Some are there because of the recession and others despite it. Regardless, more young Americans than ever are in college, especially community college, according to a new report.
A record high of about 11.5 million Americans ages 18 to 24, or nearly 40 percent, attended college in October 2008, according to a study of census data released Thursday by the Pew Research Center. Virtually the entire increase of 300,000 students over the previous year came at two-year schools.
Community colleges almost certainly saw attendance go up at least that much again this year, although final figures aren’t available. The American Association of Community Colleges reports growth rates of 10 percent or more have been common this fall on many campuses.
Overall college attendance has been going up for about 30 years; what’s new is the sharp uptick at community colleges, driven in large part by recessionary bargain hunting and closer ties between two- and four-year colleges that give students more confidence that they’ll be able to transfer.
“It’s not just middle-aged people coming back to school and very poor people anymore,” said Mike Grace, 24, a student at Wake Technical Community College in Raleigh, N.C., who plans to transfer to North Carolina State. “I’m seeing what I would consider to be relatively rich kids coming to school.”
The relative economic advantages of at least starting a degree at a community college have widened as prices at four-year colleges have shot up. Average tuition and fees at public two-year colleges ran $2,372 this year, according to the College Board, compared with $7,020 at public four-year colleges.
