It’s predicted that enrollment rates will come crashing down by the 2025/2026 school year. Will institutions be ready for it?
You’ve heard the news, right? Colleges and universities in the United States, particularly private institutions, need to start preparing for the “Great Enrollment Crash” coming in the 2025/2026 school year. The enrollment decline is forthcoming primarily due to a reduction in the overall number of college-aged youth (by up to 15 percent) due to a decline in birthrate statistics2. Add to that a myriad of other factors including the value of a college education coming into question, antiquated financial models, fat physical infrastructure, rising costs, alternative education models, and most recently, employers and the government entering the fray with a public service ad campaign communicating that a traditional college education may not be the best path3. The struggle is real.
Operating in the hyper-competitive industry of higher education is not easy without all of the real and forthcoming barriers mentioned above. Huge online mega-universities can dominate any market they choose by using sophisticated marketing tactics and significant marketing dollars. Without the right business intelligence and proactive recruiting tactics, it will be even more difficult for some colleges and universities to survive. With the repeal of some of the NACAC regulations preventing more aggressive recruiting practices, some colleges and universities will pounce on the opportunity to communicate to students at any point before a start date.