Declining enrollment affects all sectors of higher education, but most notably, private colleges. Often, they are more expensive than public institutions and technical colleges. Public universities rely on government funding, while private colleges rely on tuition and endowments. Most funding for private colleges comes in the form of need-based aid, which averages less than $10,000 per student. With the conversation surrounding affordability of higher education nationally, private colleges in Wisconsin are taking a closer look at how to recruit students. With the abrupt closure of Cardinal Stritch this past May, they are also looking at their own finances and areas of concern.
