Industry reporting and higher-education observers have dubbed the response a shelter-in-school effect, as people seek lower-cost, job-focused programs at nearby colleges instead of simply waiting out the turbulence. Higher Ed Dive summarizes those national shifts.

Americans are increasingly questioning whether college is worth the price, as student loan debt tops $1.6 trillion and the average tuition has doubled in the past 30 years. At the same time, new federal caps on how much parents can borrow for college could place higher education further out of reach for some families.

Programs offering “direct admissions”—without a formal application–are spreading. The trend could accelerate in the the wake of the Supreme Court decision killing affirmative action. More than half of students report that applying to college is the ...

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Quinn McDonald planned to spend the typical four years working toward a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. Then he heard about a place where he could get the same degree in three.