Report reflects UNC-system enrollment troubles

For years, smaller UNC system schools have been experiencing enrollment declines — and a recent report confirmed they are not alone. College admissions directors across the country are struggling to fill their freshman classes and meet annual enrollment goals. 

A report released Sept. 18 by Gallup and Inside Higher Ed found 61 percent of surveyed American colleges and universities failed to meet enrollment goals by May 1, while 47 percent said they were worried about satisfying admissions targets for the 2015-16 academic year.

Scott Jaschik, co-author of the report, said admissions directors aren’t meeting enrollment quotas because of changing student demographics.

“Historically, colleges have relied on well-prepared, recent high school graduates with some money, and there aren’t as many as there used to be,” Jaschik claims.

“You can be a student from a poor family, and spending any money on college is impossible,” he said.

Some of the UNC system’s smaller schools — including minority institutions like Elizabeth City State University — have experienced declining enrollment in the last few years, in part because many students they serve come from lower-income families.

Nationwide, student loan debt has jumped 84 percent since the start of the recession.

“There’s a national conversation about tuition charges, and students and parents can’t help but hear that,” said Paige Worsham, executive director of the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research.

Many students are obtaining degrees in nontraditional ways — and to broaden their applicant pool, colleges will have to accommodate these students.

UNC partners with nine community colleges in the state to provide a path to Chapel Hill for transfer students through the Carolina Student Transfer Excellence Program.

Worsham said programs like C-STEP are critical to achieving enrollment goals.

“When a student decides they want to transfer, communicating how quickly they can transfer to a four-year university will be very important,” she said.

Ashley Memory, UNC’s associate admissions director, said UNC is confident in its ability to admit students.

UNC aims to admit 3,990 students annually — admitting 3,974 applicants for the fall 2014 class and 3,946 students for 2013.

Memory said UNC has been able to maintain adequate enrollment numbers because it aggressively markets toward students.

“As we sit down to read applications, we don’t have a student in mind. All our students are smart, motivated, service oriented and courageous, but we understand that students travel different paths to get here,” she said.

But Jaschik said the report shows UNC’s competitive admissions aren’t normal.

“Most students don’t have a tough time getting into college,” he said. “If everyone reads about how difficult it is to get into UNC or Duke, some people won’t do it. Most people ... end up doing fine at somewhere else.”

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