Ruffaloni

APRIL 27, 2025

Marketing messages bombard students from every direction, so capturing their attentionand inspiring them to take actionrequires creative that truly stands out. Thats exactly what the RNL creative team delivers, crafting award-winning campaigns that engage, resonate, and drive results across every channel, from digital to direct mail. We work closely with our campus partners to ensure every undergraduate and graduate campaign is both strategic and impactfulproven by the many gold award-winning pr

Out-of-State 130

Out-of-State Tuition In-State Community College 130

Ruffaloni

APRIL 27, 2025

Engaging students wherever they are is critical to enrollment success. With eight years of experience at Ruffalo Noel Levitz working with more than 100 campuses across the country and following more than two decades leading enrollment efforts on campus, I know firsthand the challenges you face in enrollment. And in todays environment it can feel like information overload on what you should be doing.

Enrollment 130

Enrollment Undergraduate Students Programs Applications 130

Ruffaloni

APRIL 27, 2025

As AI continues to weave its way into our lives, it’s no surprise that high school students are increasingly turning to these tools for college planning. However, our recent study, The AI Divide in College Planning: Students Adoption, Resistance, and Impact , conducted by RNL and TeenVoice , reveals that students arent all the same when it comes to AI.

Higher Education 130

Higher Education Scholarships High School Enrollment 130

Ruffaloni

APRIL 18, 2025

How does student satisfaction at HBCUs compare to institutions nationally? Student satisfaction is a critical component for student success. At RNL, we have observed that satisfaction can vary based on the institution type. Student satisfaction levels at a four-year private may differ from a four-year public. In addition, we have seen that students at schools with a specific identity or mission (such as Christian colleges) may also have different levels of satisfaction.

Retention 130

Retention Enrollment Financial Aid Tuition 130

Ruffaloni

MARCH 20, 2025

From speed-to-lead to 24/7 support: Meeting student needs in the digital age In our The Importance of Speed to Lead in Meeting Your Enrollment Goals, we highlighted how rapid, personalized responses to prospective students can significantly impact their perception of an institution’s quality and commitment. This principle of timely, relevant communication extends beyond the admissions process and into the heart of the student experience, particularly in online education.

Retention 130

Retention Financial Aid Enrollment Higher Education 130

Ruffaloni

MARCH 20, 2025

This last half decade has delivered unprecedented disruption for university leaders. The pandemic, economic uncertainty, greater need among students and families, and sweeping governmental changes have buffeted campuses of every size, type and mission. As we move through 2025 and look at the landscape beyond, it’s clear that adaptability, resilience, and innovative thinking are crucial for successful university management.

Government 130

Government Financial Aid Higher Education Undergraduate Students 130

Ruffaloni

MARCH 19, 2025

As higher education faces what experts call an “ enrollment cliff ,” with projections showing a potential 15% decline in traditional college-aged students, institutions are radically re-imagining their recruitment strategies. The latest data from RNL’s 2025 Marketing and Recruitment Practices For Undergraduate Students report reveals fascinating shifts in how different institutions connect with prospective students in this challenging landscape.

Campus Tours 130

Campus Tours Higher Education Enrollment Transition 130

Ruffaloni

MARCH 19, 2025

How different students navigate college planning Let’s talk about how students really tackle college planning. Forget the stereotypes about Gen Z being glued to their phones or allergic to human interaction. Our latest research reveals something more interesting: there isn’t just one type of college searcher anymore. In our recent research with TeenVoice we identified four distinct personalities in how students approach their college planning, especially when it comes to using AI too

Testing 130

Testing Enrollment Education Education 130

Ruffaloni

FEBRUARY 20, 2025

The last year has been one of significant strides for RNL. We embarked on a journey to enhance our existing tools, aiming to provide our partners with even more powerful and effective solutions. This commitment has driven us to develop a suite of AI-powered tools designed to strengthen your connections with students and donors. A focus on data-driven decisions and user-friendly solutions Our primary goal was to create AI tools that are not only secure but also user-friendly and insightful.

