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.
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.
Inside Higher Ed.
March 23, 2023 Pre-College Outreach, Research
Almost two-thirds of people who have never enrolled in higher education cite emotional stress as a critical deterrent. Stress ranked fourth among the most commonly cited reasons, after cost, inflation, and work conflicts. Researchers suggest colleges should start advertising the on-campus mental health resources they provide students to win over individuals who identify stress as an obstacle to attending college.
Inside Higher Ed
December 05, 2022 Pre-College Outreach, Enrollment Management Trends
Eleven law schools have announced they will not continue to participate in U.S. News & World Report institutional rankings. Thus far, undergraduate institutions have not followed suit, and U.S. News does not plan to abandon its rankings system.
The Chronicle of Higher Education
March 28, 2022 Pre-College Outreach, Value and Affordability
Last year, $3.75B in federal Pell Grants were left unclaimed by high school graduates who failed to complete a FAFSA. States are now requiring students to complete a FAFSA in order to graduate. It is imperative that students take advantage of unclaimed financial aid, especially as the COVID pandemic has impacted both college enrollment and FAFSA completion.
Higher Ed. Dive
February 24, 2022 Pre-College Outreach, Student Success
According to a report by ACT, nearly half of the high school graduating class of 2021 reported disruptions in college preparation activities. The pandemic most significantly affected students’ campus visits and college fair attendance. Low-income students, and those who are Hispanic/Latino and Asian were more likely to report disruptions.
Higher Ed. Dive
January 04, 2022 Pre-College Outreach, Admissions
Highly personalized methods for enrolling students are expensive and difficult for institutions to scale. Virtual outreach tools like social media and online campus tours are particularly effective. Institutions need to employ a dynamic model for determining enrollment. They should be the ones to choose how many variables to include in the model as they pinpoint student enrollment patterns. Predictive models will help even if the pandemic has upended the traditional factors for forecasting enrollment.