While undergraduate college enrollments have been declining steadily since 2012, the trend this year has taken a further downward turn, particularly for community colleges. According to the latest research by the National Student Clearinghouse, overall undergraduate enrollment declined 3.2 percent, while community colleges saw a 5.6 percent decrease.
Community colleges were hit even harder by the decrease in student transfers, with a combined loss of 15.2 percent from both reverse transfers from four-year colleges and lateral transfers from other two-year schools. Not only is this having a profound effect on institutions, but it could have overarching effects on society and the economy as fewer people pursue a formal college education.
