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Higher Education Statistics

College Admissions

PictureBerkeley College (New York City)
Increased Enrollments:
Enrollment in degree-granting institutions increased by 24% between 2003 and 2013. The percentage of 18- to 24-year-olds enrolled in college rose to 40% in 2013.
SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics
 
Increased Competition for College Admission:
Between the Fall 2014 and Fall 2015 admission cycles, the number of applications from first-time freshmen increased 6 percent; applications from prospective transfer students increased by 4 percent; and international student applications increased by 23 percent, on average.
SOURCE: 2015 State of College Admission
 
From 2005-2015, the percentage of students who applied to seven or more colleges has more than doubled to 28.5%.
SOURCE: The American Freshman 2015, p17

For 10 of the past 15 years, more than 70% of colleges reported year-to-year application increases.
SOURCE: 2014 NACAC State of College Admission, p2
 

In 2013, 81% of freshman applied to three or more colleges; 32% submitted seven or more.
SOURCE: 2014 NACAC State of College Admission, p16
 

While 75% of students were ADMITTED to their first-choice institution, only 57% of students ENROLLED at their first-choice institution. Why? Competitive financial aid offers from other institutions.
SOURCE: The American Freshman 2013 ,p6
 

Early Decision:
Between Fall 2014 and Fall 2015, colleges reported an average increase of 10 percent in the number of early decision applicants and 11 percent in ED admits. The number of Early Action applications and the number of students accepted through EA each increased by 7 percent.

SOURCE: 2015 State of College Admission

Being admitted through and early action or early decision program was “very important” in deciding to choose their current institution.
SOURCE: The American Freshman 2014 ,p8
 

Public Universities Accepting More Out-of-State Students:
  • Forty-three of the 50 schools known as “state flagships” enrolled a smaller share of freshmen from within their states in 2014 than they had a decade earlier.
  • The University of Alabama had the largest decline in the share of in-state freshmen, a 36-point drop.
  • Texas A&M University had the highest in-state share of any school analyzed. That reflects the population growth of Texas and the market within the state.
  • At least three factors drive schools to look for students from out of state: volatile or declining state funding; stagnant school-age population within the home state; and a desire to bring geographic diversity to campus for educational reasons.
  • America’s most prominent public universities were founded to serve the people of their states, but they are enrolling record numbers of students from elsewhere to maximize tuition revenue as state support for higher education withers.
SOURCE: Washington Post, Nick Anderson and Kennedy Elliott, Washington Post, January 30, 2016

In 2013, the U.S. hosted 20 percent of the 4.5 million students worldwide who are pursuing higher education outside their home countries.
SOURCE: Institute of International Education, Attitudes and Perceptions of Prospective Students from Around the World (2015)

Too Many Years to Complete College Degree:
Less than 6 out of 10 college graduates earn their 4-year bachelor’s degree within 6 years. Completion varies per institution: 58% public, 65%, private non-profit, and 27% private for-profit.
 
Students excel when they challenge themselves and attend the most selective college that admits them. Colleges with open admissions policies have a 36% 6-year graduation rate; high selective admissions, 89%.
SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics
 
Almost 23% of entering students at four-year institutions think there is either “some” or a “very good” chance they will transfer to another institution. Students enrolling at the least selective campuses are the most likely to transfer.
SOURCE: The American Freshman 2014, p6

Housing and Food:
Since 2009, room and board charges have risen 21% at public colleges and 17% at private colleges, without taking inflation into account. While the average is over $9,000 per year, the top 10 colleges charged $16,383 on average, a 23% increase.
SOURCE: Trends in College Pricing, College Board and The Hechinger Report

College-Going Culture:
Low-income students are more likely to “under-match” into less-selective institutions will lower success rates, regardless of their level of academic preparation.
SOURCE: The Rising Price of Inequality, Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance
 

College Preparation:
In public schools in the US, the average counselor has a caseload of nearly 500 students and spend 30% of their time on college admission counseling. Only 30% of public intuitions had a dedicated college advisor.
SOURCE: 2015 State of College Admission, p23, National Association for College Admission Counseling
 

Numerous studies clearly demonstrate the private benefits of increased levels of postsecondary education, such as higher salaries, longer working lives, career mobility, and an increased quality of life.
SOURCE: Fundamentals of College Admission Counseling, Third Edition, p106
 
Middle school counseling programs are critical to ensuring students complete course work that will allow them to participate in a college-preparatory curriculum upon entering high school.
SOURCE: Fundamentals of College Admission Counseling, Third Edition, p106

College Admission:
The top factors in the admission decision for the Fall 2015 admission cycle were: grades in college preparatory courses, strength of curriculum, overall high school GPA, and admission test scores.
SOURCE: 2015 NACAC State of College Admission, p16

