Fewer high school grads attending college right away

Jennifer Knight

Friday, Aug. 9, 2002 | 9:18 a.m.

University system analysts are at a loss to explain why the number of Nevada high school graduates opting to attend the state's colleges has reached a three-year low -- particularly at a time when more college aid is available and enrollment is up overall.

"It's hard to come up with a solution ... I don't have any explanation for this," said Jane Nichols, chancellor of the University and Community College System of Nevada.

A three-year snapshot shows that in fall of 2001, only 43.8 percent of the state's graduating high school seniors enrolled in one of Nevada's six institutions. In 2000, the number was 45.9 percent. In 1999, the figure was 44.4 percent.

Those numbers are from a July report from the state system.

The decline in the amount of first-time students enrolling in college belies other statistics that show enrollment is up overall. Over the last three years total enrollment has steadily increased throughout the state -- by 2 percent in 1999, by 3.1 percent in 2000 and by 6.5 percent in 2001.

Officials are investigating if more first-time high school graduates are leaving the state; if they are choosing to delay college; or if they are skipping it altogether.

There does not appear to be a big exodus from the state, according to university system figures. In 1998 about 14 percent of degree-seeking high school students attended college out of state. That number went down slightly in 2000 to 13.8 percent. There were no statistics available for 1999 or 2001.

Nichols suggested that more students are deciding to delay attending college.

The number of students who decided to put off using their Millennium Scholarships may be an indication of this trend, Nichols said.

In 2001, about 58 percent of students who were eligible for a Millennium Scholarship took advantage of it, indicating that many have either delayed their education or made other choices, Nichols said. Figures for 2000 were not available.

And, at least at Southern Nevada institutions, overall enrollment increases could be a result of more nontraditional students enrolling.

Nontraditional students are generally either older than the average group, re-entering college or taking part-time courses.

Increasing numbers of transfer students and out-of-state students could also play a role. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, for example, has had a big increase in the number of students who transferred into the university from another institution. And the percentage of out-of-state students coming to UNLV rose as resident enrollment declined.

Ray Alden, UNLV provost, agrees that while nontraditional students are often inclined to return to college in economically difficult times, high school graduates may be putting it off.

"Quite frankly, times are tough in higher education throughout the country, so it may be more of a disincentive for students to go right out of high school and come to college," Alden said.

Nichols said she should have a full report to the Board of Regents during its meeting next Thursday and Friday to offer some explanation about the college continuation figures.