This Week In College Viability (TWICV) Sep 21, 2026
In this week’s podcast, I focus on what I see as the larger problem facing higher education: we spend too much time trying to fix individual colleges—the trees—without paying enough attention to what the forest is telling us.
There may simply be too many colleges chasing too few students and too little net tuition revenue. Not every college can grow enrollment, launch the same new programs, or discount its way to financial stability. I argue that we need to start asking harder questions about how much higher education capacity the market actually needs and which institutions have sustainable models, which need different operating structures, which should consolidate, and which may no longer be viable as independent organizations.
I also look at new student survey data showing how strongly financial aid and career outcomes influence college decisions, and I challenge enrollment announcements that celebrate growth without providing the broader context of graduation rates, financial health, and actual student outcomes.
There may simply be too many colleges chasing too few students and too little net tuition revenue. Not every college can grow enrollment, launch the same new programs, or discount its way to financial stability. I argue that we need to start asking harder questions about how much higher education capacity the market actually needs and which institutions have sustainable models, which need different operating structures, which should consolidate, and which may no longer be viable as independent organizations.
I also look at new student survey data showing how strongly financial aid and career outcomes influence college decisions, and I challenge enrollment announcements that celebrate growth without providing the broader context of graduation rates, financial health, and actual student outcomes.
I also examine what I see as several examples of the gap between higher education marketing and financial reality, including Southeastern Louisiana University’s enrollment growth alongside low four-year graduation rates, increased financial aid and discounting at the University of New Hampshire, and the financial implications of the growing movement toward three-year bachelor’s degrees.
I question whether accreditors are doing enough to warn students and families about financially troubled or poor-performing institutions and discuss concerns about enrollment growth at colleges with weak outcomes.
My conclusion is that higher education cannot indefinitely fight market forces. Until the number and capacity of colleges become better aligned with the number of students willing and able to pay for college, financial pressure will continue. That makes independent due diligence increasingly important, particularly for students and families who need to understand a college’s financial health, graduation outcomes, academic strength, and long-term viability before making their decision.
Show notes and links:
MyCollegeViabilty.com
MyCollegeDecisionLens
2026 College Majors Completion app
New Ellucian Survey Finds 56% of College Students Are Employed Full-Time, 89% Would Change Schools for More Scholarship Aid
Southeastern Louisiana University increases enrollment in fall semester
NH’s Changing College Landscape
UNH increases financial aid, awarding record $40 million to incoming class
The Accreditation Fight Over Who Controls Higher Education
Are Low-Quality Colleges Making A Comeback?
I question whether accreditors are doing enough to warn students and families about financially troubled or poor-performing institutions and discuss concerns about enrollment growth at colleges with weak outcomes.
My conclusion is that higher education cannot indefinitely fight market forces. Until the number and capacity of colleges become better aligned with the number of students willing and able to pay for college, financial pressure will continue. That makes independent due diligence increasingly important, particularly for students and families who need to understand a college’s financial health, graduation outcomes, academic strength, and long-term viability before making their decision.
Show notes and links:
MyCollegeViabilty.com
MyCollegeDecisionLens
2026 College Majors Completion app
New Ellucian Survey Finds 56% of College Students Are Employed Full-Time, 89% Would Change Schools for More Scholarship Aid
Southeastern Louisiana University increases enrollment in fall semester
NH’s Changing College Landscape
UNH increases financial aid, awarding record $40 million to incoming class
The Accreditation Fight Over Who Controls Higher Education
Are Low-Quality Colleges Making A Comeback?