Admissions Trends to Watch: Past Challenges, Future Priorities
What does 2024 have in store for higher education? As institutions grapple with ongoing challenges and new obstacles in the year ahead, admissions leaders are reevaluating strategies, revamping processes, and reaffirming their commitment to their institution's efforts to broaden access to higher education.
From the emergence of generative AI to the Supreme Court's decision to overturn affirmative action, a multitude of changes impacted student recruitment and admittance in 2023, forcing schools to prioritize agility and adaptation..
But in 2024, it won't be enough to merely respond to change. Institutions need a proactive approach to drive innovation and reshape the future of higher education. It's a pivotal moment — are schools ready to embrace it?
3 Trends that Shaped Higher Education in 2023
The events of the past year raised major questions that struck at the very core of higher education: What is the value of a degree in today's economy? How do new technologies impact learning and instruction? How can institutions stay true to their mission and maintain their diversity and equity goals given new rules and regulations?
These questions reflect the myriad challenges and trends impacting admissions practices in 2023:
1) Declining confidence in higher education. While student enrollment grew in 2023, it has yet to recover to pre-pandemic levels. This lingering challenge underscores deeper skepticism among the public about the value of higher education. In response to rising tuition costs and changing workforce needs, more potential students are opting for alternatives to post-secondary education. In fact, only around one-third of Americans say they have "a great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in post-secondary education, while more than half say a four-year degree isn't worth the cost. Consequently, many schools are working to improve academic programs, expand course offerings, and revamp recruitment and marketing strategies to meet shifting student preferences and market demands.
2) Technology has opened new opportunities — and new challenges. Even with the return of in-person learning, remote courses and programs have remained widely available. While online learning programs continue to offer students greater flexibility and freedom, other technology innovations have proven more complicated, particularly generative AI. The emergence of ChatGPT, Bard, and other generative AI tools has raised new questions about academic integrity — and what, if anything, schools can do to prevent students from plagiarizing, cheating, and misusing AI tools in personal essays and application materials. While every question and concern about generative AI has yet to be fully answered, higher education leaders have begun to carve out strategies and best practices to guide the responsible use of AI technologies.
3) The end of affirmative action upended admissions There was no bigger disruption in 2023 than the Supreme Court's ruling overturning affirmative action policies in admissions processes. The decision has upended schools' admissions policies, recruitment strategies, and diversity goals In fact, a recent Acuity study found that 73% of admissions leaders believe the ban on affirmative action has a significant impact on student diversity. Months after the ruling, uncertainty remains about its legal implications and impacts on admissions policies.
These challenges won't go away with the new year. In fact, it's even more crucial for schools to develop long-term, sustainable solutions to address skepticism about higher education, concerns about technology, and potential changes to admissions practices.
3 Things Higher Education Leaders Need to Look Out for in 2024