Enrollment Trends During the Great Recession:
What Can We Learn?

Historical trends have shown that recessions and economic downturns often lead many individuals to enroll in postsecondary education. Unfortunately, as of February, the U.S. has officially entered another recession due to the ongoing ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic. To help our clients have some context as they make plans relevant to the current economic situation, we provide an overview of some of the key trends in higher education enrollment during the “Great Recession” (2007-2009).