The Chronicle of Higher Education
January 13, 2021 Enrollment Management Trends, Student Success
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, colleges were already dreading a “great enrollment crash”. The pandemic then induced a 13% decline in first-time undergraduate enrollment, lying outside any projection model. Institutions of higher education must use lessons learned from 2020 and develop innovative enrollment strategies to survive the approaching demographic reversal of 2026.
Inside Higher Ed.
December 16, 2020 Student Success
A poll released by Gallup and the Lumina Foundation, a nonprofit advocate organization for equity in postsecondary education, found that about three-quarters of students rated the quality of their education to be “excellent” or “very good” despite disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Chronicle of Higher Education
December 10, 2020 Student Success, Value and Affordability
This year, 21.7% fewer high school graduates enrolled directly into college compared to 2019 as reported by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. The reflects a huge year-to-year change, and when comparing students from different socioeconomic backgrounds, it becomes clear that the pandemic has hit low-income students, especially those from urban high schools, the hardest.
The Chronicle of Higher Education
December 02, 2020 Student Success, Value and Affordability
In previous years, the federal government verified around 30% of all FAFSA applicants for each enrollment cycle; however this year the U.S. Education Department announced it reduced the percentage to 18%. The verification process is widely seen as a barrier for low income students to gain access to government grants, scholarships, and loans that would offset the financial burden of attending college.
The Chronicle of Higher Education
December 03, 2020 Student Success, Value and Affordability
The College Scorecard is a website designed to give prospective students and their families information about how much debt students at individual institutions incur, and how much they would earn in certain fields after graduation. At nearly 130 four-year institutions awarding bachelor’s degrees, the median amount parents borrowed was $50,000 or higher. The data reflect the loans parents received through the PLUS program on behalf of undergraduate students who earned their degrees in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 academic years.
Education Dive
November 09, 2020 Student Success
The National Bureau of Economic Research reviews eight programs that aid students on their college journey to graduation. The report examines methods to help programs scale, both in terms of their methodology and operational finances.
Education Dive
November 07, 2020 Enrollment Management Trends, Student Success, Value and Affordability
Joe Biden’s anticipated win for presidential office will not be official until the Electoral College vote in December, but his promises for higher education are included and explained in this article. Some of those promises include expanding free college, undoing Trump-era initiatives such as changing immigration policies and oversight of Title IX, and investing more into minority-serving institutions.
Education Dive
August 26, 2020 Enrollment Management Trends, Research, Student Success
The American College Health Association (ACHA) has offered recommendations relating to vulnerable campus populations and the disproportionate impact the pandemic has had on people of color. The ACHA encourages universities and colleges to remain mindful of the social and racial biases that may appear in college branded messaging, as well as the impact the pandemic may have on those with disabilities.
Education Dive
June 12, 2020 Student Success, Value and Affordability
FAFSA renewals are down from last year through mid-April, with an increase in administrative financial aid award appeals. Pandemic-related financial concerns can prevent students from re-enrolling in fall 2020.
NPR
May 05, 2020 Enrollment Management Trends, Student Success
With all of the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, students and parents want to know what the college experience will look like in the fall. Although there is not yet a definite answer, college operations will likely look different. Options institutions are exploring include a fully remote/virtual experience, instituting a delayed start to the semester, offering hybrid courses or shortened course blocks, allowing only first-year students on campus, or allowing all students back to campus with changes in operations.