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Watch the Webcast Recording of the 11th Edition Knocking at the College Door Release
For many years, demographers have warned that the number of high school graduates would peak then decline, adding new pressure to postsecondary enrollments facing the proverbial “cliff.” As predicted, the United States next year will reach its highest peak ever for high school graduates and then enter a period of slow and steady decline, according to the 11th edition of Knocking at the College Door, which was released December 11, 2024. Read the press release.
Related Topics in Higher Education
Media Mentions
Featured Media Mention | November 02, 2026
As courting students gets tougher, colleges vie to make the admissions process friendlier
An article from The Hechinger Report explores how colleges and universities are making their admissions processes more welcoming and accessible as competition for prospective students increases. The article cites WICHE projections that the number of high school graduates nationwide...
During time of uncertainty, Maryville College boasts increase in enrollment
An article from the Greeneville Sun reports that Maryville College’s enrollment increased 4.1% for the 2026–27 academic year, alongside gains in retention and graduation rates. It references WICHE projections that Tennessee’s high school graduate population will grow 15% between...
October 18, 2026
Billionaires Aren’t Saving Colleges. They’re Picking The Winners.
An opinion article by Dr. Jason Wingard, originally published by Forbes and republished by Yahoo Finance, examines how major philanthropic gifts are increasingly concentrated in select universities rather than spread across institutions facing financial distress. It cites WICHE’s projection...
October 15, 2026
Why Colleges are Struggling with Student Retention in Higher Education
A blog from Instructure discusses colleges’ student-retention challenges and strategies for keeping students enrolled as incoming class sizes shrink. It cites WICHE’s 2024 Knocking at the College Door projections of a 13% decline in U.S. high school graduates from...
October 08, 2026