Spring enrollment rose modestly to 18.6 million students, up about 1% from the prior year, led by undergraduate growth at public institutions, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. Community colleges added 3% and public four-year institutions increased 1.5%, while private four-year and graduate schools were essentially flat to down. The data point to rising interest in undergraduate certificate programs (+10.2%) and continued declines in graduate international enrollment (-4.3%), with the sharpest drops at public four-year universities. The report also highlights uneven field momentum: healthcare programs powered growth while computer and information sciences showed steep declines—an indication that program mix and student demand are reshaping institutional enrollment planning.