Ruffaloni

DECEMBER 7, 2023

This blog was co-authored with Ann Cools. By now we’ve all accepted that the next 60 days will be one of excitement and nervousness in the world of financial aid and enrollment management as we await the changes to the FAFSA. Some of you are well prepared; others are trying to get prepared with limited staff and even more limited resources. We feel your pain and we hope to provide a few things to have on your to-do list as you head into this delayed FAFSA season.

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Spark Admissions

JUNE 30, 2023

On June 29, 2023, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled against Harvard University and the University of North Carolina in twin cases brought by Students for Fair Admissions, ruling that the decades-long policy of race-conscious admissions in American higher education was unconstitutional. Although expected by court-watchers and experts, this landmark decision has the potential to change college admissions dramatically.

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Policies Out-of-State Higher Education Minor 264

UGA Undergraduate Admissions Q & A

NOVEMBER 17, 2023

In-State Early Action decisions will be released at 4 pm EST today, so here are some details about the In-State EA applicant and admitted groups. When you log into your status page, you will see a “View Update” link under the Status Update, and that is where you will see your decision. About 20 minutes after we release decisions, an email will go out to students who have not already checked their status letting them know a decision is available on their status page.

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In-State Financial Aid GPA Out-of-State 130

Georgia Tech Admissions Blog

DECEMBER 4, 2023

This weekend Florida State beat Louisville in the ACC Championship and capped off an undefeated football season at 13-0. Translation for non-sports fans: they beat everyone they played. They practiced and prepared for each game, and despite some hardships– including losing both their first- and second-string quarterbacks to injury, achieved at the highest level within the context of their schedule.

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Ruffaloni

DECEMBER 6, 2023

To break through the noise of digital marketing in 2023, you need to catch the attention of prospective students and drive them to take action. That requires great creative work that really stands out from all the other marketing messages that students see—and it’s what the RNL creative team does with each campaign they undertake for colleges and universities.

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Ruffaloni

OCTOBER 12, 2023

Market research provides the insights that give you a competitive advantage. Higher education is facing an array of challenges that require a thorough understanding of the landscape to ensure institutions remain competitive and that resources are allocated to strategies that can be most impactful. The key to navigating these challenges and achieving success lies in understanding the market, anticipating student and industry needs and interests, and implementing strategies to be competitive.

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Ruffaloni

SEPTEMBER 28, 2023

Are your online courses optimized for the way students learn? Student expectations are key for online enrollment. While increased demand for online learning has driven enrollment growth, simply having an online program may not be enough to attract and retain students. We must also consider the instructional design behind the course and how well it can deliver what students value.

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PrepScholar

FEBRUARY 3, 2023

SAT scores for the past few years have shown a marked decline, particularly since 2006, which can be attributed to various causes. In this article, we provide you with some charts showing the average SAT trends from 1972 to 2022 as well as the variation in SAT scores by ethnicity.

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SAT 134

The College Solutions Blog

JANUARY 26, 2023

An effective way to reduce the cost of college is to know how to successfully appeal for more financial aid. It’s critical to understand that the first financial aid award that a college delivers often doesn’t have to be the only offer. This is especially true since the enrollment management arms of many colleges use sophisticated algorithms in the hopes of answering this question: What is the smallest amount of a financial aid or merit award that we can offer a student that the family would acc

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EAB

SEPTEMBER 19, 2023

Podcast Could Your Students Benefit from “One Front Door” Onboarding? Episode 166. September 19, 2023. Welcome to the Office Hours with EAB podcast. You can join the conversation on social media using #EABOfficeHours. Follow the podcast on Spotify , Google Podcasts , Apple Podcasts , SoundCloud and Stitcher or visit our podcast homepage for additional episodes.

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Transcripts Community College Community College 119

Admitted

OCTOBER 10, 2023

By Don Heller, Gigi Jones, and Abby Miller The recent dismantling of affirmative action and the COVID pandemic highlighted the barriers preventing underserved, underrepresented students – students of color and those who are low-income and first-generation – from enrolling in college. A college degree is the pathway to social mobility for families trapped in the cycle of poverty.

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Inside Emory Admission

FEBRUARY 15, 2023

Finding the right college can be a challenging process. Before you begin the journey, you should take the time to define your own personal priorities (these could change as you get to know what universities have to offer). Once you decide upon what’s important in your college experience, you can start the exploration process–whether it’s from the comfort of your own home or whether you decide to visit in-person.

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Extracurricular Admissions Programs University 122

UGA Undergraduate Admissions Q & A

JANUARY 13, 2023

Defer: For many applicants, this tiny little five letter word should be added to the long list of swear words. It is never fun to be told to wait and see, from having to go standby for an airline flight to being on the wait list for a class, or even waiting to see if you got the tickets (concert or football) you hoped for when you put your name in for them.

