Institutional Growth
What the Anthology Bankruptcy Means for Your Student Information System Your SIS vendor just filed for bankruptcy. Now what? If your institution runs on Anthology’s PowerCampus — or any of its suite products — September 29, 2025 was a date that changed your technology roadmap whether you were ready for it
Institutional Growth
SRM vs. CRM: What Small Colleges Actually Need for Enrollment Management The higher education CRM market is projected to hit $3.2 billion by 2025 and grow at a 16.2% annual rate through 2035 — and a meaningful slice of that spending is going to the wrong category of tool
Student Success
It’s the first week of June. Your admissions team just closed out the best yield cycle in three years. You hit your enrollment target. Someone brought in donuts. The deposit deadline passed and the numbers looked solid — 340 confirmed students, housing assignments going out, orientation emails scheduled. Then August
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Introduction: The High Stakes of Student Management Changing Landscape for Small Colleges in 2026 Small colleges in 2026 face mounting disruptions: unpredictable shifts in enrollment, aggressive EdTech investment among peers, and fast-changing regulatory demands. These changes force institutions to adapt rapidly—operational agility and digital transformation are now mission-
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Why Are Financial Aid Applicants Falling Through the Cracks? When trade schools and community colleges invest resources in recruiting students, every unfinished financial aid application is an urgent warning sign. Institutions are seeing enrollment opportunities slip away—not because of demand, but because the financial aid process itself is confusing,
Student Success
Introduction: Why the First 45 Days Matter in Student Success Defining the Critical Early Period The opening weeks of a student’s journey at a trade or vocational school represent a pivotal turning point. Evidence shows that the initial 45 days often establish long-term academic habits and mindsets. During
Institutional Growth
Key demographic and economic drivers Fewer high school graduates, a growing skepticism about the return on investment for four-year degrees, and lingering pandemic aftershocks are converging to fuel the cliff. Gen Z is especially attuned to practical, skills-based education that leads directly to stable careers. In a climate
Student Success
Why Student Retention Matters for Small Colleges The Cost of Student Attrition The margin for error at small colleges and trade schools is thin. High attrition rates threaten institutional survival, especially in environments where every student matters: * Tuition and state funding form the backbone of most small college budgets—when
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The New Face of Trade School Attendance: Why Modernization Matters Enrollment and Industry Trends in 2025 and Beyond Trade school enrollment is undergoing historic expansion, with a projected 6.6% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) through the end of the decade. Fall 2023 alone saw program enrollments reach 5.5
Institutional Growth
This summer, the president of Ferrum College spent Saturdays knocking on doors in Roanoke, Virginia, leaving pamphlets and hoping to recruit students. She visited 35 homes in one afternoon—not guerrilla marketing, but desperation following the FAFSA debacle. When your institution’s leadership is literally door-knocking to fill seats,
Student Success
Vocational-focused two-year colleges reported nearly 20% enrollment growth since 2020, while small traditional colleges close weekly. The difference isn’t quality—it’s that students increasingly ask: “Will this get me a job?” 86% of bachelor’s degree graduates secure employment within six months. Outcomes aren’t bad.
Institutional Growth
At least 15 nonprofit colleges closed in 2025 due to enrollment and financial challenges. The “enrollment cliff”—a projected 15% decline in college-age students through 2029—is hitting small institutions hardest. For colleges with 50-500 employees, the math is brutal. Small institutions are 47% more likely to face