The Chronicle of Higher Education
April 05, 2023 Enrollment Management Trends, Student Success
As colleges’ diversity efforts face possible bans in some states, lawmakers in others are doing the opposite: They’re aiming to affirm these programs through legislation. Proposals this year in Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey present a striking contrast to what’s happening in other states, where lawmakers have debated defunding diversity efforts, prohibiting diversity training, and banning critical race theory, among other restrictions. At least 29 bills have been introduced in 17 states so far that would affect diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
Higher Ed. Dive
April 03, 2023 Admissions, Enrollment Management Trends
International applicants seeking admission to colleges in the U.S. increased by 63% over a nearly decade-long period via the Common Application. A similar increase was also noticed in domestic applications using the online portal. The largest number of applications came from China, followed by India for the 2021-22 academic year. A staggering 94% of applicants from Singapore used the Common App to apply to colleges
Higher Ed. Dive
March 30, 2023 Admissions, Enrollment Management Trends
Just 43% of applicants submitted entrance exam scores to Common App member institutions for the 2022-23 academic year, compared to nearly 75% pre-pandemic. These trends follow a number of colleges that switched to test-optional policies. More than 1,800 colleges did not require test scores for the Fall 2023 admissions cycle, according to FairTest. The proportion of applicants sending test scores varied by student sex and socio-economic status.
Higher Ed. Dive
March 28, 2023 Admissions, Enrollment Management Trends, Research
A Supreme Court decision challenging race-conscious admissions policies is expected toward the end of June. Pundits predict the high court will limit race-conscious admissions, which would directly impact a small proportion of colleges. Researchers found the most effective way of bolstering diversity at selective colleges was to consider race in the admissions process.
University Business
March 09, 2023 Admissions, Enrollment Management Trends
About 833,000 fewer students enrolled in public schools in fall 2021 than had been predicted, with the most surprising drops occurring in middle school, according to a report released by WICHE, the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. A consecutive decline in U.S. birth rates, the impact of COVID-19, and ongoing educational inequities make it difficult to determine the primary driving force behind changes in public school populations. Falling enrollment could be a result of students shifting to homeschooling and private schools. Ramifications of this can impact college enrollment trends starting in 2025.
The Chronicle of Higher Education
February 14, 2023 Admissions, Enrollment Management Trends
Of the roughly 2,600 colleges and universities analyzed by the Chronicle, more than 45 percent witnessed a drop by 10 percent or more in the enrollment of first-time, degree seeking students.
Public institutions generally had the most trouble recovering the following year, especially at the community college level. On the other hand, doctoral-granting and special-focus two-year intuitions were the most likely to recoup their losses in 2021.
Higher Ed. Dive
February 07, 2023 Admissions, Enrollment Management Trends
The COVID-19 pandemic limited students’ access to the testing centers where the SAT or ACT was administered, prompting many higher education institutions to make entrance exam score submission optional. In January, the Division I Council, one of the NCAA’s governing bodies, voted to end standardized testing requirements for athletes at the association’s annual meeting. Division II representatives followed suit, while Division III institutions set their own eligibility standards. Supporters of test-optional admissions argue that the tests position underprivileged applicants who cannot afford extensive tutoring at a disadvantage compared to wealthier peers.
Higher Ed. Dive
February 02, 2023 Admissions, Enrollment Management Trends
Undergraduate enrollment decreased only 0.6% in the fall 2022, the smallest drop since the pandemic, according to National Student Clearinghouse Research Center data. Conversely, graduate student enrollment began to decline after two years of constant growth during the pandemic. Enrollment trends varied by region, with a notable decline in undergraduate enrollments in the Midwest and Northeast, while graduate enrollments rose by 1.3% in the Northeast. Across institution types, four-year for-profits saw the most significant increase in first-year student enrollment in fall 2022, at 6.9%, followed by community colleges, which saw a 6.1% increase.
The Chronicle of Higher Education
January 25, 2023 Admissions, Enrollment Management Trends
As student applicant numbers from China plummeted by nearly 25% from the pandemic, two of the leading countries for international applicants are currently coming from West Africa. Nigeria and Ghana seem to be only behind China and India – the leading source of international students for decades now, suggests the latest data from Common App. Lack of capacity in local universities is driving African students to study abroad, and as of 2023, applicants from Nigeria and Ghana have at least tripled and quadrupled, respectively, from the 2019-20 admission cycle.
Higher Ed. Dive
January 12, 2023 Enrollment Management Trends, Research
Recent research found that universities underuse the data that is available to them, often because of poor communication among departments. Research institutions have access to both academic administrative and research data sets but often lack a centralized repository for all of the information. Investing in the systems and people required to derive the most value possible from data can support transparent governance, promote equal opportunity among employees and students, and save universities money in the long run.