Top private (and public) universities added relatively few undergraduate seats since 1980, while applications multiplied, helped by the Common App and students applying to many more schools. Admission rates at the most selective schools dropped from roughly 15–30% in 1980 to 3–6% today. Flagship public universities grew somewhat more but have also become far more selective (especially in California).
There has been a decline in total student population since ~2010 when the echo-boom millennials mostly finished school, but that has been impacting the "lower quality" or smaller schools more.
There has been a decline in total student population since ~2010 when the echo-boom millennials mostly finished school, but that has been impacting the "lower quality" or smaller schools more.