Admissions and Financial Aid Warning Signs for New Presidents

John W. Dysart
President
The Dysart Group

If you have recently been appointed as President at a college or university, you already know the importance of enrollment and net revenue for institutional survival and success. The following is a quick checklist of warning signs as you consider your current enrollment and financial status.

• Review recruitment outcomes over the last five years for signs of declines in applications, acceptances and new student enrollments. Yes, the current market is challenging, but declines are often a sign of strategic and/or tactical shortcomings. It might be time to evaluate the entire admission operation. Accepting disappointing outcomes due to external influences is a mistake.
• Review recent trends regarding average institutional aid expenditures for signs of growing discounts. Headcount stabilization and even growth are often mitigated by unnecessary institutional scholarship and grant expenditures. You will need an approach to financial aid expenditures that specifically supports your admission and retention plans.
• Review recent overall trends for declines in net revenue generated from tuition, fees, room and board. While discount rates and headcounts are important, net revenue is king. You may want to reconsider your pricing strategy in addition to your financial aid award policy.
• Determine initial financial aid packaging dates for both new and returning students. There is never a good reason to delay the start of financial aid packaging for either population. Financial aid packaging for all students should commence the first week of October.
• Check with your chief financial officer for recent trends regarding student refunds. Your award policy may be creating cash refunds for students unintentionally. High amounts in outstanding receivables are also problematic. Both are likely signs of a misguided financial aid packaging policy and/or poor collection practices.
• Whatever challenges you may be able to identify, check with your department heads on new plans, strategies and tactics to be implemented for Fall 2026 to secure improved outcomes. Doubling down on recent practices is generally a bad idea if the desired outcomes are not being achieved.

If you are unsure how to proceed, contact successful colleagues. Many are likely to have faced similar challenges in their careers.

Do not hesitate to seek outside counsel from professional consultants to review the current operation, with the goal of offering proven initiatives to increase enrollment and net revenue during these difficult times for colleges and universities.