The Law School Admission Council recently reported that applications were heading toward a 30-year low, reflecting, as a "New York Times" article put it, "increased concern over soaring tuition, crushing student debt, and diminishing prospects of lucrative employment upon graduation." Since 2004 the number of law-school…

By most accounts, the position of German studies in the American academy is no longer secure. To a large extent, that is due to reasons beyond the control of individual faculty or departments, including the general crisis faced by the humanities and the diminished importance in the eyes of the public of literary criticism, a vital part of the…

The author shares the story of La-Keya Williams, a junior at Spelman College who has found a donor willing to help her out for the funds she needed to continue her education. Shortly after classes ended last summer, Ms. Williams realized she would have a hard time coming up with the roughly $36,000 needed to pay for her junior year. She took a…

It is too early to predict enrollment numbers for international students in the United States this fall, but universities in Asia are already seeing big declines among South Koreans studying abroad. The value of South Korea's currency has dropped sharply in recent months, almost doubling the cost of living abroad for South Korean students and…

Not long ago Japanese campuses were Spartan affairs with few frills American students take for granted. But times have changed. College enrollments are plummeting as Japan's supply of youngsters dries up and universities prepare for a profound shakeout that could see more than a quarter of all campuses closing in the next few years. Now, Japanese…

The number of foreign students admitted to graduate schools at American colleges and universities grew in 2008 for the fourth straight year, but the rate of increase over the previous year declined for the third consecutive year, according to survey results released by the Council of Graduate Schools. Based on previous years' data, this year's…

This article reports that the nation's economic crisis is bringing colleges higher borrowing costs, smaller endowments, tighter budgets, and fears over the availability of loans for their students. Yet one of the most critical factors in colleges' health--student enrollment--appears to be largely holding strong, at least for now. Tuition and fees…

Australia has been stunningly successful in its ability to recruit foreign students. An estimated 250,000 of them study at Australia's 39 universities and their offshore programs. That's an estimated 6 percent of the world market. This article reports that even as Australia has gained admiration overseas for its recruiting successes, university…

This article reports on the increase of Middle Eastern students in universities in Australia and New Zealand because of difficulties in getting visas for the United States and Britain. Difficulties in securing visas, combined with more aggressive recruiting by higher-education institutions in New Zealand and Australia, have led a growing number of…

Certain higher-education institutions are at risk in 2007 and beyond, according to Moody's Investors Service, which gauges colleges' financial health. They include small private colleges with limited geographic draw, colleges with ambitious spending plans to improve their national reputations, and regional public universities that face heavy…

Describes reasons for a shortage in pharmacy students, including increasing demand for the services of pharmacists, a longer degree program, a strong economy, and poor working conditions. (EV)

The recent announcement that Randolph-Macon Woman's College will admit male students has triggered yet another round in the continuing debate over women's colleges. At Randolph-Macon itself, the news was met with the usual mix of public displays: As students and alumnae protested with signs reading "Coed is a four-letter word," administrators and…

Graduate enrollments in mathematics are holding steady only because of an influx of foreign students, many of whom leave the United States after getting their degrees. This has led to classroom language problems and overemphasis on securing bright students and faculty from other countries. (MSE)

Asserts that state colleges, squeezed between research universities and community colleges, are falling even further behind due to pressure from legislators and growing competition from distance education and for-profit institutions. Discusses various issues in their decline and attempted makeovers, including faculty, "mission creep," declining…

Describes how, for online Master's of Business Administration programs, enrollments are low and business deals are falling through. Despite initial hype, expectations are now lower in the face of economic uncertainty; programs partnering with businesses and school-run programs both face challenges. (EV)