Deliverability in the Age of AI: How Artificial Intelligence Is Reshaping Email Marketing

Deliverability in the Age of AI: How Artificial Intelligence Is Reshaping Email Marketing

Email marketing has always been a cornerstone of student recruitment strategies. But as inbox providers like Gmail, Apple, and Yahoo! roll out AI-driven features, the rules of deliverability are changing fast. Understanding and adapting to these shifts will be critical for brands that want their messages to reach and resonate with students.

THE RISE OF AI SUMMARIES IN EMAIL

Inbox providers are introducing AI-powered “regeneration” features that summarize email content automatically. While this sounds helpful for users, it’s creating major challenges for marketers.

Gmail

Preview text is now replaced by AI-generated annotations, which were once optional but are now mandatory. This is noteworthy because these annotations can misrepresent offers (e.g., marking them as expired when they’re still valid), restate information conveyed in the subject line, or provide redundant information mentioned in the subject line., which can muddy waters for both consumer information and marketer analytics.

Additionally, Deal Cards and Highlights generated by AI often push brand-crafted content out of the preview pane, reducing control over how your message appears. Depending on the purpose of your email (especially if it is for brand recognition), this has the possibility of negating your intent.

Apple

On newer devices (iPhone 15 and above), Apple Intelligence replaces preview text with an AI summary. The good news? Summarization happens on-device, improving privacy. The bad news? Your carefully-written preview text may never be seen.

Yahoo!

Both subject lines and preview text are replaced by AI summaries. This carries significant impact if your institution is used to thoughtfully divvying up information (and the weight of that information) via subject lines and preview text, things that exist with specific inbox-analytics purpose and marketing planning.

Further, Yahoo! introduces in-email advertising at the top of messages, sometimes showing competitor ads—or even your own ads, at a cost to you.

THE NON-CHRONOLOGICAL INBOX: A NEW CHALLENGE

For those of us who are used to our inbox having messages in order from newest to oldest, top to bottom, respectively (isn’t that pretty much everyone?), AI has thrown another curve ball. Because now it’s not just rewriting your content—it’s reorganizing it.

• Gmail: The Promotions tab now uses a “most relevant” algorithm, meaning your newest email might not appear at the top.
• Apple: Digest View groups all emails from a sender but often surfaces older messages first.
• Yahoo!: Advanced tabbing and a “Subscriptions” view can bury promotional emails deeper in the inbox.

Institutions who employ “top of inbox” strategy now face having to pivot entirely; with this new personalization, such effort can quickly become pointless.

So, what does all this information mean? It means open rates will drop as casual browsers miss your emails, your content gets ignored when AI misrepresents your message, and subject line testing (or any A/B testing for that matter) becomes unreliable as AI replaces and rewords.

2 BIG QUESTIONS IN THE AI ERA

1. What does sender reputation measure now? Historically, deliverability depended primarily on sender behavior, with ESP-related factors accounting for a smaller portion of inbox placement. Today, reputation appears influenced by sender behavior, ESP, and how inbox providers’ AI systems interpret and summarize content.
2. Do inbox providers have a responsibility to convey your message accurately? Yes, but AI summaries introduce legal and ethical risks. Misrepresentation could lead to lawsuits, forcing providers to rethink these features.

HOW TO ADAPT

Amidst all this change that seems to dash the hopes of continuing email marketing, we can still assess these facts and risks and shift our strategy to meet the new age of AI—and it’s our responsibility to do so! Here are some suggestions to help regain a little more control of how your emails end up being perceived.

• Write subject lines that stand alone. The best defense in the light of uncertainty about whether or not something will look the way you intend it is to assume that it won’t. Expect that your preview text will be omitted, rewritten, or simply covered up. Start changing your strategy to make the subject line do more heavy lifting for you.
• While it’s not foolproof, use schema and strategic coding to influence how AI interprets your email. Having any sort of control over (or prediction for) automatic summarizing reduces the chances of your message being misread. Get with your developers and analysts to start assessing what you can do on the backend and new protocols for testing.
• Voice your concerns to Google, Apple, and Yahoo! These changes are significant and, in many instances, negatively impact how marketers engage with their audience, learn about them, and provide them with the content and products they want. Cite how live A/B testing, one of digital marketing’s most important methods of accurate audience-profile building, essentially becomes obsolete when our thoughtfully-crafted content is butchered.

