Enrollment Exodus
Many public and private institutions of higher education in Illinois have seen student numbers continue to drop over the last decade. Contributing factors include the state's ongoing financial instability, a shrinking population overall, and increased competition from other Midwestern colleges and universities offering lucrative financial aid packages.
We are unpacking the effect of Illinois students leaving the state for college and what these schools are trying to do to buck the trend. Enrollment Exodus is a week-long collaborative reporting effort by public radio stations across the state.
Special thanks to contributing stations: Illinois Newsroom, NPR Illinois, Tri-States Public Radio, WBEZ, WGLT, WNIJ and WSIU.
Latest Episodes
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Isabel Campbell was standing in a long line of freshmen waiting to move into the new dorms on the University of Illinois at Chicago campus last month... -
As part of our statewide “Enrollment Exodus” collaboration, WNIJ’s Peter Medlin spoke with Tri States Public Radio News Director Rich Egger. They talked... -
A four-year degree is not the only option for students when they finish high school. But many choose community college in an effort to join the workforce… -
When Francisco Gamino arrived at Parkland College four years ago, he didn’t know how to balance work and find the time he needed to study. -
International students, especially those from China, play a crucial role in funding the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. -
Illinois State University had another great recruiting year, with a 1.2% increase in total enrollment and the largest freshman class in 33 years . It's... -
What happens when universities see enrollment plunge year after year? For many Illinois schools, they focus on how to hold on to the students already... -
Illinois colleges and universities have been under pressure for years from smaller graduating classes, out-of-state competition and changing... -
Tammy Yates was excited to come to Macomb seven years ago. Yates and her partner Chad Hunziker opened Chubby's , a restaurant on West Adams Street, just...
