In this paper, we present updated research using the most recent data to delve deeper into trends among first-time undergraduates at four-year institutions, including:
- The regional variation in the population of U.S. high school graduates from 2019 to 2029.
- Application, enrollment, and inquiry trends broken down by institutional sector, size, and region.
- The overlap between changes in demographics and the above-mentioned college-search trends, revealing that there’s more shaping enrollment outcomes than the number of prospective students in any given region.
- Particularly dramatic changes in students' willingness to travel.
- The shifting timeline of when prospective students are active in their college search.
Taken together, this report provides a multi-dimensional look at the primary forces EAB has found to be currently shaping enrollment.