Why read this: Hampshire College, a small US school, will close in 2026. This short article uses Hampshire as an example of a much bigger problem: about 100 US colleges have closed since the pandemic, and hundreds more may follow. Students will learn three clear reasons why — too much debt, big cuts to tuition prices, and fewer young people of college age. The story matters for any reader who is thinking about university, because it shows that not all colleges are equally safe.
What to notice: Notice how the article moves from one college (Hampshire) to a wider trend, and then to three causes: debt, tuition discounts, and the demographic cliff. Watch the numbers — 100 closed, 442 at risk, 50 percent and 75 percent discounts, 70 percent dropping to 60 percent — and try to match each number to the cause it supports. Also notice the comparison between small regional colleges and big rich schools like Harvard: not every college is in danger.
Skills practised: Readers practise following a cause-and-effect text with several reasons. They also practise reading numbers inside sentences and linking each statistic to the right idea. New vocabulary covers higher-education and money topics — institutional debt, student loan debt, discount rate, federal aid, demographic cliff, and competitive edge. Comparing two groups (small colleges vs. big universities; students vs. towns) gives practice with B1-level compare-and-contrast thinking.
Why small US colleges are closing
Hampshire College will shut down in 2026. It may be a warning sign for many other small colleges in the United States.
Tap any green word in the article to see its meaning.
Higher education in the United States is in trouble. Last week, Hampshire College — a small private school in Massachusetts — said it will close after the fall 2026 semester. There are about 4,000 colleges in the country. Around 100 have closed since the Covid-19 pandemic, and many more may shut down in the next ten years.
Some experts ask if Hampshire is a for higher education. Big public universities and rich private schools like Harvard and Yale are still safe. But smaller face real danger. If they close, students in those areas may lose the chance to study at all.
Hampshire had been in trouble for more than six years, since before the pandemic. It was by loyal former students who gave money. But the college had fewer than 800 students at the end. It also had 21 million dollars in debt. Its endowment — its savings — was very small.
Debt is a key part of this story. Most people think of , the money students borrow to pay for college. But there is also — money the colleges themselves have borrowed. Paying back this debt takes a huge share of each year's budget, leaving less money to teach students.
Colleges also lose money in another way. To attract students, they cut the price of tuition. Almost no one pays the full price shown on the website. The average at US colleges is now more than 50 percent. At Hampshire, the discount was over 75 percent. Imagine a shop that gives back three quarters of the price of every item — it could not stay open for long.
Many colleges only survived this long because they got from the government during the pandemic. Without it, they would have closed sooner. A new study says 442 private colleges — about one in four — are now at risk. The next problem is the . After the 2008 financial crisis, fewer babies were born. Eighteen years later, in 2026, there are simply fewer young people who could go to college.
Even among the young people who do exist, fewer want to go. In 2016, about 70 percent of high school graduates went to college. Today it is just over 60 percent — a big drop. College costs too much, and many people doubt the value. To make money, some small colleges had recruited , who pay full price. But last year, visas for new international students fell by 36 percent.
What happens to students when their college closes? Often, nothing good. Half of them transfer to a new school, and half give up on a degree. The next college may not accept all their old classes as . When a college closes, the town suffers too. Many small colleges are in rural areas. They bring jobs, young people, and — money students spend on food, rent, and shops nearby.
America has long had a because of its educated workers. But fewer college graduates means a weaker future. Not everyone needs to go to college, but somebody does — and right now, fewer and fewer do.
Higher education in the United States is in trouble. Last week, Hampshire College — a small private school in Massachusetts — said it will close after the fall 2026 semester. There are about 4,000 colleges in the country. Around 100 have closed since the Covid-19 pandemic, and many more may shut down in the next ten years.
Some experts ask if Hampshire is a for higher education. Big public universities and rich private schools like Harvard and Yale are still safe. But smaller face real danger. If they close, students in those areas may lose the chance to study at all.
Hampshire had been in trouble for more than six years, since before the pandemic. It was by loyal former students who gave money. But the college had fewer than 800 students at the end. It also had 21 million dollars in debt. Its endowment — its savings — was very small.
Debt is a key part of this story. Most people think of , the money students borrow to pay for college. But there is also — money the colleges themselves have borrowed. Paying back this debt takes a huge share of each year's budget, leaving less money to teach students.
Colleges also lose money in another way. To attract students, they cut the price of tuition. Almost no one pays the full price shown on the website. The average at US colleges is now more than 50 percent. At Hampshire, the discount was over 75 percent. Imagine a shop that gives back three quarters of the price of every item — it could not stay open for long.
Many colleges only survived this long because they got from the government during the pandemic. Without it, they would have closed sooner. A new study says 442 private colleges — about one in four — are now at risk. The next problem is the . After the 2008 financial crisis, fewer babies were born. Eighteen years later, in 2026, there are simply fewer young people who could go to college.
Even among the young people who do exist, fewer want to go. In 2016, about 70 percent of high school graduates went to college. Today it is just over 60 percent — a big drop. College costs too much, and many people doubt the value. To make money, some small colleges had recruited , who pay full price. But last year, visas for new international students fell by 36 percent.
What happens to students when their college closes? Often, nothing good. Half of them transfer to a new school, and half give up on a degree. The next college may not accept all their old classes as . When a college closes, the town suffers too. Many small colleges are in rural areas. They bring jobs, young people, and — money students spend on food, rent, and shops nearby.
America has long had a because of its educated workers. But fewer college graduates means a weaker future. Not everyone needs to go to college, but somebody does — and right now, fewer and fewer do.
Questions
Check your understanding
- 01
What is the main difference between student loan debt and institutional debt?
- 02
Why does the article say 2026 is an important year for college enrollment?
- 03
Why does the article compare colleges to a shop that gives back 75 percent of every sale?
- 04
Explain why the article says small regional colleges are in more danger than big universities like Harvard or Yale.
Suggested length: ~70 words
- 05
Compare what happens to students and what happens to small towns when a college closes.
Suggested length: ~70 words
Questions
Check your understanding
- 01
What is the main difference between student loan debt and institutional debt?
- 02
Why does the article say 2026 is an important year for college enrollment?
- 03
Why does the article compare colleges to a shop that gives back 75 percent of every sale?
- 04
Explain why the article says small regional colleges are in more danger than big universities like Harvard or Yale.
Suggested length: ~70 words
- 05
Compare what happens to students and what happens to small towns when a college closes.
Suggested length: ~70 words