The US birthrate collapse is creating serious headwinds for colleges. With fewer teenagers and young adults entering the traditional college-age bracket, campuses now face a genuine demographic cliff—enrollment could plummet as the population of 18-22 year-olds continues shrinking. This isn't just an education sector problem. Population decline ripples through entire economic systems: fewer young workers, shifting consumer patterns, altered capital flows. For macro investors and those tracking long-term market cycles, demographic shifts like this reshape asset demand and alter the playing field across multiple industries.