The Shrinking Student Pool and Higher Education: An Example from Pennsylvania

Author: Robert N. Martin
Organization: Kutztown University

Grim Science Bldg.
Kutztown, PA 19530-0730
USA

Phone: 610-683-4365
Fax: 610-683-1352
martin@kutztown.edu

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is one of those states experiencing an aging population. The impact of this demographic change on higher education is increased competition for a shrinking pool of available students. This paper presents the results of a cartographic analysis of the market areas for the 14 universities that make up the Pennsylvania State system of higher education. The cartographic analyses used in this paper are contiguous cartograms based on enrollment patterns by county over the last 10 years.