That’s not all, though. We can proactively make shifts for the long-run, accepting that AI is not only here to stay, it will increase and influence even more of our endeavors. Prioritize your brand loyalty, ensure your content is pertinent and engaging, and don’t forget to think beyond the inbox; start thinking about using email as a gateway to deeper engagement, clicks, replies, and conversations.

THE BOTTOM LINE

AI is rewriting the rules of email marketing. For colleges and universities, success will depend on creativity, adaptability, and a relentless focus on authentic engagement. The inbox may be changing, but the goal remains the same: building meaningful connections with students.

About the Author
Filimon Dingamo aids the enrollmentFUEL team and their client-partners by bringing a unique perspective to the world of marketing automation for higher education. His keen understanding of technology’s role in optimizing marketing strategies have measurably improved processes for colleges and universities by operating in the intersection of creativity and analytical thinking. Filimon is currently continuing his higher education career to further sharpen his skills. Outside of work, he enjoys watching and playing soccer, watching movies, exercising, and playing his guitar.

“AI and the future of Email Marketing” webinar by the Ortho Team

Octane—Pipeline Building: The Critical Role of Sophomore/Junior Search

Octane—Pipeline Building: The Critical Role of Sophomore/Junior Search

Imagine your admissions team facing
another enrollment cycle with fewer
applications, tighter budgets, and
mounting pressure to meet ambitious
targets. Does this sound all too familiar?
You’re not alone. Across the country,
institutions are grappling with shrinking
demographics and limited resources,
making it clear that the traditional
senior-year recruitment push is no
longer sufficient. But there’s a solution.

In today’s increasingly competitive higher education environment, reaching students earlier in their decision-making journey is not just an advantage—it’s a necessity. A proactive sophomore and junior outreach strategy is now essential for building a robust applicant pipeline. By engaging students and their families early, your institution can foster meaningful connections, stay top of mind, and gain a critical edge. The key to success lies in leveraging technology to deliver tailored experiences that meet the diverse needs of all stakeholders, ensuring your institution thrives in the face of new challenges.

WHAT ARE STUDENTS THINKING ABOUT?

Reaching students earlier during high school requires a better understanding of what’s on their minds at different points in time. In the sophomore/junior years, students engage in exploratory thinking.

Exploratory thinking is the practice of openly considering multiple possibilities and paths without immediate judgment, allowing our minds to wander beyond conventional boundaries to connect seemingly unrelated ideas. This expansive mental approach naturally fuels inspiration (by uncovering novel connections) and aspirational goals, helping your potential students envision an alternative future.

Exploration triggers questions. Every question is a window into the student’s dreams, fears, and aspirations. By understanding and authentically addressing these questions, you transform from just another college option into their ideal partner in achieving life-changing goals, bridging the gap between “Where can I go?” to “This is where I belong.”

ESTABLISHING BRAND RECOGNITION

Early engagement with sophomores and juniors isn’t just about getting your name out there—it’s about becoming part of their evolving story. When students transition from dreaming about college to actively planning their future, the institutions they trust are the ones who have been genuine partners in their journey, not last-minute arrivals. By weaving your institution’s values, opportunities, and unique strengths into their exploration phase, you create lasting mental real estate that’s difficult for competitors to displace.

Why is this mindshare so critical? Because in today’s oversaturated market, students aren’t just choosing between institutions, they’re choosing which ones even make it onto their radar. The schools that fail to establish this early presence risk becoming invisible, regardless of their actual merit. Simply put: if you’re not in their minds during the exploration phase, you likely won’t be in their applications during decision time.