Government 130

Government Financial Aid Transition Higher Education 130

Ruffaloni

FEBRUARY 20, 2025

How can you make the future of your campus more clear and sustainable? As colleges and universities continue to rise above the challenges brought on by the pandemic five years ago, it has become clear that the new normal for higher education demands more than resilienceit requires strategic foresight and proactive leadership. Institutions today must navigate shifting policies, demographic changes, public sentiment, natural disasters, economic pressures, compliance mandates, safety concerns, tale

Higher Education 130

Higher Education Education Education Financial Aid 130

Ruffaloni

FEBRUARY 20, 2025

Millions of students and families are caught in a middle-class crunch for affording college. Approximately 7-8 million families with school-age children are in the middle-income bracket ($60,000-$200,000). That’s not just a statisticit’s a massive segment of your potential student population caught in a precarious position. According to recent Census data, these families make up about 40% of all U.S. households, with 39% of family households including children under 18.

Financial Aid 130

Financial Aid Loans Scholarships Enrollment 130

Ruffaloni

FEBRUARY 20, 2025

“I’m scared to walk alone at night.” “What if someone targets me because I’m Muslim?” “Will I be safe being openly gay on campus?” These aren’t just random commentsthey’re real voices from our latest research, and they stopped me cold. For the past three years, RNL and ZeeMee have been diving deep into the emotional landscape of college planning.

Mentorship 130

Mentorship Mentorships Orientation Out-of-State 130

Ruffaloni

JANUARY 20, 2025

As I reviewed the new IPEDS data release last week, I was looking for the data and intelligence that would be most helpful for online enrollment leaders to have in hand to underpin and inform this years success. These points, in combination with key trends that became clear in other sources I reviewed late last year will enable online leaders to succeed this year as well as plan for the future.

Online Programs 130

Online Programs Programs Enrollment Higher Education 130

Ruffaloni

JANUARY 20, 2025

In todays digital-first world, higher education institutions are increasingly turning to digital marketing to educate, engage, enroll, and retain students. However, one of the key challenges that the campus decision-makers face is understanding the potential costs associated with digital marketing and how to effectively budget for growth. As someone deeply immersed in the world of digital strategy, I often find myself having the same conversation with campus leaders: how do we set realistic expe

Enrollment 130

Enrollment Online Programs Placement Higher Education 130

Ruffaloni

JANUARY 20, 2025

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: colleges struggle to connect with their most important audiencestudents. Fresh data RNLs research studies show a big disconnect between what higher education offers and what students need. A new report from the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education is waving red flags about dropping enrollment numbers and workforce gaps if colleges can’t step up their game and prove their worth.

Financial Aid 130

Financial Aid Higher Education Placement Enrollment 130

Ruffaloni

JANUARY 16, 2025

College planning has become far more complex than filling out forms and writing essays. RNLs research reveals a striking truth: Today’s students are overwhelmed, skeptical, and craving personalized guidance more than ever before. The modern student’s dilemma Picture this: Seven out of ten high school students find navigating the college application process challenging.

Financial Aid 130

Financial Aid Placement Scholarships Higher Education 130

Ruffaloni

DECEMBER 17, 2024

When it comes to choosing a college, the sticker price can be a major turnoff. A significant 65% of prospective students and 67% of their families report ruling out institutions based solely on the advertised sticker price. Source: 2024 Prospective Family Engagement Report But what does this mean for colleges and universities, and how can they help families look beyond the sticker shock to understand the true affordability of a degree?

Loans 130

Loans Financial Aid Orientation High School 130

Ruffaloni

DECEMBER 17, 2024

Read the report. Earlier this year, I was interested to read RNLs Generations of Online Learners report, which was produced by cross-tabbing our national survey of (largely) prospective online students by the three primary student generations. There has been greater awareness in recent years of the influence of generational differences in higher education, and this made me interested to explore the perceptions of students by age within our National Online Learners dataset.

Online Programs 130

Online Programs Financial Aid Tuition Higher Education 130

Ruffaloni

DECEMBER 16, 2024

The expectations of higher education faculty and staff have changed. Understanding the experiences, opinions, and satisfactions of your faculty and staff is invaluable to creating a healthy culture and work environment. But it’s not just about fostering a positive atmosphereit’s also critical for retaining your employees, improving the student experience, and reducing the risk of lost institutional knowledge.

