Admissions

News Categories
Rutgers Today

Rutgers Today provides a daily stream of news from across Rutgers University, serving both internal and external audiences.

Fall 2025’s Unexpected Enrollment Successes

Inside HigherEd

September 10, 2025   Admissions, Enrollment Management Trends, Student Success

Despite anticipated enrollment challenges, many colleges and universities throughout the United States are celebrating record-breaking enrollment this fall. Driven by initiatives such as dual enrollment, a growing interest in health sciences, and access to online education, institutions across the nation are witnessing the impact of their investments in strategic enrollment initiatives. Institutions like the University of Minnesota Rochester are highlighted in their successful prioritization of initiatives aimed at enrolling and retaining their students beyond the first year. These results underscore the importance of institutions adapting to meet the needs, demographics, and expectations of the incoming generation of students.

Continue Reading

Dual Enrollment Leads to More College Acceptances, Greater Financial Award

Inside Higher Ed.

September 08, 2025   Admissions, Enrollment Management Trends

High school student dual enrollment —education programs where high school students participate in college-level courses for credit — has skyrocketed throughout the last decade. Increased enrollment has prompted researchers to analyze the impact of participating students on their post-secondary collegiate enrollment, transition, and success. A study of nearly 500,000 students by the Community College Research Center at Columbia University’s Teachers College found that not only were dual-enrolled students applying to college admitted at higher rates, but these students were also more likely to obtain merit financial aid. With nearly half of all public high schoolers enrolled in college courses, future research aims to determine how dual enrollment boosts students’ confidence and enrollment participation.

Continue Reading

U.S. Department of Education Releases Frequently Asked Questions on Dear Colleague Letter About Racial Preferencing

US Department of Education

March 01, 2025   Admissions, Enrollment Management Trends

The U.S. Department of Education recently released a FAQ resource regarding the Dear Colleague Letter sent February 14.

Continue Reading

The Coming Decline in High School Graduate Counts, in 5 Charts

HIGHER ED DIVE

January 27, 2025   Pre-College Outreach, Admissions, Enrollment Management Trends

The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) recently predicted high school graduates will peak between 3.8 million and 3.9 million. After 2025, the population is expected to decline in 2030 to 3.1% lower than 2023 levels and 10.5% lower in 2041. The estimated decline in graduates is largely determined by birth rate, how quickly students’ progress through high school and earn diplomas, migration and mortality patterns, and the college-going rate. Specifically, 38 states are expected to experience declines while 12 states and Washington, D.C., will actually see increases. Overall, the decline in high school graduation rates will cause national workforce challenges and shift the ethnic and racial makeup of high school graduates. Proactive solutions to manage the expected decline include improving the immediate college-going rate of high school graduates and the progression and retention of students who do enter college. 

Continue Reading

No, Colleges Haven’t Rushed Back to Requiring Standardized Tests

The Chronicle of Higher Education

January 10, 2025   Admissions, Enrollment Management Trends

The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic led many higher education institutions to adopt test-optional admission requirements. Recent federal data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) indicates that the vast majority of higher education institutions remain test-optional. The data also reveals additional changes in the admissions landscape, including a downward trend in yield rates, a move away from legacy admissions, and the ability to report where nonbinary students applied to college.

Continue Reading

Here are 6 promising higher ed predictions for 2025

University Business

January 02, 2025   Admissions, Enrollment Management Trends, Value and Affordability

Predictions regarding the state of higher education for the 2025 academic year are being closely assessed. Institutions are investing in digital tools to enhance online learning and lower costs compared to traditional on-campus learning. The growing demand for online degrees allows for increased revenue without the need to incorporate infrastructure costs. Another area of interest is the implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to assist with simplifying the transfer process and enhance pedagogical learning. Recently, Gen Z’s showed greater interest in blue collar jobs that provide them with an alternative career path. Also, students are more closely examining the return on investment (ROI) and the overall value of their education.

Continue Reading

High school graduates to peak in 2025, with slightly deeper-than-expected declines ahead

HIGHER ED DIVE

December 11, 2024   Pre-College Outreach, Admissions, Enrollment Management Trends

The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) stated there will be a greater decrease in high school graduates, projecting a 3.1% decline in 2030 and a 10.3% decline in 2041. The Covid-19 pandemic was identified as the main contributing factor to the decline in high school graduates. Currently, higher education institutions are being proactive in mitigating potential financial struggles caused by a decline in college enrollment. Solutions to help encourage high school students’ college attendance entails increasing high school advising, reducing college cost, simplifying the process for attending, and providing more support to college students. 

Continue Reading

Undergraduate enrollment rises 3% despite drop in first-year students, early data shows

HIGHER ED DIVE

October 23, 2024   Admissions, Enrollment Management Trends

There has been a 3% increase in fall 2024 undergraduate enrollment compared to fall 2023. This increase in enrollment can be driven by students who previously started their first year of college and/or completed dual enrollment in high school. Specifically, data has shown a 1.9 % increase in bachelor’s degree programs, 4.3% increase in associate degrees, and 7.3% increase in certificate seekers. On the other hand, enrollment amongst first-year students has declined by 5%, signifying potential cracks in the K-12 pipeline. The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center also discovered an increase in re-enrollment of students who previously left college without completing a degree or credential.

Continue Reading

Stress Testing the FAFSA

Inside Higher Ed

October 14, 2024   Admissions, Enrollment Management Trends

After facing challenges with the 2023-2024 FAFSA form, 680 students have successfully submitted the 2024-2025 application and reported a positive experience while navigating the phase 1 process.  The purpose of phase 1 was to help identify and resolve technical and usability issues to further restore users’ trust in the FAFSA form. Further reports indicated that families were able to complete the form in approximately 20 minutes with minimal errors and without any in-person assistance. On the other hand, some students noted challenges with not being able to get their FSA IDs. Higher education institutions are also anticipating the success of the new form to further diminish the possibility of further delays.

Continue Reading

How colleges can navigate a shifting test-optional landscape

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.

Continue Reading

1 2 3 11