Education in States and Nations: 1991
(ESN) Indicator 13: University enrollment
The size of university enrollment reflects the accessibility
of
university
education and the extent to which individuals believe that
education provides
necessary training for different occupations. A high rate of
university
enrollment in a country suggests that university education is
highly valued
and widely available. In other countries, enrollment rates may
be low if
admission to universities is restricted or if university
education is not
vital to employment and success in a large number of occupations.
This
indicator shows the percentage of persons from certain age
cohorts (18-21
years, 22-29 years, and 18-29 years) who are students enrolled
full-time or
part-time at public or private universities. The students may be
enrolled in
any type of university or four-year college (including
undergraduate and
graduate education).
- Among the twenty countries for which data were available in
1991, the
United States and Canada recorded the highest full-time
enrollment
rates for 18- to 21-year-olds (22.8 and 21.6 percent,
respectively).
Only one other nation (Spain) reported a full-time
enrollment rate
higher than 20 percent.
- In 1991, the U.S. states generally showed higher full-time
enrollment
rates among 18- to 21-year-olds than did the other
countries. Full-
time enrollment rates exceeded 20 percent in 36 states, but
exceeded
this percentage in only 2 other countries.
- Out of all the states and countries included, only
Delaware, Alaska,
and Australia reported a greater number of students in the
22- to 29-
year age group enrolled part-time than full-time. Unlike
some of the
nations included, every state showed dramatic decline in
full-time
university enrollment rates as students progressed into the
older age
group.
Table 12b 
Figure 13a
