HIGHER ED DIVE
October 02, 2024 Pre-College Outreach, Admissions
Higher education institutions are continuously evaluating the benefits and drawbacks of test optional policies. At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, there was a drastic shift in over 2,000 institutions moving to test optional admissions practices. Proponents of test optional policies believe that SAT and ACT scores do not show the strengths of applicants but rather leads them to not apply to institutions that require these scores, ultimately impacting diversity in the applicant pool. Advocates of standardized tests believe that test scores indicate prospective students’ academic success and preparedness. Importantly, institutions that are currently test optional have reported no impact on student retention.
HIGHER ED DIVE
September 12, 2024 Pre-College Outreach, Admissions
The class of 2022 is enrolling in college within a year of their high school graduation. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, high and low minority high schools saw approximately a 1% increase in college enrollment compared to low-poverty high schools that experienced a 1.1% decrease. Statistics reveal that the high school class of 2021 had a higher persistence rate compared to the class of 2020. Improving persistence rates is identified as a factor that shows signs of high school student’s college enrollment.
The Washington Post
August 28, 2024 Admissions, Student Success
The Washington Post
August 07, 2024 Admissions, Enrollment Management Trends
The Education department recently announced starting October 1, they will launch the 2025-2026 FAFSA form in phases to assist in identifying and resolving system errors based on the feedback from a limited set of student users. This extra precaution is implemented to identify and fix the same technical glitches and bureaucratic delays experienced in the 2024-2025 form. Testing protocols will further ensure an easy navigation for users before the application is made available to all students on or before December 1. Congressional Republicans as well as the Interim President and Chief Executive of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators believe the form should not be launched in phases, but rather rolled out on the anticipated October 1 date that has been a norm since 2016.
Inside Higher Ed
August 05, 2024 Admissions, Enrollment Management Trends
Higher Education institutions are faced with immense financial pressure that is causing shifts in employment, budget allocations, academic programming, etc. Factors that contributed to this shift include rising operational costs and declining enrollment, which is connected to the issues faced with the newly implemented yet problematic FAFSA form. Specifically, eight higher education institutions were forced to adjust their regulatory operations this upcoming fiscal year.
HIGHER ED DIVE
July 31, 2024 Admissions
The U.S Department of Education has recently decided to not allow colleges to make corrections to the 2024-2025 FAFSA form. This unexpected change will burden college administrators and delay financial aid for college students. There has been a shift in focus regarding allocating resources for the redevelopment of the 2025-2026 FASFA, which is intended to be released on October 1. The House of Representatives Education Committee has subpoenaed the Education department to further assist with monitoring their dissemination of documents and communications.
HIGHER ED DIVE
July 22, 2024 Pre-College Outreach, Admissions
The competitive nature of student recruitment at higher education institutions is a contributing factor to the debate on increased tuition sticker prices. Sticker prices signify to college students (prospective and current) the quality of education rather than the cost of tuition and fees after deducting grants and scholarships. With institutions trying to reach a specific diverse threshold and academic student demographic, finding a balance between being marketable without devaluing the institution’s prestige is a necessity. Conducting an academic reset to properly signify a more accurate net price of tuition is a solution that some institutions are adopting.
HIGHER ED DIVE
July 10, 2024 Pre-College Outreach
The House Committee on Education and the Workforce recently advanced a bill that would require the U.S. Department of Education to release the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by October 1 each year. This bill was presented to resolve the effects of the delayed FAFSA release that caused postponement in college commitment deadlines, and extended time given for students to complete the FAFSA to qualify for state grant programs. The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) expressed concerns about the bill forcing a deadline that does not ensure the proper function of the FAFSA form. In response, an amendment was introduced to the bill that requires the Education Department to confirm a release on September 1. To further track the progress of the FAFSA release timeline, the education secretary would be required to testify before congress to provide updates on the form’s progress.
HIGHER ED DIVE
July 10, 2024 Pre-College Outreach, Enrollment Management Trends
From June 2023 to June 2024, high school students’ FAFSA completion rates have declined by 7.2% representing about 250,000 fewer completions. The decline in high school students’ FAFSA completion rates can be attributed to the delayed release date of and subsequent technical issues with the updated FAFSA form. To help remedy high school student FAFSA completion rates, summer support services were instituted to assist in the navigation process as well as the implementation of a bill that would require the Education Department to release the form each year by October 1.
PBS News Hour
June 25, 2024 Enrollment Management Trends, Research
Over the last 30 years, there has been a drastic decline in the college enrollment of young men, with greater disparities for men of color. A Pew Research study reveals that one million fewer men are enrolled in college compared to 2011. Men generally view college as compelling but are influenced by equally or more desirable options. In addition, the K-12 educational system shows that girls are outperforming boys which has a long-lasting impact on the college enrollment of men. With the higher education institutions implementation of programs that specifically target and support males’ college journey, there is hope for improvement in their enrollment.