, also deter students.
Despite declining enrollment, applications have risen, particularly among low- and middle-income students, underscoring interest in higher education. Experts urge addressing affordability and accessibility to reverse this trend.
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I’m an old fart and I feel terrible about the cost of college for the past couple of decades. When I went, the max you could borrow was $2500/year on a GSL. But you could work very part time to afford it. Things started tightening with Reagan being elected. I didn’t get any work study year 2. But we could declare financial independence so years 3 and 4, I got Pell Grants, more work study etc. Every quarter, I’d get a check back from the Bursar after paying tuition and books. And that didn’t include my GSL.
I graduated with about $12k in student loans. $10k was my GSL and it was paid back at $105/mo for 10 years.