Retention 130

Retention Higher Education Policies Education 130

Ruffaloni

DECEMBER 16, 2024

The outlook for graduate education in 2025 is strong. I always look forward to fall because so many of the trend reports that I rely on to get a sense of whats next are released. Whether it is the new IPEDS data, the latest from National Student Clearinghouse, the IIE Open Doors report on international students, or others, I spend time thinking through what the most important data mean for institutions.

Education 130

Education Education International Students Enrollment 130

Ruffaloni

DECEMBER 16, 2024

Degree program pages are the heart and soul of almost any college or university website. They are the pages prospective students use most frequently to explore opportunities and compare offerings. They also tend to offer the greatest opportunities for competitive differentiation and lead generation. Why focus on degree program pages for search optimization?

Programs 130

Programs Enrollment Out-of-State Graduate Students 130

Ruffaloni

SEPTEMBER 27, 2024

When election season rolls around, the world of digital advertising can feel like a wild stormespecially for higher education institutions. If you’ve ever noticed that your ads cost more during an election cycle, you’re not alone. But why is that happening? Lets break it down. Whats driving up ad costs? Increased competition Political campaigns flood platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and other social channels with massive amounts of advertising.

Higher Education 130

Higher Education Enrollment Out-of-State Policies 130

Ruffaloni

NOVEMBER 25, 2024

Let’s face it, the world of online higher education is a whirlwind. Between juggling countless tasks and trying to connect with potential students as quickly as possible, it can feel like we’re constantly running on a hamster wheel. But the expansion of AI technology offers a real opportunity to connect with students more and in a way that translates to increased enrollments.

Enrollment 130

Enrollment Online Programs Higher Education Education 130

Ruffaloni

NOVEMBER 14, 2024

In an era dominated by screens and social media, it’s easy to think that the college recruitment landscape has become impersonal. But amidst the noise of online content and digital campaigns, it’s the human touch that truly resonates with prospective students and their families. New data from the 2024 Prospective Family Engagement Report underscores the enduring power of in-person experiences, personalized interactions, and trusted guidance in shaping college decisions.

Transition 130

Transition Out-of-State Enrollment In-State 130

Ruffaloni

NOVEMBER 14, 2024

For those working in enrollment, the college planning process is familiar territory. We’ve navigated the deadlines, mastered the jargon, and understand the intricacies of financial aid. But for prospective students the landscape can be a bewildering maze Our recent study with ZeeMee, Enrollment and the Well-Being of Prospective Students: Creating a Culture of Care , sheds light on the anxieties surrounding college planning.

Financial Aid 130

Financial Aid Enrollment Scholarships Admissions 130

Ruffaloni

NOVEMBER 14, 2024

This week, RNL will release its third report focused on how institutions are currently marketing and recruiting for their online programs. The 2024 Online Program Marketing and Recruitment Practices report focuses specific attention on how online programs are leveraging AI, communications planning, and ROI in addition to question sets on the how and why of marketing and recruitment strategies and tactics.

Online Programs 130

Online Programs Programs Mentorship Mentorships 130

Ruffaloni

NOVEMBER 14, 2024

In today’s rapidly changing higher education landscape, the health of an institution is more critical than ever. A healthy organization is one that fosters a positive work environment, achieves its goals, and continuously improves. A healthy organization also has a profound impact on students, faculty, and staff by providing a more supportive learning environment, attracting and retaining top talent, and ultimately achieving its mission.

Higher Education 246

Higher Education Education Education Retention 246

Ruffaloni

NOVEMBER 7, 2024

How Elmira College Enrolled Their Best Class in 10 Years Despite FAFSA Fiascos and Campus Silos Dennis Kelly, Elmira College Dennis Kelly has seen a lot in his 30 years in higher education. He had success at multiple institutions—Cheyney University, Notre Dame University of Maryland, Cabrini University, Georgian Court, Marywood University, and Wilmington College.

