Off Campus

“College towns are now threatened by federal-funding cuts from the Trump administration, resulting in hiring freezes and layoffs at Ivy League and state schools alike. Administration efforts to cancel student visas might hurt state college budgets, since most international students pay higher, out-of-state tuition. Even worse, the number of students graduating from American high schools is expected to start falling next spring, after reaching a record high this year. In 2007, the number of U.S. births peaked at 4.3 million and has been falling almost every year since.” Long-term trends and short-term political strategies are creating a perfect storm that’s wiping out many American college towns, many of which are in areas that have suffered industry-related wipeouts in the past. WSJ: America’s College Towns Go From Boom to Bust.