Higher Education Trends in 2016

A business graduate of East Carolina University, Harry Smith formerly served as the CEO of the Flanders Corporation, an air-filtration company based in Washington, North Carolina. Outside of his professional life, Harry Smith spends time actively supporting higher education.

The higher education sector is evolving faster than ever before. Here are two of the trends that are shaping the field in 2016.

The student loan debt load in America is currently $1.2 trillion, and the growth rate shows no signs of slowing down in the near future. Students are taking out more loans than ever, with many of those loans coming from private lenders with less than optimal interest rates. There are potential legislative measures on the horizon to help ease that burden, but the even bigger trend is to improve financial education for college students so they can make wise decisions about borrowing. Students are also encouraged to look at alternatives, such as taking a “gap year,” in order to travel, pursue work, or find an internship in their chosen field of interest.

Distance learning has come to the forefront of higher education over the last 20 years, and efforts in that regard will continue to shape the college landscape. In fact, there is increased demand for more self-paced and on-demand classes, rather than those that fit the traditional academic calendar.