Tutoring:
Students who struggle with Algebra II need tutoring assistance. While this math subject is not is not necessary for 67% of careers, it is required to know for the standardized testing.
SOURCE: Anthony Carnevale, Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce, Economic Benefits of Postsecondary Education for Hispanics/Latinos webinar, November 2015

Cost of College: 
80% are concerned about the cost of higher education.
SOURCE: Generation Z Goes to College by Corey Seemiller and Meghan Grace, 2016, p.100
 
67% believe that the “benefits of a college degree outweigh the costs.”
SOURCE: Generation Z Goes to College by Corey Seemiller and Meghan Grace, 2016, p.100

“I would like to be able to attend college in order to better contribute to this society without financially ruining myself with a mountain of debt. This doesn’t seem likely.”
SOURCE: Generation Z Goes to College by Corey Seemiller and Meghan Grace, 2016, p.101


Benefits of Earning a Bachelor's Degree

 Benefits of Earning a Bachelor's Degree: 
By 2020, there will be 55 million new job openings and 65% will require some postsecondary education and training.
SOURCE: Center on Education and the Workforce (Georgetown University)
 

By 2020, 35% of the job openings will require at least a bachelor’s degree, 30% of the job openings will require some college or an associate’s degree and 36% of the job openings will not require education beyond high school.
SOURCE: Center on Education and the Workforce (Georgetown University)
 

75% believe that “having a degree is essential to having a career”
SOURCE: Generation Z Goes to College by Corey Seemiller and Meghan Grace, 2016, p.101
 
“Nearly half expect to become their own bosses during their careers.” So they need to learn how to be an effective entrepreneur. Gen Z wants to solve problems. 40% plan to invent something that will “change the world.”
SOURCE: Generation Z Goes to College by Corey Seemiller and Meghan Grace, 2016, p.103
 
“Gen Z views their choice of educational institution as a major investment, but a worthwhile investment that will help them achieve their goals. They are looking for an institution where the price is right and the path to a job looks bright. But that is not all. More than half say that location and campus facilities are important in their college choice.”
SOURCE: Generation Z Goes to College by Corey Seemiller and Meghan Grace, 2016, p.185

The U.S. economy has shifted from an industrial economy (driven by high school) to a service economy (driven by postsecondary) in recent years.

SOURCE: What Counselors Should Know About 21st Century Competencies, Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, Webinar, February 3, 2016
 
Overall behavior patterns and attitudes differ considerably by level of education. The knowledge, fulfillment, self-awareness, and broadening of horizons associated with education transform the lives of students and of those with whom they live and work.
SOURCE: Education Pays 2013, College Board
 

Low-income students are five times more likely to move out of poverty if they attain a college degree.
SOURCE: Moving on Up, The Pew Charitable Trusts
 

For students who started in fall 2002 as full-time students seeking a bachelor’s degree but failed to graduate six years later, the cost to the nation was approximately 
  • $3.8 billion in lost income; 
  • $566 million in lost federal income taxes; and 
  • $164 million in lost state income taxes.
SOURCE: American Institutes for Research, “The High Cost of Low Graduation Rates: How Much Does Dropping Out of College Really Cost?”
 

The New York Times (5/10, Cohen, Subscription Publication) reports a new study by the Economic Policy Institute found that “only 10 percent of 17- to 24-year-olds have a college or advanced degree,” and “for young high school graduates, the unemployment rate is disturbingly high: 17.8 percent.” When “those who are underemployed” are added in, “the share jumps to more than 33 percent.”
 
Generation Z “believes that education is the foundation for individual success and societal prosperity.” They believe that
  1. Education leads to future personal success
  2. Education is an investment in America’s future
  3. An educated society is a better society
  4. America’s education is declining
  5. There is limited access to quality education
SOURCE: Generation Z Goes to College by Corey Seemiller and Meghan Grace, 2016, p98 

Effect of Education on Family Income:
During a 40-year full-time working life, the median earnings of bachelor’s degree recipients are 65% higher than the median earnings of high school graduates.
SOURCE: Education Pays 2013, College Board
 

In March 2016, the unemployment rate for those 25 years and older with a bachelor's degree or more was 2.8%, for those with some college, 5.0%, and for those with a high school diploma, 5.4%.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, March 15, 2016
 

Deciding your major plays a bigger role in determining what you will earn than deciding to go to college. The difference between the lifetime wages of college and high school graduates is $1 million; the difference between the highest and lowest paying majors is $3.4 million.
SOURCE: Center on Education and the Workforce (Georgetown University), May 7, 2015
 
​

Career Selection

What you make depends on what you take. Your field of study means more than your level of degree.
​

Career Selection: 
“Don’t ask kids what they want to be when they grow up but what problems do they want to solve. This changes the conversation from who do I want to work for, to what do I need to learn to be able to do that.” – Jaime Casap, Google Global Education Evangelist
 
The fastest growing career projected over the next decade (2014-2024) is Nurse Practitioner (36%).
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics and Department of Labor, December 2015
 

For 11 of the 15 fastest growing occupations, some level of postsecondary education is typically required for entry.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics and Department of Labor, December 2015
 

Exploring your career options and declaring a major before attending college has a positive effect on persistence. Meaning you’ll graduate from the college you decide to attend.
SOURCE: Marvin Titus, The Journal of Higher Education, March/April 2006
 

The top quarter earners who majored in humanities or the liberal arts make more than the bottom quarter of engineering majors.
 