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Scholarships Out-of-State Enrollment Applications 125

Georgia Tech Admissions Blog

MARCH 6, 2023

I loved watching Family Feud when I was a kid. The need to think quickly on the first showdown, the spontaneous family dynamics, and playing along at home with anyone who would join me. Over it’s 40+ year history, guests and gimmicks and hosts and networks have changed, and there have been some dark, quiet years when the show was scrapped, but today it is as lively and fun as ever.

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Admissions Out-of-State GPA Financial Aid 124

College Transitions

MARCH 14, 2023

If college is an obstacle course, you will have plenty of moments when you’re leaping from rope bridge to rope bridge like a cat and countless others when you’re flailing upside down in your harness.

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Great College Advice

SEPTEMBER 28, 2023

The college admissions process can be filled with uncertainty. One source of information that can help reduce the uncertainty — in some respects — are college admissions counselors. But do you know how to write an email to college admissions counselors? If you want to communicate with admissions, it’s best to think carefully about how you will communicate with the humans that populate those offices of admission.

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Admissions Waitlist Financial Aid Out-of-State 116

Ruffaloni

MAY 11, 2023

The current mental health crisis has made rejection even harder to take. May is college decision time, and we can’t think of a more emotional time in college planning than these next few weeks. With May being Mental Health Awareness Month , we at RNL wanted to reflect on the less popular side of the admissions process—the rejections. Rejection is a natural part of any application process.

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Financial Aid Acceptance High School Out-of-State 264

BestColleges

NOVEMBER 8, 2023

Black women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields face barriers along the way that their peers often don't. And these barriers may be why, when deciding on majors and future careers, many Black women in college decide not to pursue degrees in STEM. In fact, in the 2019-20 academic year, Black women earned just 3% of STEM degrees and certificates, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

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College Wise

MAY 26, 2023

My son is currently a 9 th grader who spent last summer asking me questions about starting high school. The conversation came up at least once a day, so I knew he was nervous. What I did not realize was how emotional I was, until I dropped him that first day of high school. It was a bigger transition than I anticipated. That first semester was a bit of a roller coaster ride because everything felt new to both me and my son.

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Colorado State University

NOVEMBER 15, 2023

In the “ How I chose my major ” series, we showcase the academic paths CSU students have taken, and students tell their stories in their own words. Read on to meet Kira, a English major , and learn how she decided it was the perfect path for her college career and far beyond. As a third-generation English major, my whole life pointed me toward this path.

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PrepScholar

MAY 9, 2023

If you're politically active, you may want to go to a college where the students, faculty, and administration share your values. You'll be more likely to find student groups that are aligned with your interests and beliefs, and you'll probably have a more enjoyable college experience. In this article, we'll give you a list of over 70 of the most liberal colleges in the United States.

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Niche

APRIL 24, 2023

Want to keep updated about the blog? Sign up for the newsletter! Register for the 5/11 Webinar Discussion Navigating the Survey The Junior College Search Process in 2023 Student Perspectives on Some Hot Admissions Trends Communicating With the Class of 2024 Higher Ed Marketing and Earning Student Consideration What Students Want in a College Methodology This year we received responses from over 5,100 high school juniors who shared their experiences with college search and feeling about the proce

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enrollmentFUEL

NOVEMBER 1, 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic drastically reshaped the landscape of higher education. With the rapid transition to online learning, both students and institutions faced a steep learning curve. However, this disruption also highlighted the immense potential of online education. As the world gradually emerges from the pandemic, higher education institutions are presented with opportunities and challenges in launching successful online academic programs.

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UGA Undergraduate Admissions Q & A

OCTOBER 9, 2023

For UGA Admissions, early October brings out a wide range of questions about the UGA Early Action process, so here is an FAQ on the most prevalent questions out there at this time. Should I apply Early Action or Regular Decision? I don’t know. I really don’t. It is actually up to you whether you should apply for EA or RD. If you are comfortable by October 15 with our office reviewing your file at that time, then apply EA.

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Out-of-State Scholarships SAT In-State 120

Georgia Tech Admissions Blog

APRIL 15, 2023

I have been overcommitted in the last few weeks. Apparently, months ago when I agreed to these programs and presentations, I either did not realize they were all bunched together, or I forgot that April in Admissions Land is chaos. Ironically, while the audience sizes, venue locations, and Zoom formats have varied, the closing question has been ubiquitous: “What is one last thing you would like to say to parents or students?

