Colleges Cap Enrollment Amid Budget Budget Cuts - TERENCE CHEA, Associated Press

College applicants are facing one of the toughest years ever to gain admission to the nation's public colleges and universities as schools grapple with deep budget cuts and record numbers of applications. As cash-poor state governments slash budgets, colleges are capping or cutting enrollment despite a surge in applications from high school seniors, community college students and unemployed workers returning to school. The increased competition means more students will be turned away, forced to attend pricier private institutions or shut out of college altogether.