In general, Gen Z is less “brand” loyal than previous generations. Research from AdWeek found that 6 in 10 Gen Z consumers report not being loyal to brands at all.¹ Instead, their decision-making starts by consuming content that interests them, then taking inspiration from that. 75% of Gen Z consumers make online purchases based on “creator recommendations.”² More importantly, these recommendations and influences go beyond traditional advertising of attributes; instead, young shoppers (which students are!) want to see how their choices fit into the lifestyle they aspire to and imagine for themselves.

In general, Gen Z is less “brand” loyal than previous generations. Research from AdWeek found that 6 in 10 Gen Z consumers report not being loyal to brands at all.¹ Instead, their decision-making starts by consuming content that interests them, then taking inspiration from that. 75% of Gen Z consumers make online purchases based on “creator recommendations.”² More importantly, these recommendations and influences go beyond traditional advertising of attributes; instead, young shoppers (which students are!) want to see how their choices fit into the lifestyle they aspire to and imagine for themselves.

This translates to “brand recognition” and “brand loyalty” for colleges and universities, too. Marketing to them is less about steering a typical customer journey and more about creating inspirational guideposts along the path they’re already interested in. Colleges must meet Gen Z with moments of inspiration and big-picture thinking, delivering content that resonates emotionally and aligns with their vision of the future.

ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO EXPLORE

Visits are a key component of fostering exploration, but not all students can arrange in-person tours due to financial or logistical constraints. Virtual visit options, which gained significant traction after 2020, are now a necessity rather than a luxury. Robust virtual tools like 360-degree tours, live Q&A sessions, and interactive campus maps make your institution more accessible to students and their families.

These tools allow students and families to connect no matter where they are, broadening access and creating meaningful engagement. When integrated with the “experimental” brand approach described above, this strategy transforms higher ed marketing into a shared experience that guides rather than sells—and that can be key to standing out in today’s marketing-savvy students.

ENGAGE WITH PARENTS

Parents play an influential role in the college decision-making process, often acting as partners in guiding their children’s choices. Effective communication with parents should lean heavily on the institution’s value proposition, addressing concerns about affordability, career outcomes, and the overall student experience. By emphasizing a commitment to student success, safety, and support, an institution can build trust with parents and help them see the long-term value of choosing the school.

A multifaceted approach to outreach is critical. Email marketing has become less reliable due to increased restrictions on deliverability, making it essential to diversify communication channels. Creative strategies like targeted digital advertising, compelling direct mail campaigns, and gamified content can help the institution stand out. Digital marketing allows admissions offices to meet students where they already spend time, while direct mail offers a tangible and personal touch that resonates in a crowded digital space. Engaging students with interactive tools, such as quizzes or personalized online journeys, also helps visualize themselves at the institution.

To maximize the outcomes of a sophomore/junior Search strategy, refinement is key. Use engagement metrics—such as open rates, click-through rates, and participation in virtual events—to monitor the impact of all efforts. Personalization should drive every communication, as students and their families are more likely to respond to messages that align with their specific needs and interests. Adjust the strategy as needed, using data insights to fine-tune messaging and outreach methods.

Ultimately, a sophomore/junior Search strategy is about staying ahead in an evolving higher education marketplace. By prioritizing early engagement, leveraging technology for exploration, and meeting the needs of parents and students through personalized outreach, institutions can secure their place as leaders in the college search process.

About the Author
Jazmane Brown, MA, serves as an Account Manager at enrollmentFUEL and has worked in higher education for 17 years. Before joining the organization, she served as the Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management and Director of Admissions at Xavier University of Louisiana, with prior collegiate leadership roles. Jazmane holds a BA in Communication, and a master’s in Public Relations from the University of Miami, Florida. She has served on several SACAC committees, including the Board, and has presented many times. In her spare time, she enjoys listening to the latest hip-hop gospel artists and exploring Europe, where she resides with her active-duty military husband, two daughters, and son. Contact Jazmane at Jazmane.Brown@enrollmentFUEL.com.

