The senior year of high school is bombarded with a myriad of higher education choices after graduation. Ivy League schools, public universities, private colleges and even community colleges are vying to enroll students. The wait for college life also brings the surprising revelation of increased tuition rates for most parents. Historically, factors that influence rising enrollment rates include supply and demand, overstrategy, exorbitant spending, and decreased state and government spending. Too often, families and/or students are faced with the difficult choice of obtaining loans to finance an education. Colleges across the United States are in a fierce competitive race to attract the brightest students and top-tier faculty. Earning “higher” positions attracts more applicants and, in turn, provides more revenue for campus spending. Public and private universities use marketing techniques as strategies to increase enrollment. Families want to send their children to the “best” colleges and are often attracted to excellent professors, advanced research facilities, updated housing facilities, and top-tier athletic facilities. College enrollment is increasing in 1961, 18% of high school graduates went to college, in 1981 it was 53.9%, and in 2001 it was 61.7%” (Nathan 148). “With long lines of high-quality applicants crowding their doors, leading institutions have chosen to maintain and increase quality largely by spending more, not by increasing efficiency, reducing costs, or reallocating funds.” (Sanchez). The burden of filling the university deficit has fallen on parents and the students themselves. This comes at an undesirable time when families are not economically... middle of paper... Damn, Part III - Three Reasons Why Tuition Is Going Up." Washington Post. August 28, 2013. Web. http ://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/08/28/the-tuition-is-toodamn-highpart-iii-the-tre-reasons-tuition-is-rising Nathan, Rebekah My Year of freshman. New York, NY: Penguin Group, 2005. Print.Yeagle Phillip L. “Tuition Increases at Public Universities: Who's Responsible? ." Huffington Post. December 2, 2012. Web. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-philip-l-yeagle/public-universities tuition_b_2234314.html Night, Jason. "College tuition has increased 500% since 1985 " MSN Money. August 27, 2013. Web. http://money.msn.com/now/post--college-tuition-jumps-500percent-since-1985Sanchez, Claudio. "How the Cost of College Went from Affordable to Sky-Hig." NPR.18 March 2014. Web. http://www.npr.org/2014/03/18/290868013/how-the-cost-of-college-went-from-affordable-to- to the stars