FOR THE PRESS

Quotes about Knocking 

“Our projections indicate that the nation can look forward to significant changes in the size of the pool of high school graduates, with the number of graduates dropping from 3.4 million in 2010-11 to between 3.2 and 3.3 million in 2013, before beginning to rise again in 2020.”

–Brian Prescott, WICHE Director of Policy Research

“The change in the number of graduates will vary considerably by region and state. A few states will buck the national trend and continue to see increases in graduates. These states will face ongoing pressure to accommodate all the students who want to attend college. Other states will see substantial decreases and may struggle to maintain the infrastructure they’ve built over the years.”

–Brian Prescott, WICHE Director of Policy Research

“Our high school graduating classes are rapidly growing more diverse. By 2019-20 45 percent of the nation’s public high school graduates are projected to be non-White, up by more than 7 percent over the class of 2009. This trend is driven by the rapid increase in the number of Hispanics completing high school, corresponding to a nearly equivalent decline in the number of White non-Hispanics. At the same time, the number of Asians/Pacific Island­ers graduating from high school is projected to rise rapidly, offsetting Black non-Hispanic numbers, which are expected to drop.”

–Brian Prescott, WICHE Director of Policy Research

“These national trends are reflected in almost every state, though the pace at which minority popula­tions are gaining or losing shares varies. In most states the number of high school graduates of His­panic descent is projected to increase, as is the number of Asian/Pacific Islander grads. Only a handful of states can expect to see growth in the number of White non-Hispanic graduates. And about half the states will see decreases among Black non-Hispanic graduates.”

–Brian Prescott, WICHE Director of Policy Research

“By 2019-20 high school graduat­ing classes in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, and Nevada are projected to reach ‘majority-minori­ty’ status, graduating more minorities than Whites, joining California, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Texas.

–Brian Prescott, WICHE Director of Policy Research

“The drop in high school graduate numbers and the increase in student diversity will define the ‘new normal’ for our colleges and universities—and will require those of us working in higher education to change the way we do business. Institutions will no longer be able to rely on growth in the number of traditional-aged students to boost funding. At the same time, the changing demographics of our high school graduating classes will mean greater demand for a college education from students we traditionally have not served well.”

–David Longanecker, presi­dent of WICHE

“The extent to which these projections vary across states is a big part of the story. Many states will see much more rapid changes in both the size and the composition of their graduating classes than others will. Understanding these differences is essential to informed decision making.”

–David Longanecker, presi­dent of WICHE

“Higher education must commit to finding innovative, cost-effective ways to prepare those students to succeed in our 21st century global economy.”

–David Longanecker, presi­dent of WICHE

“Knocking at the College Door is a valuable resource for projecting the future landscape of postsec­ondary education. In light of the changing student demographics projected by this report, it is critical that our K-12 and postsecondary education systems work collab­oratively to address gaps in education preparation and attainment.”

–Jon Whitmore, CEO of ACT

“The projections detailed in Knocking at the College Door underscore the critical importance of ensur­ing that all of our nation’s students—particularly traditionally underserved minority students—graduate from high school with the skills and knowledge to succeed in college. Together with our partners in K-12 and higher education, we are committed to delivering opportunities for all students to experience.”

–David Coleman, president of the College Board