Extra! Extra! Read all about it! First-year enrollment is down. Probably not the best way to start a post, but I feel like it’s easiest if we just rip off the bandage quickly. Read more about the drop in first-year enrollment as we explore what it means in this week’s issue. After that, we’ll look at the steady declines in net tuition prices before closing with a thought-provoking article about AI policies.   

After reading today’s issue, use the comments section to let us know the most interesting tuition change you saw in The Chronicle data! 

First-Year Enrollment is Down 

From First-Year Enrollments Take a Tumble | Inside Higher Ed  

While overall postsecondary enrollment is up by three percent, first-year enrollment is down by more than five percent this year.    

Our Thoughts 

Numerous news outlets are reporting on the latest enrollment data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center (NSCRC), so this is probably not “breaking news” for our regular readers. While these are only the initial findings from the NSCRC and may change later this year, it’s still important to acknowledge the likely impacts of the FAFSA fiasco on enrollment. This is most evident when looking at the decline in enrollment of Pell-eligible first-year students, which dropped by more than ten percent. Of all prospective students, this group is most in need of financial aid to pay for their education, and so would be most affected by challenges with the FAFSA.  

Also, remember that first-year enrollment is part of an institution’s four-year budget forecast, so declines in first-year enrollment will affect an institution for the next few years. Given the current public attitudes toward higher education, it is unlikely that many of these missing first-year students will enroll at a later date. Additionally, the demographic cliff is projected to start next fall, meaning that institutions that missed their enrollment goals this year will likely experience increased financial strain in the years to come.  

Declining Tuition Costs 

From The Cost of College Tuition Is Shrinking | The Chronicle of Higher Education   

According to a recent analysis by the College Board, the net tuition (the price students actually pay) continued its decade-long decline this year.   

Our Thoughts 

In Issue 23, we explored the complex world of tuition pricing, attempting to break it down into a format that the average person could easily understand. Given the public perception that higher education costs continue to rise and have become unaffordable, it is unfortunate that institutions have such complex pricing models. While I understand why these models exist, it is becoming increasingly important for higher education leaders to better communicate real college costs, especially to low-income families who often misunderstand the financial aid landscape.   

Separately, my favorite part of this Chronicle article is the interactive table at the end that lets you search through the net price changes for thousands of institutions. I encourage you to spend a few minutes with it to see just how much net prices have declined for some institutions while the published tuition price continues to rise.  

Outdated AI Policies 

From Your AI Policy Is Already Obsolete | Inside Higher Ed  

Zach Justus and Nik Janos argue that, as AI tools have become increasingly embedded in existing software, it becomes more challenging to regulate their use.   

Our Thoughts  

Justus and Janos make a compelling argument for why AI policies become obsolete almost as soon as they are implemented. As AI is subtly embedded into systems we and our students use daily (e.g., Google Docs, Microsoft Word, etc.), it becomes increasingly challenging to regulate their use. When Word prompts me with a word or phrase to complete a sentence (as it did prior to the rise of ChatGPT), is that “using AI” to complete my coursework? How much embedded AI can I utilize before violating a policy against using AI? Unfortunately, these are not questions with easy answers.   

As AI increasingly becomes an integral part of educational technology, institutions should stop reacting with restrictive policies designed to draw neat lines on when and where AI use is appropriate. Instead, they should lean into their teaching and learning missions to encourage ongoing dialogue about how to best use AI ethically and effectively to prepare students for their futures