Policy Insights | Demography as Destiny

WICHE released a 10th edition of Knocking at the College Door in December 2020. Visit knocking.wiche.edu to get the updated report and data.

This policy brief summarized the main findings from WICHE’s 8th edition of Knocking at the College Door: Projections of High School Graduates, issued in 2012. The brief places changes in the size and racial/ethnic composition of our nation’s graduating classes in the context of the college completion agenda and the need for greater educational attainment. It also addresses how these demographic shifts, coupled with fiscal stress, are impacting the practice of enrollment management. It concludes by offering reflections on how policymakers and institutional leaders can respond to these challenges with policies and practices that align with society’s rising needs and expectations for higher education.