A survey of 134 higher education enrollment leaders conducted this July revealed mixed outcomes regarding institutional confidence in achieving enrollment targets for the upcoming fall semester. Overall, 61 percent of respondents indicated they anticipated reaching their enrollment goals. However, smaller colleges reported significantly lower confidence levels, with only 50 percent of institutions with fewer than 2,000 students expressing optimism about meeting enrollment objectives. Leaders at these smaller institutions also noted a decline in their confidence compared to earlier stages of the admissions cycle.
The survey identified three primary strategies institutions employed to secure their incoming classes: campus visits, faster and clearer financial aid packages, and parent engagement. Campus visits emerged as particularly critical for smaller colleges, with 92 percent of respondents from institutions under 2,000 students ranking it among their top recruitment tools. Conversely, only 22 percent of respondents cited increased financial aid discounting as an important strategy, and those who relied on this approach were less likely to achieve their enrollment targets. Notably, smaller institutions offered substantially higher discount rates than larger peers, with median freshman discounts of 63 percent at smaller institutions compared to 34 percent at those with over 5,000 students.
When asked to identify their most significant unsolved enrollment challenges, respondents provided varying responses. Thirty percent of institutions highlighted brand recognition and differentiation as their primary concern, with one respondent noting their competitors appeared to be “seemingly everyone.” Yield issues were cited by 25 percent of respondents, while 18 percent identified affordability as their main obstacle. Notably, affordability registered as a concern for 20 percent of small and midsized institutions but only 8 percent of institutions in the Northeast, where the competition for student attention appeared more acute than cost considerations.
The survey results presented complex implications regarding the relationship between discounting and enrollment success. Institutions expecting to meet targets reported slightly higher median freshman discounts than those anticipating shortfalls, though those projecting to exceed goals discounted less than those merely reaching their targets. Only 48 percent of institutions relying heavily on increased discounting achieved their deposit targets, compared to 67 percent of those who did not emphasize this strategy. Institutions that increased their marketing budgets showed higher likelihood of meeting enrollment goals than those maintaining or reducing such spending.
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