A new survey of college presidents finds many are worried about their schools' future. 

The survey was conducted by the online publication Inside Higher Ed and it finds one in eight said their school could close or merge within five years.

This comes as colleges here in New England and the Midwest are facing a significant drop in the number of high school graduates, as well as increasingly price-conscious families.

The survey also finds more than half of college leaders agree that the 2016 election exposed that the academy is "disconnected from much of American society."

Last year, the Pew Research Center found 58 percent of Republicans believe colleges and universities negatively impact the country.

The survey comes after a year when school closings and mergers ticked upward.

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In the survey, leaders said most of the misunderstanding stemmed from the public's misunderstanding of college's cost, wealth and mission.

A majority of leaders also expressed confidence in their institutions ability to stay financially stable.

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