Dear Readers,
While 2021 may have thrown us a few less curveballs than 2020, it certainly managed to keep us on our toes. For higher ed, 2021 was the year that Emergency Online Learning gave way to “COVID-normal.”
On a positive note, the past year sparked even more momentum for innovation. Colleges across the country continue to actively master the super-charged digital recruitment environment, revisit their online strategies, rationalize sprawling academic portfolios, experiment with hybrid learning—even rethink pricing and funding models.
But the peaks were not without valleys. Continued decreases in bachelor’s enrollment and shifting application volumes and yield rates, among other challenges, were common. Many colleagues made decisions to switch jobs or retire early. And new Eduventures data indicates that traditional-aged prospective students are expressing even greater anxiety about their odds of getting into the colleges of their choice (more to come on this in 2022).
As a reflection of where higher education is today, nearly two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, here are the top five Wake-Up Calls of 2021. We look forward to sharing a new year of research with you, and we thank you for your readership!
Sincerely,
Cara Quackenbush
Eduventures Senior Vice President of Research at Encoura
Top 5 Wake-Up Calls of 2021
How Student Mindsets are Shifting in a Pandemic Recruitment Cycle
We’ve seen subtle shifts in the percentages of students in one Mindset or another before, but never a wholesale realignment.
The Problem with Transfer Student Pathways and Technology
How can institutions better leverage technology to address gaps in transfer student pathways? This is a surprising gap given how much technology permeates the rest of higher education.
The Deceptive Graduate Enrollment Growth Story
How can enrollment be up and participation down at the same time? This is the plot twist in the graduate education story.
Swag Works (And Other Lessons Learned from the Best Recruitment Communication)
Who are the best recruitment communicators? Here are the top four colleges and universities from 2021 according to our expert jury: the students you are trying to recruit.
High-Impact Occupations and the Pandemic
What’s the current outlook for occupational growth over the remainder of the decade? Has COVID-19 influenced major changes that should factor into program strategy?
Never Miss Your Wake-Up Call
More Wake-Up Calls of 2021
My Higher Ed Predictions for 2024: AI Breakthrough, Short-Term Pell Passes, and a New Bachelor’s Era Begins
My three 2023 predictions offer a big picture take on ways forward. The first concerns the economy and its impact on higher education.
Reviewing My 2023 Higher Education Predictions: Right on Recession and Loan Forgiveness, Wrong on Coursera
I was right on the first two predictions, wrong on the third. Let’s review these big topics, what I got right or wrong, and what this portends for the future.
Navigating the Non-Degree Market Surge: Insights from Indiana and Tennessee in 2023
Which non-degree programs are in demand? This is an increasingly common question from Eduventures clients.
Hybrid Hope, Hybrid Hype: Insights from the New CHLOE 8 Report
The new CHLOE report comes out today. Now in its eighth edition, CHLOE, which stands for the Changing Landscape of Online Education, is a survey of chief online officers at colleges and universities, chronicling everything from programming trends to faculty development.