LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,

BUREAU OF EDUCATION, Washington, February 21, 1922.

SIR: In compiling the regular statistics of the institutions of higher learning in the United States the Bureau of Education lists the number of students at the higher institutions in each State. The increase in the number of students in each State has often been interpreted as an evidence of the growing proportion of its residents who attend colleges and universities. Nevertheless, from time to time, it has been pointed out that a ranking of States according to this method is not a dependable index of the proportion of the citizens of a State who are enrolled at higher institutions. In 1887-88, and again in 1896-97, Mr. L. A. Kalbach, now chief clerk of the Bureau of Education, made studies concerning the residence of college students only. For some time it has been apparent that a similar investigation should be undertaken. Accordingly, I have asked Dr. George F. Zook, chief of the division of higher education, to make a study of this subject. The results of this investigation, covering the year 1920-21, are herewith transmitted with my recommendation that they be published as a bulletin of the Bureau of Education.

THE RESIDENCE OF STUDENTS IN UNIVERSITIES

AND COLLEGES.

INTRODUCTION.

The statistical tables in this bulletin are intended to be a comprehensive investigation of the residence of university and college students during the year 1920-21, In this connection it was deemed to be of some interest to republish some of the most significant statistics from the investigation into the residence of college students, which Mr. L. A. Kalbach made for the year 1896-97.

This study of the residence of university and college students reveals conclusively for the first time that the proportion of students to population is greatest in the States west of the Mississippi River, and lowest, as would be expected on account of the large Negro population, in the Southern States. In other words, although the larger and more famous institutions are usually found east of the Mississippi River and north of the Ohio River, they do not draw as large proportions of their population into colleges and universities as do the Western States.

Another interesting fact is that the well-developed middle Western and far Western States exceed the other States in the proportion of their students that are taken care of in their own institutions. The average for all the States is 74.9 per cent. In other words, taking the country as a whole, three students out of every four go to college or university in their home State.

Notwithstanding the fact that some of the Eastern States do not have a high proportion of their students in their own institutions, they have great drawing power on students from other States. The States which are conspicuous in drawing more students to their institutions than they have students in college anywhere in the country are Oregon, California, Colorado, New York, Illinois, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The States which are not taking care of as many students as reside in those States respectively are Idaho, Montana, South Dakota, Wyoming, Connecticut, North Dakota, Oklahoma, New Jersey, Maine, West Virginia, South Carolina, Mississippi, North Carolina, Arkansas, Kentucky, Alabama, Florida, Texas.

Not the least interesting side of these statistics has been a fairly accurate estimate, for the first time, of students from foreign countries and the American possessions. The number of students from foreign countries in universities and colleges in 1920-21 was 6,901; from American possessions, 1,456; total, 8,357.

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