This shift does not signal a rejection of higher education. Instead, it reflects a demand for choice, clarity and relevance as young people are drawn to careers that evolve alongside innovation.
If Iowa's 15 community colleges are allowed to start offering four-year bachelor's degrees —as Republican lawmakers have said is necessary and likely to happen—some of Iowa's 27 private colleges and universities will shutter.
A newly formed nonprofit is considering a small, place-based college in Ashland to preserve Northland College's legacy after it closed last year. The model reflects a growing national shift toward microcolleges that emphasize community, local ecology and close-knit learning.
Higher education faces major disruption, with 20% to 25% of colleges likely to close as community colleges and regional universities move more online, Brandeis President Arthur Levine said.
Using a mix of regional and national data, the report found Idaho Launch was responsible for a 5% increase in Idaho's go-on rate in 2024 and an 11% increase in the share of Idaho students who remained in-state for postsecondary education.
