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A recent study by the Pew Research Center notes a rise in college enrollment since 2005, citing the affordability of two-year community colleges as the reason behind the increase. The report states that in 2008 almost 40 percent of the nation’s 18 to 24-year olds were enrolled in college, an increase from 2005 which had recorded that 38.9 percent.

The report used data from the Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey.
 
Richard Fry, a senior research associate at the Pew center and writer of the report, gave some background on the statistics.

“We have anecdotally got this sense that there’s been this college enrollment boom,” Fry said.  “But now we’ve got confirmation, and we know that at least among young adults, the increase seems to be a two-year college phenomenon.”
 
Fry also attributed the increase to the record number of students who had finished high school, with the report citing that 84.9 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds had graduated in 2008, a one full percentage point increase from the previous year.

Fry added to the statistic, saying, “What’s behind this, is that we have the biggest pool of young adults we’ve ever had who’ve finished high school.”

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