Enrollment 245

Enrollment Financial Aid Honor Society Orientation 245

Ruffaloni

SEPTEMBER 27, 2024

Growing online enrollment is one of the most effective strategies institutions can employ to counterbalance the oncoming shortfall of traditional undergraduates. But recent developments from both the EdTech industry and the U.S. government are complicating life for many institutions. Just as we enter the academic year in which the first of two demographic cliffs is projected to begin, some of the largest Online Program Management (OPM) vendors have experienced business disruptions and the U.S.

Education 130

Education Education Government Online Programs 130

Ruffaloni

SEPTEMBER 27, 2024

The college recruitment landscape is shifting, and the latest data from the 2024 RNL High School Student College Planning Report (co-sponsored by Halda) paints a concerning picture for higher education institutions. High school students are feeling overwhelmed, under-informed, and surprisingly skeptical about the value of a college degree. If you’re in admissions or financial aid, these trends can’t be ignored – they threaten the very way you attract and enroll students.

Financial Aid 130

Financial Aid Higher Education Enrollment High School 130

Ruffaloni

SEPTEMBER 27, 2024

When election season rolls around, the world of digital advertising can feel like a wild storm—especially for higher education institutions. If you’ve ever noticed that your ads cost more during an election cycle, you’re not alone. But why is that happening? Let’s break it down. What’s driving up ad costs? Increased competition Political campaigns flood platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and other social channels with massive amounts of advertising.

Higher Education 130

Higher Education Enrollment Out-of-State Policies 130

Ruffaloni

SEPTEMBER 27, 2024

In the face of two demograpic cliffs , institutions are seeking innovative communication strategies to better engage with prospective students. Consulting engagements like deep audits of current communications and implementation of newly designed message flow architectures can seem like a “sure thing” for improving enrollment numbers, but enhancing more foundational strategic elements is likely necessary before these moves can be completely effective.

Enrollment 130

Enrollment Graduate Students High School Out-of-State 130

Ruffaloni

SEPTEMBER 24, 2024

Co-written by Dr. Reena Lichtenfeld , Vice President for Consulting Services As higher education institutions grapple with fluctuating prospective student markets, another retooling of test-optional policies, and increased scrutiny following the Supreme Court’s ruling against race-conscious admissions, many institutions are also facing a serious internal issue: burnout and turnover among admissions staff.

Admissions 130

Admissions Programs Mentorship Mentorships 130

Ruffaloni

AUGUST 28, 2024

Over the last few years, RNL has reported that the online education market is in the midst of a generational transition. With our 2024 national study, we can firmly say that this transition—from “Gen X/Millennial” to “Millennial/Gen Z”—is complete. Today, all but 24 percent of online students are within this new demographic. We now need to understand whether this represents a seismic shift in how we market, position, recruit for, and organize our online programs, or a more nuanced one.

Online Programs 147

Online Programs Transition Enrollment Higher Education 147

Ruffaloni

AUGUST 28, 2024

Phil Hill The high point of my experiences at last month’s RNL National Conference was the fireside chat I led with EdTech blogger Phil Hill. As I said in my introduction, when I need to know about the latest developments in online education, I have come to rely on Phil’s research and analysis. Through the prism of one of Phil’s recent blogs on the “ enrollment turbulence ” facing institutions, our conversation focused on how proposed changes to three U.S.

Policies 182

Policies Education Education Enrollment 182

Ruffaloni

JULY 11, 2024

Search engine optimization (SEO) is an essential element of any institution’s lead generation strategy and is a core tactic that should be at the center of your digital marketing strategy. Why? Your competition is investing in SEO. SEO delivers high-quality and high-propensity leads—great for top-of-funnel growth. Your web ranking improves when you add value to the web, increasing your visibility—Google matters.

Enrollment 130

Enrollment Higher Education Out-of-State Online Programs 130

Ruffaloni

JULY 11, 2024

Navigating the crowded waters of online higher education requires a standout positioning strategy. Differentiating between one program and the next can be hard for prospective students. An effective strategy starts with understanding what resonates with these students, and RNL’s new online student report provides the clues we need to develop a strategy that will connect with students.

Online Programs 130

Online Programs Programs Enrollment Internship 130