Aggressive Recruiting Lures Students from Struggling Colleges

(from The Boston Globe) Already facing enrollment declines due to declining birthrates and high tuitions, some imperiled small colleges are facing a new worry: Existing students are being aggressively recruited by other schools. For instance, some admissions officers visit the homes of admitted students with gifts and certificates. "It's a much more concentrated, organized, deliberate attempt to stay in touch with the students," said Lawrence Jensen, president of the College of St. Joseph in Rutland, Vermont, where enrollment is down 32 percent over 20 years. For many students, a school's attractiveness boils down to its financial aid offer.

Twenty percent of the 118 four-year, private colleges in New England have seen enrollment decline by at least 10 percent over the past 20 years, according to a review of undergraduate enrollment trends by the Boston Globe.

More at The Boston Globe

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