The American higher education sector is one of the largest and most dynamic in the world. That expansion derived from a formative period that commenced in the late 1800s and extended into the early portion of the 20th century. While enrollment growth has been the case throughout the 20th century, the formative years, particularly the era of 1890 through 1940, gave structure to what is now the modern form of higher education. In this essay, I will discuss three causes of the increase in enrollment change in academic structure as revealed by the rise of research universities, increased access to education, and shifting economics of higher education.
The formative period of higher education in America, notably the first years since 1890, was by and large marked by the flourishing of the American research university and the emergence of the public university as a frontrunner in terms of educational quality. Colleges increasingly took on more of a thrust as research institutions, the creation and diffusion of specialized knowledge as part of their curricula, and this, in turn, increased the role of the instructor as a creator and distributor of knowledge. The lecture mode of teaching became the dominant mode, and knowledge ways that were scientific for practically oriented courses conquered the world of knowledge (Goldin & Katz, 1999). In the structure of knowledge, the steps of what was known and how one knew it were affected seriously. The higher education institutions saw a great impact on enrollment in the research universities. Research universities were at the center of the intellectual and knowledge exchange centers, creating vibrant educational ecosystems that attracted scholars and students. The second major factor causing the rise in enrollment in American institutions of higher education was related to access to education, in part due to shifts in the demographic makeup of the country.
America was changing with its movement to urbanization and modernization in the early 20th century; thus, more people thought of ways to get a higher education. Public universities expanded their capacity, and private institutions were more developed, which created a more diversified educational picture. The demand from the part of minority and working-class youth had grown. In this period, the youth from these groups constituted a large part of the enrollment growth that marked the early 20th century. The Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890 gave financial support to the existing and new states to endow universities and colleges. The 1862 Act particularly gave money to states that were of agricultural and mechanical arts specifics. The Act of 1890 included income to the institutions established by the first act and set up many of today’s historically black universities. This notably characterized institutions such as the historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) that emerged during this period across America’s deep South, where the play of key education access for blacks and other minorities played significantly at the time (Goldin & Katz, 1999). As a result, public universities and colleges, and especially HBCUs, experienced phenomenal growth that is reflected by the huge enrollment.
The third major reason explaining the boom in enrollment in American higher education institutions is the changing economics of higher education. The funding turned into establishing publicly funded universities. With the advent of publicly funded universities, the preoccupation of policymakers on the access of citizens to higher education was more focused, and funds were funneled to state universities and colleges. The result was the growing proportion of college-aged students attending public universities—from about 20% before 1890 to almost two-thirds after 1940 (Goldin & Katz, 1999). Attendance to private universities in this period became increasingly out of reach for most of the population due to the costs associated with tuition. This shift from private to public universities joined with the New Deals introduction as critical points leading to public university expansion, with the federal government’s financial support and state government’s interest in funding colleges and universities. Public universities in the Northeast received relatively less of a share of state government funding for the period considered in this report, in comparison with other states.
In conclusion, by 1890-1940, the development and growth of American higher education institutions were on account of many things including the expansion of the research universities, the rise in accessibility to education, and the changing economics of higher education. It set up research universities having more emphasis on research and exchanging knowledge, hence the structure of knowledge and learning process is changed. Due to the increased demand for access to education from the minority and working-class youths, public universities and colleges, most especially the HBCUs, expanded. Secondly, the growing emphasis on access to education, from policymakers increased expenditure on public institutions hence making private universities less affordable to the majority of students. Today, higher education in America is the world’s best—a diverse academic landscape offering programs that address an extensive array of interests and needs. Though the cost of education may concern some people, financial aid, scholarships, and grants largely reduce the cost of education and thus improve access to higher education. Policymakers and institutions in the future must see to it that accessibility to higher education stays for those who need it and find private institutions looking for ways to stay competitive yet affordable. However, despite the challenges, American institutions of higher education remain a key factor of growth and development in the country, where the finest minds, scholars, researchers, and innovative breed.
Reference
Goldin, C., & Katz, L. F. (1999). The Shaping of Higher Education: The Formative Years in the United States, 1890 to 1940. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 13(1), 37–62. https://doi.org/10.1257/jep.13.1.37
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