What We Can Learn From Enrollment Trends
Trends in higher education are closely monitored, especially the last two years with the change in online courses. Over the previous two years, postsecondary education enrollment has dropped 6.5%. While not all of that can be blamed on the pandemic, it certainly plays into the changes.
A November update to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center (NSCRS) breaks down the details of the enrollment trends, which can be helpful when looking at the future. Here's a snapshot of the numbers based on the type of institution.
Private, nonprofit, 4-year decreased by 0.6%
Public, 4-year decreased by 2.5%
Private, for-profit, 4-year decreased by 8.5%
Community college decreased by 6.0%
Primarily online decreased by 8.9%
However, one thing to note is that graduate enrollment grew 2.1% in the fall of 2021, on top of the 2.7% increase the previous year.
There are very few numbers to be excited about from this report; however, knowing what they are is essential when crafting plans.
At least 1 million veterans received GI Bill® benefits for a higher education program in 2020, the most recent year, this data is available. The SVA's 2020 Census Survey indicates that most veteran students attend public, four-year institutions as full-time students. About 80% of veteran students attend school full-time, and 59% attend a public, four-year institution. A third (31%) of student veterans are women.
Can the downward trend be blamed on the pandemic?
It's a good question that won't be answered completely until COVID-19 is safely in the rear-view mirror, but we can contribute some things to it.
As people lost jobs and saw decreased childcare opportunities, things had to be cut from schedules. If students were taking classes part-time or paying for them out of pocket, this was something that they could remove from their budget -- temporarily, at first -- to make things more comfortable financially.
Students who prefer in-person classes may have opted out of online-only semesters. Many higher education institutions are still operating online-only. Some may have needed to take a gap year to work, home school their children, or both.
There is a valid and important reason for every student who disenrolled in their higher education in 2020 and 2021. And when looking forward to the Summer and Fall of 2022, institutions that can help these students return to campus and classes easily will benefit.
Making the re-enrollment process more accessible will help. Finding a way to offer childcare on campus will help. Walking student veterans through the VA enrollment process will help. There are many ways to help, and each step forward will help students who want to return find the way to do it.
Provide the support military-connected students need with Virtual Veterans Communities in your corner.