SOUTH BEND — A new study finds the number of high school graduates nationwide will decline over the next decade. What experts call the “Baby Boom Echo" is ending, so there be fewer students overall. At the same time, the pool of high school graduates will be more diverse. Colleges are beginning to adjust to the changes.

It's a busy time of year at University of Notre Dame, as students decide whether they want to attend classes under the Golden Dome.

“We're emotionally tired, because we spent a great deal of time reviewing 14,000 of the applications,” said Daniel Saracino, Associate Provost for Enrollment at the university.

14,000 applicants for a projected class of 1985 students. For high school seniors, those numbers can mean a lot of pressure.

“I think each college name carries a certain prestige and you want to be better than everyone else to get in,” said Jack Dobmeier, from Buffalo, N.Y. “Even in high school, kids are competing, sometimes it gets intense.”

But a decline in the number of high school graduates over the next decade could reduce that pressure.

A recent study from the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education found the Northeast will see the largest decline at 6.1 percent, followed by the Midwest at 3 percent. The South and Midwest will see an increase in students, but not as many as the regions have had in the past decade. Indiana is projected to have an overall increase in students, while Michigan will see a decrease.

At the same time, the study found there will be more minority students. The number of Hispanics is expected to double. There will also be a lot more first generation students.

“They will need additional financial aid,” Saracino said. “They'll also need some additional support in navigating something that is alien to at least their family.”

While universities such as Notre Dame might be a little better able to weather the changes, officials at public universities such as IU-South Bend say the changing demographics could have a more significant impact.

“We do depend upon enrollment growth in many ways for our resources,” said Jeff Jones, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at IU-South Bend.

Jones said the university's new on-campus housing might help attract more students as the pool gets smaller.

“Ultimately competition is not a bad thing and it has certainly become more competitive in higher education today,” Jones said.

Administrators said universities will have to invest more for financial aid and support programs to meet the changing needs of students.