From Form to Enrollment: How FAFSA Completion Shapes Student Decisions

From Form to Enrollment: How FAFSA Completion Shapes Student Decisions

Fall 2025 new student results are in for schools undergoing financial aid optimization. Of the many interesting things we’re seeing at enrollmentFUEL, FAFSA submitting behavior continues to have a significant impact on yield. FAFSA filing rates and overall yield improved as compared to fall 2024. That yield improvement was driven entirely by FAFSA submitters.

Let’s look at the data:

Some interesting observations:

• The number of admits who submitted a FAFSA increased 6.8% on average year over year across enrollmentFUEL’s optimization partner schools.
• The average yield jumped 2.6%, moving from 25.4% to 28%.
• That yield improvement came from FAFSA submitters, who saw a 6% increase in yield, moving from 44.2% to 50.2%.
• Yield for non-FAFSA submitters declined by 0.4%, moving from 6.4% to 6%.
• Across all aid optimization partner schools, the yield gap between FAFSA submitters vs. non-FAFSA submitters grew by 6.3 points.

You’ll notice the word submitters vs. filers when presenting FAFSA behavior. That’s because schools generally don’t know if a student is a FAFSA filer or not—they only know if a student submits a FAFSA to them. What’s the difference? All non-FAFSA submitters aren’t the same. For example, students who indicate that they plan to file for aid on their admission application but don’t submit a FAFSA have the lowest average yield across all our partner schools. However, students who indicate that they don’t plan to file for aid on their admission application and who don’t submit a FAFSA, yield 4.5x higher.  

What’s the point? FAFSA submitting behavior is telling us something. It is up to us as enrollment managers to listen. When a student who applies and indicates that they plan to file for financial aid doesn’t submit a FAFSA, they are telling us that they aren’t enrolling. Remember, for FUEL’s aid optimization partner schools the average yield for non-FAFSA submitters is 6%. For some of our schools, that is as low as 1%.

FAFSA submission is one of the top 10 drivers of students’ enrollment decisions for our partner schools. For some schools, it is more predictive than almost every other student attribute or behavior.

What should you be doing?

1. Every effort to support FAFSA filing yields results. This isn’t just a financial aid office task; the entire enrollment team should be involved in FAFSA completion outreach and events. Think about hiring consulting or seasonal help to support FAFSA completion if needed. There is a clear return on that investment for most schools.
2. Are you tracking real-time and year-over-year data for FAFSA submitters? You should be! Submitting a FAFSA continues to be a key driver of potential enrollment. You can’t effectively plan for your incoming class and monitor real-time results in-cycle without taking FAFSA submission behavior into consideration.
3. Do you have a comprehensive and differentiated communication and outreach strategy to support FAFSA filing? It is critical to identify and support students who need help submitting their FAFSA.

Need help?

enrollmentFUEL offers full service financial aid optimization support for schools, which includes significant data collection, validation, analysis, presentation, and retention. We also offer communication and yield support services as well as strategic enrollment management reviews to identify opportunities for enhanced effectiveness in an increasingly more competitive marketplace.

enrollmentFUEL Appoints Jonathan Hayes as Chief Executive Officer

enrollmentFUEL Appoints Jonathan Hayes as Chief Executive Officer

Mike Wesner transitions to Founder & Executive Chair as the company enters its next phase of growth and innovation. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—November 3, 2025 (Raleigh–Durham, NC)

enrollmentFUEL today announced that Jonathan Hayes has been appointed Chief Executive Officer. Company founder Mike Wesner will transition to Founder & Executive Chair, continuing to provide the guidance and vision that will focus on intelligent and emerging technologies as the organization accelerates into its next era of strategic impact and innovation. 

Hayes is a seasoned entrepreneur and builder with a proven record of scaling and leading organizations through pivotal transitions. In his role as CEO, he will focus on empowering enrollmentFUEL’s team and driving measurable growth through ingenuity and operational excellence. 

 “I’m thrilled to join enrollmentFUEL at this exciting time,” said Jonathan Hayes, Chief Executive Officer. “We have a dedicated team that delivers meaningful results for our partners. Looking ahead, I’ll work with our leaders to scale our impact through growth and innovation.” 

