INDIANOLA, Iowa — Enrollment numbers look good for Simpson College , but there is concern for all higher education as demographics are changing.
A recent study cited a possible nationwide drop-off in the number of students going to college. It’s referred to as “the cliff,” in terms of dropping numbers. The cause in less births in the great recession of 2007 and 2008.
A study by the Iowa Department of Education shows less students going on to college after high school. The study says in part:
“57.7 percent of Class of 2023 Iowa public high school graduates enrolled in postsecondary education in the fall immediately following high school graduation. This is a decrease of 0.6 percentage points from the Class of 2022’s enrollment rate of 58.3 percent.”
At Simpson the incoming freshmen class was up 11% to 423 students. The undergraduate enrollment was up 9% to a total of 1,200 students. The reason is that Simpson has created new scholarships, along with traditional student aid, to make it possible for more students to attend.