2008 Woodie Awards
Declining number of grads threatens future UNL enrollment
Katie Steiner
Issue date: 4/3/08 Section: News
After three years of increases, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln may see its enrollment numbers decrease during the next few years.
Data released last month by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education show that after this year, the number of high school graduates in the U.S. is expected to decline until 2015.
The number of graduating high school students will peak at 3.3 million this year, according to the commission. That number is expected to hit its lowest point in 2015, when about 3.2 million students are expected to graduate.
UNL has anticipated an enrollment decline for some time, said David Burge, UNL's associate dean of admissions.
"Is it good news? Absolutely not," Burge said. "We've labored through this in the admissions office. Those working on campus are aware of this."
Nebraska demographics show the number of high school seniors graduating in the state peaked this school year with 22,900 students expected to graduate in May. According to projections, that number will steadily decline over the next seven years, reaching its lowest point in 2015, when 21,000 students are projected to graduate. The state's graduation numbers are expected to get back up to 23,300 by the 2021-22 academic years.
The state's changing demographics are a cause of concern for the university, said Juan Franco, UNL's vice chancellor for student affairs.
This year, the university experienced a 3.9 percent increase in enrollment, raising its number of students to 22,973. The university hit its lowest enrollment numbers in three decades during the 2005-06 school year, with 21,675 students.
To keep enrollment numbers up, Burge said UNL has come up with a strategic plan to make up for the loss of students. This plan includes traveling to states where many high school graduates travel out-of-state for college. This includes heavy recruiting in New Jersey, which sends the most out of state students.
The university has also been marketing itself in cities and states where the population is growing. For example, UNL, along with its Big 12 competitors, have been "tripping over each other" to recruit in Dallas, Burge said.
Franco added: "We do know we're going to have to keep working harder to get our fair share of students."
katiesteiner@dailynebraskan.com
Data released last month by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education show that after this year, the number of high school graduates in the U.S. is expected to decline until 2015.
The number of graduating high school students will peak at 3.3 million this year, according to the commission. That number is expected to hit its lowest point in 2015, when about 3.2 million students are expected to graduate.
UNL has anticipated an enrollment decline for some time, said David Burge, UNL's associate dean of admissions.
"Is it good news? Absolutely not," Burge said. "We've labored through this in the admissions office. Those working on campus are aware of this."
Nebraska demographics show the number of high school seniors graduating in the state peaked this school year with 22,900 students expected to graduate in May. According to projections, that number will steadily decline over the next seven years, reaching its lowest point in 2015, when 21,000 students are projected to graduate. The state's graduation numbers are expected to get back up to 23,300 by the 2021-22 academic years.
The state's changing demographics are a cause of concern for the university, said Juan Franco, UNL's vice chancellor for student affairs.
This year, the university experienced a 3.9 percent increase in enrollment, raising its number of students to 22,973. The university hit its lowest enrollment numbers in three decades during the 2005-06 school year, with 21,675 students.
To keep enrollment numbers up, Burge said UNL has come up with a strategic plan to make up for the loss of students. This plan includes traveling to states where many high school graduates travel out-of-state for college. This includes heavy recruiting in New Jersey, which sends the most out of state students.
The university has also been marketing itself in cities and states where the population is growing. For example, UNL, along with its Big 12 competitors, have been "tripping over each other" to recruit in Dallas, Burge said.
Franco added: "We do know we're going to have to keep working harder to get our fair share of students."
katiesteiner@dailynebraskan.com
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