Although well down from the peak in 2010, college enrollments seem to have finally turned the corner; with undergrad enrollments now creeping up, dare we say rising up, from 2021-2022 lows.
This fall, in fact, some institutions have reported good-to-excellent enrollment growth year-over-year.[1] With a number of them even breaking freshmen enrollment records.
“Fall 2025 has brought record freshman classes and soaring enrollment projections. In some cases, those record-breaking numbers follow steady growth since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic; in others, they represent a rebound from declines,” said Inside Higher Ed.[2]
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves here.
There’s still a world of bad news on the horizon for traditional higher education. And by traditional higher ed, we mean in-person, brick and mortar institutions.
Now, much of what we’re about to show you below may not really apply to fully online colleges as the target demo (adult learners) is far different than that of traditional higher ed – recent or upcoming high school grads.
The problems…
Continual increases in tuition, higher paying, no-degree jobs available straight out of high school…
The boom in trade schools, career colleges, tech schools…
And yes. The demographic cliff. Simply put, there are fewer kids in high school now. As the saying goes, we can’t simply make more 18 year olds.
However, these issues, each potentially devastating on their own, are not the only issues facing traditional higher ed. No.
You see, while the exact numbers aren’t yet in, it’s estimated that 150,000 fewer international students have enrolled in US colleges this semester (Fall 2025)…
Which, if the data hold true, would represent a 30% to 40% drop in new international student enrollments.[3]
And Spring 2026 may show us more of the same. There’s nothing yet to indicate otherwise.
This may sound harsh, but it’s the truth…
If you operate a traditional brick-and-mortar college/university, you know these students, international students, can be a cash cow. And depending on how many of them you have or expected to have at your school…
Losing them could be financially devastating.
Harsh, but true.
Now, if we take all the “issues” listed above in totality, traditional higher ed, despite the recent Fall 2025 enrollment numbers… is in trouble.
And this may be why some traditional schools, mostly public state colleges and universities, have turned to “direct admissions” as a way to boost enrollments.
What are direct admissions? Well, they’re sort of a trick to get students to apply for college.
You see, instead of going through the application process, filling out paperwork, paying application fees and waiting for an acceptance letter, etcetera…
A student simply uploads their high school transcripts to an online portal, and if qualified (which just about everyone is), they receive an automatic offer for admission… without having to pay any application fees whatsoever.
No essays, no recommendation letters, nothing but a transcript and you’re in!
While some argue this practice is designed to lower the cost of college and make the application/acceptance process more streamlined…
It may simply be a trick to push students into enrolling. Especially students who are on the fence about going to college in the first place.
Why not upload your transcript and see what happens? It’s free!
We, Conversion Media Group, don’t believe any institution should, or has to trick prospective students into enrolling. There’s a big reason why (we’ll get to it in a second).
What higher ed needs to do is physically speak to the students who are either already interested in enrolling or are on the fence when it comes to college.
Forget the anonymous portals…
Forget the “send a check and you’re in” attitude …
Instead, talk to them. Yes, talk to them.
We do.
The big reason why?
You see, every institution of higher education, whether traditional brick-and-mortar, fully online college, trade school, career-college, tech academy or otherwise certainly wants to enroll students who actually want to be there…
Students who want to spend all the necessary time and all the necessary capital to actually graduate.
You don’t want students who are tricked into enrolling for one semester, then they’re gone… along with your graduation rate.
Sure, one semester of revenue is better than none…
But why not spend more time and effort on students who want to stay and contribute to your revenue for two years, four years or more? Students who want to graduate.
Why not speak to them?
We do.
Call us and we’ll explain exactly what we mean.
Our conversation will be important to you if you operate an online college, trade school, career college or tech academy… and yes, it’ll be well worth your time.
1-800-419-3201.
[1] College Enrollment Statistics [2025]: Total + by Demographic
[2] Colleges Boast Record Enrollment and Fall Classes
[3] Fewer international students are coming to the US, costing universities and communities | WLRN