Author: Dr. Carrie Ponikvar
Did you know: A recent study found that more than 1 in 3 enrolled students claimed to have considered stopping out of their degree or credential program within the last 6 months.
Explore 4 of the top factors affecting college and university enrollment – and a few solutions aimed at overcoming them:
Top 4 Enrollment Challenges
1. The 2025 Enrollment Cliff
As we approach the much-anticipated year of 2025, the higher education landscape is bracing for what has been termed the “enrollment cliff.” This phenomenon refers to the anticipated decline in the number of traditional college-aged students in the United States by more than 15%, which is expected to pose severe challenges to educational institutions at all levels.
However, some states will feel more pressure than others. For example, not only are the Midwestern and Northeastern US. States losing population the fastest, they are also witnessing an increasing number of college-age students attend out-of-state institutions for their warmer climates.
2. Student Well-Being and Lack of Engagement
“Feelings of support, respect and belonging are closely tied to students’ assessment of the quality of their program. Students who say their program quality is excellent or very good are about twice as likely to agree that they feel like they belong and are supported and respected by faculty.”
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Factors such as mental health and a decline in in-person social interactions among young people are also contributing to a shift in attitudes towards traditional higher education. In fact, among students who are considering stopping out, 64% claim emotional stress or mental health concerns are significant reasons.
Additionally, students who frequently considered leaving university without completing their degree (i.e. dropping out) had a significantly lower sense of belonging than students who did not.
3. Rising Costs of Higher Education
An increasing number of prospective students have expressed their growing concerns about the value of higher ed. From the increased cost of tuition, to the increased cost of living, the financial strain associated with affording college is making it progressively more challenging for prospective students (and their families!) to pursue traditional post-secondary education.
In fact, a recent study showed that nearly three-quarters of stopped-out college students said that cost was highly important to their decision to stay enrolled/enroll at their institution, compared with about two-thirds of currently enrolled college students.
4. Alternative Paths and Considerations
A growing number of students have also begun exploring alternative, more cost-effective paths to further their education, causing a visible decrease in college enrollment rates.
Many are opting for vocational and skills development qualifications or seeking practical training and industry-ready skills, as a way to enter the workforce sooner, while still maintaining that feeling of preparedness.
How to Increase College Enrollment
While these challenges may seem daunting, many higher ed leaders are finding success overcoming the enrollment decline by turning to more innovative strategies to attract new students, reach current students, and ultimately improve retention.
1. Improving Communication for Every Campus Audience
Campus leaders can improve yield and retention by moving away from oversaturated email and implementing more effective communication channels to easily address common concerns, easing anxiety, or providing effective support to encourage more students to enroll and succeed to the very end.
The importance of parent & family support can be seen in a recent study, which found that enrolled students ranked “Encouragement and support from family and friends” as the most important factor when it came to enrolling or remaining enrolled at their chosen institution.
An updated communication strategy can also help the enrollment decline by more effectively conveying the value of higher education to prospective students, admitted students, and their families – a campus audience that’s often overlooked.
Did you know: 95% of families who activated Saint Louis University, Madrid accounts on Raftr had students who enrolled?
Lastly, an updated communication strategy can help improve retention & engagement by allowing students to easily connect with their peers, campus admins, and their community as a whole, to foster a deeper sense of belonging.
2. Fostering Belonging to Improve Experiences
According to a recent study, “university students’ sense of belonging is of high importance…as it increases students’ academic motivation and enjoyment in their studies, which can impact on student achievement and reduces the likelihood of students considering leaving university before completing their studies, thus contributing to student retention.”
In order to ensure more students are developing this sense of belonging, an increasing number of admins are scrapping the one-size-fits-all model of student engagement for more personalized and tailored approaches.
Did you know: UNC Charlotte’s University Transitions Opportunity Program achieved an impressive 98% Raftr adoption rate, and had 12% more underrepresented students graduate within 6 years than those who did not participate in the program?
3. Leveraging Data to Automate Processes & Save Staff Time
In today’s higher ed landscape, having access to campus community & student data is crucial. Firstly, it allows admins to save time by quickly identifying at-risk students (or those who might simply need a nudge!), and easily pointing them in the right direction.
This type of information also allows admins to save time by automating communication, tailoring support services, enhancing engagement, and improving student success & retention initiatives on campus – when paired with an intuitive campus experience platform.
And as student expectations continue to shift and increasingly align with the hyper-personalized models of Netflix or Amazon, it is crucial that campus leaders adapt their communication, engagement and retention strategies to meet these evolving expectations, and remain competitive.
Did you know: After just one admissions cycle with Raftr, North Carolina A&T reported that its messaging was more targeted, more on-point, and more productive than any they’ve produced in the past.
Additionally, this data allowed admins at N.C. A&T to develop a far more robust understanding of who among its admittees actually intended to enroll, allowing admins to incorporate what they learned into new metrics and methodologies for increasing yield.
Final Thoughts
It’s clear that the challenges facing today’s colleges and universities require innovative solutions. By prioritizing the improvement of communication, fostering a sense of belonging to enrich experiences for all audiences, and leveraging data to adjust strategies and automate processes, higher education leaders can proactively address the enrollment decline.
As we look to the future, it’s essential for higher ed leaders to recognize the power of these approaches in not only addressing enrollment challenges but also in creating a more inclusive and successful educational experience for all campus community members.
About the Author:
Dr. Carrie Ponikvar • LinkedIn
Dr. Carrie Ponikvar is an award winning thought leader and former Community and Residential Education Executive Director and Adjunct Faculty in the Department of Higher Ed at the University of Denver.
Today, she is a strategic ed tech leader with 20 years of firsthand experience in higher ed, inclusion & equity education, and community strategy. She has a proven history of leading and developing high-functioning teams that are deeply committed to building equitable and inclusive communities.