Only 22 percent of graduates with degrees in science and math actually get jobs in those fields and utilize their training.
SOURCE: Value of College Majors (Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce)

Career Thoughts from Generation Z:
75% believe that “having a degree is essential to having a career” (p101)

 
“Nearly half expect to become their own bosses during their careers.” So they need to learn how to be an effective entrepreneur. Gen Z wants to solve problems. 40% plan to invent something that will “change the world” (p103)
 
“Intrapersonal learning is the one most preferred by Gen Z. They are comfortable with and like being able to learn independently and at their own pace. … They have what it takes to stay on track to monitor their own progress.” (p178)
SOURCE: Generation Z Goes to College by Corey Seemiller and Meghan Grace, 2016
 

Cost of Attendance (Debt)

Increased Borrowing:
NOTE: In 2013-14, total annual education borrowing declined for the third consecutive year. Overall, students borrowed 13% less in 2013-14 than in 2010-11.
 
Total loans declined as a percentage of all student aid plus non-federal loans from 47% in 2010-11 to 43% in 2013-14. This percentage was 51% in 2003-04 and 55% in 2007-08.
​

Average Cost:
Average published tuition and fees for in‐state students in the public four‐year sector increased by $230 (2.4% before adjusting for inflation), from $9,420 in 2015-16 to $9,650 in 2016-17. Average total tuition and fee and room and board charges are $20,090.
 
SELECTION MATTERS: Published 2016-17 in-state tuition and fees at public four-year institutions range from $5,060 in Wyoming to $15,650 in New Hampshire.
 
Average published out-of-state tuition and fees at public four-year institutions rose by $830 (3.6%), from $24,070 in 2016-17to $24,930 in 2016-17. Average total charges are $35,370.
 
Average published tuition and fees at private nonprofit four-year institutions rose by $1,150 (3.6%), from $32,330 in 2016-17 to $33,480 in 2016-17. Average total charges are $45,370.
SOURCE: 2016 Trends for College Pricing (College Board)

Increase in Excessive Student Debt:
“It is clear that (Generation Z) do not see themselves as unplanned, likely because they appear to understand the reality of making sure everything is in order for their college experience so they do not stay longer than they need or pay more than they should” 
SOURCE: Generation Z Goes to College by Corey Seemiller and Meghan Grace, 2016, p12

For the Class of 2015, “Almost 71% of bachelor’s degree recipients will graduate with a student loan, compared with less than half two decades ago and about 64% 10 years ago.” The average student loan debt is $35,000.
SOURCE: Jeffrey Sparshott, Wall Street Journal, May 8, 2015
 

With more than $1.3 trillion in outstanding student debt, 69% of college graduates in 2014 had and average student loan debt of $28,950.
SOURCE: Project on Student Debt, The Institute for College Access and Success
 

Seven in 10 seniors (68%) who graduated from public and nonprofit colleges in 2015 had student loan debt, with an average of $30,100 per borrower. This represents a 4% increase from the average debt of 2014 graduates.
SOURCE: Project on Student Debt, The Institute for College Access and Success
 

Members of the class of 2016 who borrowed to finance their degrees will leave college with a record level of debt: $37,173 per student on average, according to calculations from student loan expert Mark Kantrowitz. That represents a 6 percent increase from last year, when students left school with an average of $35,051. The calculation is a projection based on federal student-loan data and other factors.
SOURCE: CBS News MoneyWatch, May 4, 2016
 

About seven in 10 seniors set to graduate this spring borrowed for their educations. Along with their diplomas, they’ll carry an average $37,172 of student debt as they enter the workforce, according to a new analysis by higher-education expert Mark Kantrowitz.
SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, May 2, 2016
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  • Welcome
  • Process
    • Step 1: Career Planning
    • Step 2: College Planning >
      • College Ranking
      • College Types >
        • Unique Types of Colleges
      • Campus Visits >
        • Tips for Campus Visits
      • Essay Support
      • Test Preparation & Tutoring
    • Step 3: Financial Planning >
      • Award Letter Process
      • Borrowed Future (Dave Ramsey)
      • Net Price Calculators
      • Paying for College
      • Possible Tuition Discounts
  • Resources
    • Essential Books for Students
    • Social Media and College
  • HC Blog
    • Career & College Blogs
    • Your Calling on Campus
    • A Prayer For You
  • About HC
    • Services >
      • Personal Consulting
      • Organizational Consulting
      • Speaking Engagements
  • Contact