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Admissions Waitlist Financial Aid Loans 123

College Transitions

JANUARY 31, 2023

If you are a fan of podcasts like Serial, documentaries like Making a Murderer, and the billions of similar wrongful convictions stories that have been chronicled across various mediums in recent years, then you are.

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Applications 119

Inside Emory Admission

OCTOBER 11, 2023

During the fall season Atlanta provides sunny skies, a break from the humidity, and a crisp chill in the air. Emory students–and Atlantans alike–love to partake in outdoor activities when the heat of the summer has passed. Whether you want to spend a Saturday afternoon with friends or you’re in the mood for a quick study break, Atlanta offers many opportunities to enjoy the city without setting reservations or buying tickets.

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University University Admissions 105

Ruffaloni

JUNE 8, 2023

The RNL National Conference is the premier event for higher education professionals to attend each summer, to connect with colleagues, to learn the latest trends in enrollment management and student success, and also to hear from nationally recognized keynote speakers.Over two and a half days, attendees will have the opportunity to learn from experts in our field and connect with other higher education professionals to bring home the very best ideas for their campus to be successful in the year

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BestColleges

DECEMBER 15, 2023

Stand.earth, an advocacy organization managing the Global Fossil Fuel Divestment Commitments Database, announced the milestone on Dec. 15. Educational institutions make up 16.2% of worldwide fossil fuel divestment commitments. Organizations Campus Climate Network and Fossil Free Careers are poised to gain more ground in 2024. As of this month, over 1,600 institutions have committed to divest from fossil fuels, representing over $40 trillion in assets.

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Higher Education Policies Transfer Government 116

Great College Advice

OCTOBER 10, 2023

Inevitably, when I visit colleges and sit through their information sessions, a question comes from a concerned parent in the audience asking about the school’s acceptance rate (the number admitted divided by the number who applied) for Early Decision versus Regular Decision. The fundamental question? “Is it easier to get in if you apply early decision?

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Colorado State University

OCTOBER 25, 2023

What is the Native American Heritage Application Fee waiver? Colorado State University is celebrating Native American students and Native American Heritage Month by waiving the admissions application fee. From November 1-30, 2023, anyone with a tribal affiliation or who identifies as Native American is invited to apply for free. The process is easy and only takes a few clicks.

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Transfer Transcripts Applications Admissions 105

PrepScholar

APRIL 19, 2023

Because wages seem to be remaining stagnant and college costs continue to soar, financial concerns are weighing more heavily on families when students make their college decisions. Additionally, student loan debt is increasing and young people are worried about being saddled with astronomical debt when they graduate. That's why so many students are interested in going to one of the cheapest colleges in America.

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Loans In-State Financial Aid 111

Admissions.Blog

SEPTEMBER 22, 2023

A career in healthcare is coveted by many due to comfortable paychecks, and more importantly, high job satisfaction. Knowing that at the end of the day, the job you did helped save or improve lives cannot be quantified, but makes a big difference nonetheless. However, joining the healthcare and medical industry is no easy feat. After completing a four-year undergraduate program, aspirants have to then go on to choose a specialization they wish to pursue, with the duration of study often exceedin

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Out-of-State In-State Education Education 105

EAB

SEPTEMBER 20, 2023

Blogs Adult learners: who they are and what they want from college Across the last few years, colleges and universities have increasingly prioritized adult learner enrollment to offset declining undergraduate enrollment and diversify revenue streams. One hundred percent of the presidents and provosts EAB surveyed in 2022 said adult learner enrollment is a high or moderate priority for their institution.

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UGA Undergraduate Admissions Q & A

MARCH 17, 2023

We plan to make the final wave of freshman decisions available today, March 17th, in the late afternoon time frame. For those of you who have been admitted to UGA, here is a post for you and a chance to comment. Please remember that this is not a blog where you should post statistics or throw fellow students under the bus. These types of comments will be deleted.

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GPA SAT ACT Scholarships 116

Georgia Tech Admissions Blog

OCTOBER 13, 2023

Recently, our family has been watching the TV Show “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.” Not sure what it says about us that this is the one program we can all agree on, but that’s not what this blog is about. In the show, former athletes, reality TV “stars,” actors, and other famous to moderately well-known contestants go through a battery of grueling physical and mental tests to see if they have the attributes necessary to be in an elite military unit.

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College Transitions

SEPTEMBER 16, 2023

In my first few weeks of college, every other person I met said that they wanted to major in molecular biology. Having spent the better part of high school biology doodling in my notebook, this made very little sense to me. But this phenomenon—let’s call it MoBio FOMO—reflected the economic outlook of the early 2010s.

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High School 111