Part 2/12:
The enrollment cliff is driven primarily by declining birth rates since 2000, with a particularly sharp dip post-2008. As a result, the number of individuals between 18 and 22 years old—who traditionally make up college and university student bodies—is expected to shrink significantly. Nick pointed out that the demographic effects of this decline will become especially noticeable around 2026, which marks 18 years after the 2008 birth rate slump.
This natural decline in potential students predicts a drop of as much as 10–15% in college enrollment by 2030, with the possibility of even sharper decreases afterward. Such a reduction in the college-age population will have uneven effects across the higher education sector.