signals in higher ed

Small private colleges are facing unprecedented pressures: rising instructional costs, shrinking budgets, and mounting skepticism about the return on investment of a four-year degree. At the same time, employer demand for job-ready talent is accelerating, creating urgency for institutions to modernize curriculum and increase access to experiential learning. According to Rize Education CEO Kevin Ha...

As colleges and universities grapple with enrollment pressures, shifting student expectations, and a tightening labor market shaped by AI and automation, the demand for meaningful work-based learning experiences has grown dramatically. Research across the UK’s higher education sector shows that hands-on industry engagement is becoming a leading factor in student decision-making and employability o...

Experiential learning is surging in relevance. Employers are finding it harder than ever to evaluate early-career talent, while students are graduating into a labor market where more than half—about 52%—end up in roles that don’t require their degree. That disconnect is prompting colleges to reimagine how they equip students for meaningful career entry. Meanwhile, the rapid expansion of project-ba...

The debate around the return on investment (ROI) of a four-year degree has reached a fever pitch. As tuition costs rise and employers question the value of traditional credentials, higher education leaders are rethinking how to make college more career-relevant. Experiential learning—work-based and project-based education embedded within curricula—is emerging as one of the most promising answers....

High schoolers are overwhelmed — and not just by homework. The path to college can feel like a maze of forms, essays, and deadlines, with little guidance on where to begin. A recent survey found that nearly three-quarters of students describe the college application process as “difficult.” For many, that difficulty isn’t academic; it’s emotional. It’s about confidence, motivation, and finding a se...

Non-traditional students—adult learners, student parents, veterans, and first-generation college-goers—are carrying heavier burdens than ever. Upswing’s 2024 Ana Insights Report found that nearly nine in ten students intended to complete a FAFSA application, while many also sought help with essentials like food, housing, and bill payments. Perhaps most concerning, students expressed declining conf...

Artificial intelligence has become the buzzword of the moment in higher education, but for many enrollment teams, it often feels like just another layer of complexity on top of an already demanding job. Budgets are tight, teams are stretched thin, and the pressure to recruit and retain students has never been greater. What leaders are really asking now is whether AI can move past the hype and actu...

With enrollment numbers slipping and student expectations shifting, colleges are under more pressure than ever to create real, lasting connections that make students feel part of a community. Research shows that institutions lose up to 10–40% of admitted students to “summer melt” each year, a challenge that directly impacts revenue and retention. At the same time, today’s students increasingly vie...

As higher education faces declining public trust and heightened financial pressure, colleges are being pushed to rethink how they manage enrollment and financial aid. Data analytics and predictive modeling are emerging as critical tools, with institutions seeking ways to allocate limited aid dollars while still aligning with their missions. According to the most recent data from the National Cente...

Colleges and universities face mounting challenges in reaching prospective students who never formally identify themselves in the recruitment process—often called “stealth shoppers.” Research shows that at least one in three applicants to private four-year colleges in the U.S. apply as stealth students. For enrollment leaders, this hidden audience—students who research institutions anonymously onl...