Enrollment
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Tennessee launches direct admissions pilot with student aid component
The initiative aims to ease the path to higher education by providing financial aid information along with automatic acceptance to participating colleges.
By Natalie Schwartz • July 23, 2025 -
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Moody’s: Trump’s tough international student policies could hit some colleges hard
Visa processing slowdowns and travel bans could mean lost revenue, tighter margins and financial stress.
By Ben Unglesbee • July 11, 2025 -
Explore the Trendline➔
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TrendlineInternational Students
A look at trends in international enrollment — and what the numbers mean for U.S. colleges and universities.
By Higher Ed Dive staff -
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3 charts that tell the story of spring 2025 enrollment
Recent data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center showed which cohorts are driving the sector's slow-moving recovery from the pandemic.
By Laura Spitalniak • July 7, 2025 -
Adobe / Xavier Lorenzo
Sponsored by Constant ContactBuilding a strong campus community: strategies for engagement and belonging
Learn how creating a strong campus community boosts enrollment, engagement and retention.
June 30, 2025 -
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Persistence and retention rates hit some of their highest levels in nearly a decade
Over 86% of first-year students returned to college in the spring, according to the latest data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.
By Ben Unglesbee • June 26, 2025 -
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Columbia College Chicago lays off 20 faculty members
The cuts come as the private nonprofit attempts to “invest in areas that correspond to strong student demand,” one official told the campus community.
By Ben Unglesbee • June 23, 2025 -
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Tennessee State raises tuition 6% amid budget stabilization effort
Even with the tuition hike, the public historically Black institution faces a nearly $39 million shortfall.
By Ben Unglesbee • June 16, 2025 -
Courtesy of Guilford College
North Carolina’s Guilford College scrambles for cash to keep its accreditation
Amid enrollment declines, the historically Quaker institution has until December to show its accreditor a balanced budget for the 2026 fiscal year.
By Ben Unglesbee • June 12, 2025 -
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Week in Review: Deep program cuts proposed at the Education Department
We’re rounding up last week’s news, from possible reductions to Pell Grants and other programs to the continued consolidation of colleges.
By Ben Unglesbee • June 9, 2025 -
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Spring enrollment rises 3.2%, with community colleges leading the way
Every type of higher ed institution and most U.S. states saw headcount gains, new data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center found.
By Ben Unglesbee • May 22, 2025 -
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Minnesota college leaders eye tuition hikes as costs rise and state funding flatlines
Most are weighing an increase of 8%, but one Minnesota State official said even that would not bridge the public system's anticipated budget gap.
By Ben Unglesbee • April 18, 2025 -
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Limestone University needs $6M to avoid shutdown or going online-only
The South Carolina nonprofit has been drawing down its endowment while it grapples with lower enrollment and higher costs.
By Ben Unglesbee • April 17, 2025 -
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Georgia Southern and East Georgia State merger gets green light from system board
The move, part of a nearly 15-year effort to streamline the University System of Georgia, would bring USG’s institution count to 25.
By Ben Unglesbee • April 17, 2025 -
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Talladega College lands $15M loan as it cleans up its finances
Less than a year ago, the Alabama historically Black college struggled to make its payroll. Now it’s on stronger footing after making cuts, leaders say.
By Ben Unglesbee • April 10, 2025 -
Courtesy of Sonoma State University
Sonoma State turnaround plan calls for boosting enrollment 20%
Following a slew of cuts earlier this year, the institution is now looking to make investments in programs and career pathways.
By Ben Unglesbee • April 8, 2025 -
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Sponsored by Mighty CitizenAvoid these 3 things to ensure accepted students choose you
Getting admitted students to enroll isn’t just about how tech-savvy you are—it’s about making them feel like they are ready to join your university’s community.
By Whitney Larimer • April 7, 2025 -
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University of New Orleans should rejoin LSU system, state board says
The public institution has been deteriorating financially since Hurricane Katrina hit the city two decades ago.
By Ben Unglesbee • March 28, 2025 -
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Deep Dive‘You can’t create 18-year-olds’: What can colleges do amid demographic upheaval?
Raising retention and attendance rates, and accommodating diverse student bodies, could take on new importance as the traditional-age pipeline weakens.
By Ben Unglesbee • March 27, 2025 -
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Gender gaps in certain STEM majors are widening — but not everywhere
Growing divides in physics and other fields at less selective colleges may be troubling for institutions hoping to graduate students into high-paying careers.
By Lilah Burke • March 19, 2025 -
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Sponsored by SSP InternationalDiversifying college admissions: Why test-optional is not as effective as we hoped
Data suggests test-blind policies remove higher education barriers for underrepresented students.
March 10, 2025 -
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Transfer enrollment ticked up 4.4% in the fall, report finds
Previously stopped-out students starting at new institutions made up a majority of transfers, the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center found.
By Ben Unglesbee • March 5, 2025 -
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Legacy admissions tumbled dramatically over past decade
The share of four-year institutions considering an applicant's family ties to an alum has dropped by half since 2015, Education Reform Now found.
By Ben Unglesbee • Feb. 10, 2025 -
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Accreditors brace for Trump’s promised higher ed shakeup
At Council for Higher Education Accreditation's annual conference, sector leaders shared the policy shifts they're expecting under the new administration.
By Ben Unglesbee , Natalie Schwartz • Jan. 31, 2025 -
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Texas A&M University to restrict undergrad enrollment growth following ‘massive’ increases
The public university wants to hold new undergraduate enrollment at its main campus to 15,000 a year so its infrastructure can catch up with recent growth.
By Ben Unglesbee • Jan. 27, 2025 -
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The coming decline in high school graduate counts, in 5 charts
A recent forecast dove deep into the demographics and number of future traditional-aged college prospects. The news wasn’t all bad.
By Ben Unglesbee • Jan. 27, 2025