Hayes was the founder and CEO of RewardStock, a fintech and travel-rewards app that helped consumers get more value from their points. While CEO, he led the company through rapid growth, product development, and brand expansion—including an appearance on ABC’s Shark Tank, where he landed a deal with investor Mark Cuban. Under Hayes’s leadership, RewardStock scaled its user base, developed proprietary technology, and was later acquired by Experian, where he advanced organizational development initiatives within the company’s direct-to-consumer business. 

 Prior to founding RewardStock, Hayes worked in investment banking at Citi, advising clients across the energy and renewable sectors in the firm’s Mergers & Acquisitions group. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Princeton University and is an alumnus of the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, NC. 

With Wesner serving as Founder & Executive Chair, enrollmentFUEL remains committed to the same principles that have guided its success—strategy, accountability, and measurable outcomes—now infused with fresh energy to propel the company’s next phase of growth. 

About enrollmentFUEL
enrollmentFUEL partners with colleges and universities to effectively and efficiently improve enrollment performance through strategy, execution, and data-informed optimization. From inquiry generation to financial aid strategies and optimization, to final enrollment yield metrics, enrollmentFUEL delivers measurable outcomes institutions can trust. 

Learn more at enrollmentfuel.com. 

Media Contact
Marketing@enrollmentfuel.com 

Navigating the New Parent PLUS Loan Caps

Navigating the New Parent PLUS Loan Caps

We’re nearly two months into the 2025-26 academic year, which means those of us in enrollment management, admissions, or financial aid are already looking ahead to 2026-27. When I worked in a financial aid office, I often reminded my team: “the only constant is change.” While admissions and enrollment folks are used to the calendar shifting, we haven’t seen many industry-wide changes that directly affect them—until now.

The upcoming year brings a significant shift that, on the surface, may seem like a “financial aid thing”, but in reality, it’s an enrollment thing—or more accurately, an entire campus thing with both immediate and long-term implications.

WHAT’S CHANGING?

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law on July 4, 2025, is a sweeping 331-page budget reconciliation bill. It’s understandable if the changes to Parent PLUS Loan eligibility flew under the radar. Starting July 1, 2026, new borrowing caps will take effect:

• $20,000 per year per student 
• $65,000 over that student’s degree journey

For some institutions, this may not seem like a major shift. But let’s take a closer look at the data; it tells a compelling story.

THE DATA BEHIND THE IMPACT

The U.S. Department of Education publishes a lot of information and, if you know where it’s found, can be fascinating. Their Title IV Program Volume Reports tells the following story about Parent PLUS Loans during the 2024-25 academic year (fun fact: it lists this information by school, so you don’t need your financial aid or institutional research office to get it for you).

• Total amount borrowed just under $12.2 billion
  • Represents 15% of all federal student loan dollars during the 2024-25 academic year, or 28.1% of all undergraduate specific federal loan dollars.
• Over 590,000 borrowers
• Average amount borrowed was $20,664

That average is already above the new annual cap, and there’s a lot being borrowed. You may be thinking “Sure, but that’s just an average—probably a small percentage of total enrollment.” Let’s dig deeper.  

IPEDS allows you to pull unduplicated, grand total undergraduate enrollment, so let’s join data sets (enrollment and Parent PLUS) and see what we get (please note this is for the 2023-24 academic year as IPEDS does not have 2024-25 enrollment data posted).

• The total undergraduate enrollment at 4-year, degree-granting institutions was approximately 9.8 million students.
• Parent PLUS Loan recipients were approximately 570,000.  
• That’s 5.8% of all undergraduate students whose parents used a Parent PLUS Loan.

This is not a fringe issue. It’s a meaningful slice of the student population.

SECTOR SPECIFIC INSIGHTS

Private, nonprofit institutions are most at risk but all sectors are affected.

QUESTIONS CAMPUS LEADERS SHOULD BE ASKING

• What happens if you miss your individual or university enrollment goal by 1–4%?
• What’s the revenue impact?
• How does this affect retention and graduation rates?
• Will your school fill any potential student funding gaps created with institutional aid? What does that do to your discount rate/revenue?
• What’s the risk to your federal loan cohort default rates if students don’t complete?
• How does this affect student satisfaction and future alumni giving/engagement?

WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW

While the data may feel alarming, the goal here is clarity; informed decisions start with informed conversations.

• Get Familiar with Your Campus Data: What percentage of your students may run into the upcoming annual or aggregate caps?
• Educate Campus Leadership: This is not something you want to keep to yourself given the potential impacts.
• Model Out Various Scenarios: Discuss what this would actually mean on your campus.
• Communicate Early & Often:
  • Modify your comm plans to include information about the Parent PLUS Loan caps and present them with various options, leaving nothing off the table (payment plans, private loan options, etc.).
  • Transparency is key to avoiding summer melt. It’s never a good thing and if these changes and options aren’t communicated early and often, it could be a rough summer.
• Empower Your Admissions Staff to Have These Conversations: Equip them with necessary knowledge to help families understand and navigate their paying-the-balance options.
• Lean on Trusted Partners: This is a shared challenge across the industry and collaboration will be key. Strategic enrollment partners like enrollmentFUEL and as education solutions companies like Sallie, are ready, willing, and able to lend their expertise to train staff on the specifics and nuances of this topic. Calling on them to present to prospective and/or deposited students on the topic at admitted student days may also be an option.

FINAL THOUGHT

Change is coming on July 1, 2026. Our shared goal is to help students who want to attend college do so and do so successfully. This change presents real challenges, but together we can prepare and empower students and families with the information and options to fulfill their goal of a college degree. To quote Henry Ford, “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”

About the Author
Ed Recker is a Director of High School Relationship Management with Sallie Mae, serving high schools, states, and professional organizations throughout the U.S. He joined Sallie in 2019, and has over 20 years’ experience in the financial aid and enrollment industry. Prior to joining Sallie, Ed was a Senior Consultant within the Enrollment Division of Ruffalo Noel Levitz, held the position of Vice President for Enrollment Management at the University of Findlay, and held various financial aid positions at the University of Findlay, Terra State Community College, and Bowling Green State University. Ed holds an M.Ed. in Higher Education from the University of Toledo, and resides in Ottawa, OH with his wife Kate and daughter Evelyn.

Octane—Cliff or Catalyst? Rethinking Enrollment Strategy

Octane—Cliff or Catalyst? Rethinking Enrollment Strategy

As Senior Director of Data & Strategic Initiatives at the National College Attainment Network (NCAN), Bill DeBaun speaks with quiet conviction about what many college presidents consider an existential threat: the looming demographic decline in college-age students. 

“I call it the enrollment bunny hill,” DeBaun says with a slight smile, rejecting the usual doomsday language. “If I have to fall, I hope it looks like this: gentle and gradual, not a cartoon-style plunge.” 

This perspective shift feels refreshing in a landscape often dominated lately by less-than-cheerful forecasts. But DeBaun isn’t dismissing the challenge out-of-hand, he’s reframing it as an opportunity. 

“This demographic shift has been on the horizon for a long time. We’ve seen this iceberg dead ahead,” he notes. “If you’ve picked the low-hanging fruit on the enrollment tree, you need to climb higher into the branches to get to students who have been underserved.” 

For presidents and enrollment leaders seeking sustainable solutions to reach those students, DeBaun offers several promising pathways. 

RETHINK YOUR PIPELINE

“There are still many, many students who graduate from high school capable of succeeding on college campuses who do not have the opportunity to pursue postsecondary education,” DeBaun emphasizes. First-generation students and those from low-income backgrounds represent an “under-tapped resource” for institutions struggling with enrollment. 

Equally important is the pool of over 36 million Americans with “some college, no credential.”¹ Among this group, re-enrollment increased 9.1% in the 2022-23 academic year, indicating a growing interest in returning to complete degrees._² Institutions with effective re-enrollment strategies can tap this massive potential market. 

BRIDGE K-12 & HIGHER EDUCATION SILOS

Perhaps DeBaun’s most compelling insight involves breaking down traditional barriers between K-12 and higher education systems. 

