US College History Timeline

1636

Harvard University was the first college in the United States when it was established in 1636 by the Great and General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Nearly 140 years before the American Revolution, its establishment signaled the start of formal higher education in North America (Eng,2024).

1638

The earliest figure was Rev. John Harvard, whose 1638 donation of books and money to the new college in Massachusetts led to the creation of Harvard University. Other regional colleges were established that educated ministers, lawyers, and statesmen as a result of Harvard's example as the colonies grew (Eng,2024). Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and other early leaders suggested establishing a more formal and cohesive system of publicly funded schools shortly after the American Revolution. 

1830s

The idea of free public education did not start to gain traction on a larger scale until the 1830s, even though some Northeastern communities had already established publicly funded or free schools by the late 1780s (CEP,2020). 

1932

Veterans of World War I had a difficult transition back to civilian life. Eventually, around 20,000 veterans, known as Bonus Marchers, marched on the Capitol in Washington, D.C. in 1932 during the Great Depression to demand their bonus money. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was committed to improving the lives of World War II veterans. Harry W. Colmery suggested making benefits available to all World War II veterans, regardless of gender. His suggestion was incorporated into the GI Bill's first draft. World War II servicemen and women had numerous options and benefits thanks to the GI Bill. In addition to receiving a cost of living stipend, those who wanted to continue their education in college or trade school could do so for free up to $500. In the year 1947, veterans made up 49% of college admissions. (History,2025)

1980s to the 2000s

Higher education, however, became more commercialized between the 1980s and the 2000s due to rising tuition, student loan debt, and an increased focus on competition and institutional rankings (CollegeBoard,2025). 

1988

The WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) Act requires employers with 100 or more employees to provide at least 60 days' advance written notice in advance of planned closings and mass layoffs of employees. The WARN Act of 1988 is a U.S. labor law that protects employees, their families, and communities.(U.S. Department of Labor)

When a decision to close an institution has been made, or when involuntary closure of the institution is imminent, the institution’s governing board must fully inform all affected constituents as early as possible. The institution must promptly notify the Commission and develop a Closure Plan, as well as make provision for student completion of programs and the securing of student records. The Closure Plan should include the institution’s teach-out plan and applicable teach-out agreements in accordance with the Commission’s Policy on Teach-Out Plans and Agreements.

2010s

It is critical to look at the race and gender demographics of college enrollment. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (US Department of Education, 2024), more doctoral degrees have been conferred on women than men in America every year since 2011.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, in 2018, the female-male gap in college enrollment rates was 7 percentage points for ages 18-24 overall, 6 percentage points for those who were White, and 9 percentage points for those who were Hispanic. Among those who were Black, the college enrollment rate was higher for females than for males in most years since 2000, except in 2007, 2012, 2015, and 2016, when the rates were not measurably different. In 2018, the female-male gap in college enrollment rates for those who were Black was 8 percentage points.

Online learning and massive open online courses brought about digital disruption in the 2010s, and colleges were under increasing pressure to show their worth and career outcomes. Between 2013–14 and 2023–24, the total amount of federal grant aid fell by 23% ($13.5 billion) in inflation-adjusted dollars. Veterans' benefits decreased by 24% ($3.7 billion) and Pell grants decreased by 24% ($9.8 billion). The total amount spent on Pell Grants peaked in 2010–11 at $49.9 billion (in 2023 dollars), and then fell by 37% to $31.4 billion in 2023–2024. (CollegeBoard,2025)

According to the Report to the Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor, through the United States Government Accountability Office, it was previously reported that the Department of Education discharged about $1.1 billion of loans for over 80,000 borrowers enrolled in colleges that closed from 2010 through 2020. However, the Department of Education has expressed concern that many borrowers are unaware of their eligibility for a closed school discharge because of insufficient outreach and information about available relief.

The 2016 regulations took effect in October 2018, some borrowers are eligible to have their loans automatically discharged by the Department of Education without filing an application. These borrowers are eligible if they were enrolled at a college that closed on or after November 1, 2013 and before July 1, 2020 and if they did not continue their education by reenrolling in another Title IV-eligible college within 3 years of the school closure. 

2020s

Nearly 46,000 students have been impacted by the closure or announcement of at least 64 colleges since March 2020, the majority of which are small, private liberal arts institutions. This comes after almost 900 colleges closed during the previous ten years. The National Student Clearinghouse reports that between 2012 and 2019, college enrollment nationwide decreased by over 10%, primarily as a result of a four percent decline in the birthrate between 1990 and 2001. Given that the birthrate fell even more precipitously after the Great Recession in 2008, this demographic trend will only get worse.  The COVID pandemic of 2020 prevented young people who were at very low risk from attending school for a year or longer, another factor influencing enrollment. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, over 1.2 million students simply vanished from college campuses between March 2020 and August 2022. (Fain,2022)

As of July 2020, the Department of Education and its loan servicers are solely responsible for providing students with information about their potential eligibility for a closed school discharge as a result of recently issued regulations rescinding a prior requirement that closing colleges also provide this information to students.