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Report: Enrollment at Michigan public universities declines

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LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Figures show enrollment at Michigan’s public universities has declined for the seventh consecutive year.

MLive.com reports the collective headcount at the 15 institutions totaled 286,854 in the fall off 2018, down 3,884 or nearly 1.4 percent from the fall of 2017. Enrollment peaked in the fall 2011 at 301,919. It’s declined largely because of a shrinking number of college-age students in Michigan and nationwide.

The Michigan Association of State Universities ‘ 2018 enrollment report notes that freshman enrollment was a bright spot, with the schools having 41,452 first-time freshman in fall 2018, up 1.5 percent in fall 2017.

Currently, about 60 percent of Michigan students enroll in college the fall after they graduate high school. About 34 percent of Michigan adults age 25 to 34 have at least a bachelor’s degree.