“Too often the water’s edge for K-12 has stopped at high school graduation, and for higher ed, it hasn’t picked up until welcome week,” he observes. That gap can lead many students to fall between the cracks and fail to enroll even if they’re still interested in college in general. One study found that, among students not enrolling immediately, 53% planned to start at a two-year college, while 4% planned to take a “gap” semester before enrolling and 9% formally deferred enrollment; only 3% decided against college altogether.3 That means there’s a lot of room to re-capture students’ interest and drive them toward enrollment.

DeBaun highlights 3 state-level approaches showing particular promise: 

• Dual enrollment programs that allow high school students to earn college credit, building confidence and momentum toward degree completion 
• Universal FAFSA policies that make financial aid application completion a high school graduation requirement, which data shows increases both FAFSA completion and college enrollment rates 
• Direct admissions approaches where institutions proactively notify qualified students of their acceptance, removing application barriers and signaling institutional interest in their enrollment

FORM STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

When asked about his advice for institutions, DeBaun focuses on the power of partnerships.

“If you’re a college or university, what kinds of partnerships can you build with your sending districts and schools? Are you in contact with district leaders who are sending you students for your class?” He elaborates: “If you’re sending a large chunk of your high school seniors to the same institution year after year, you should know how they’re doing when they get there, and have a relationship to ask, ‘How can my students be better prepared?’”

TRACK THE RIGHT METRICS

Rather than focusing exclusively on semester-to-semester persistence, DeBaun advocates for more immediate indicators.

“Are students coming to class? Are you checking in with them about their experience?” he asks. “If we wait until the end of a semester to see who returns, you’ve already lost students you could have retained by acting in the moment.”

THE FAFSA ROLLERCOASTER & HOPE AHEAD

After watching FAFSA completion rates plummet during the problem-plagued redesign rollout for the class of 2024, DeBaun shares encouraging news: completions are up 25% year-over-year for the class of 2025, potentially returning to pre-pandemic levels.

This matters because historically, FAFSA completion correlates strongly with enrollment. Interestingly, however, last year’s sharp FAFSA decline didn’t translate to an equally sharp enrollment drop.

DeBaun’s message is clear: the enrollment challenge isn’t insurmountable, but it requires fresh thinking and collaborative approaches.

“The mission is too important and the job is too large for any stakeholder to go it alone,” he says. By embracing underserved student populations, forming creative partnerships, and implementing proven support strategies, institutions can navigate the “bunny hill” ahead and emerge stronger on the other side.

For more information about NCAN membership or their national conference, visit NCAN.org.

About the Author
Susanna Lehman, MBA, is enrollmentFUEL’s Vice President of Strategic Enterprise Solutions. With nearly 20 years of experience in admissions, she has worked with a wide range of student populations, including undergraduate, graduate, adult, seminary, and performing arts students. Susanna brings deep knowledge of Slate, having led implementations, audits, and a wide variety of projects during her time as Vice President of Slate Education. She is passionate about helping institutions navigate complex enrollment challenges with strategic, customized solutions. Feel free to connect with Susanna at Susanna.Lehman@enrollmentFUEL.com.

Bill DeBaun is Senior Director of Data & Strategic Initiatives at the National College Attainment Network (NCAN), where he helps schools, nonprofits, and state agencies use data to improve postsecondary outcomes. He leads NCAN’s widely cited FormYourFuture FAFSA Tracker and manages the Benchmarking Project, analyzing outcomes for 500,000+ students. His work appears in major media and informs national education policy. Bill holds a BA from American University and a Master of Public Policy from The George Washington University, focused on education policy.

1. “Some College, No Credential Student Outcomes: 2024 Report for the Nation and the States .” National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. 6 June 2024. https://nscresearchcenter.org/some-college-no-credential/. 
2. National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, 2024. 
3. Goebel, Crag, et al. “Who Isn’t Planning to Go to College?” studentPOLL by Art & Science Group LLC 17.2. June 2024. https://www.artsci.com/student-poll/studentpoll-volume-17-issue-2.