"Between concerns about international student enrollment and continued skepticism about the value of higher education, some institutions are struggling to fill seats. Unexpected melt has prompted some wealthy, highly selective institutions to pull students off the wait list last minute; for smaller institutions, enrollment declines are leading to layoffs and program cuts. But for a lucky share, fall 2025 has brought record freshman classes and soaring enrollment projections."
"No single through line characterizes this semester's successes. Many colleges report surging interest-and increased investment-in their health-related majors. Some are seeing significant growth from their online programs, while others point to the rising popularity of dual-enrollment programs, which allow high schoolers to take college courses. Others still are leaning into the adage that retention is the best enrollment strategy, boosting their overall numbers by ensuring that students come back year after year rather than by recruiting larger freshman classes."
Colleges faced mixed fall 2025 enrollment outcomes, with some institutions experiencing declines while others recorded large incoming classes. Factors driving increases included growth in health-related majors, expansion of online programs, and rising dual-enrollment participation for high school students. Some schools achieved gains by improving retention so more students returned year to year rather than recruiting larger freshman cohorts. Wealthy selective institutions sometimes filled unexpected vacancies by admitting waitlisted students, while smaller colleges responded to declining enrollment with layoffs and program cuts. The demographic cliff of falling high-school graduates is prompting diverse, innovative enrollment strategies.
Read at Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs
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