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.
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Media Mentions
Featured Media Mention | July 27, 2026
The Number of High School Grads in Colorado is Shrinking. Can Colleges Weather Enrollment Drops?
An article from The Colorado Sun discusses what strategies Colorado insitutions are utilizing while facing a declining student pool. WICHE Commissioner JB Holston (CO) and Director of Evidence and Strategic Initiatives, Policy Analysis and Research, Colleen Falkenstern, are quoted....
12 Reasons Some Colleges are Closing Their Doors
An article from The Queen Zone cites high school graduation data from WICHE’s Knocking at the College Door: Projections of High School Graduates in its discussion of multiple factors influencing college closures. View original source here.
May 11, 2026
Graduation by the Numbers
An article from The Oakdale Leader cites demographic data from WICHE’s Knocking at the College Door: Projections of High School Graduates while discussing notable figures regarding high school graduation in the United States. View the original source here.
May 08, 2026
Higher Education at a Crossroads: Fiscal Considerations for States
A report from the National Conference of State Legislators cites data fromWICHE’s Knocking at the College Door: Projections of High School Graduates while discussing the impacts of shifting demographies, policy issues, and state economic landscapes on funding higher education at the...
May 07, 2026