Why Ardeo’s Mission Matters in the Face of a Declining College-Bound Population

March 3, 2025

In the Media

Why Ardeo’s Mission Matters in the Face of a Declining College-Bound Population

Dr. Kim Myrick, Vice President of Campus Partnerships

WICHE’s recent report and their latest projections show the number of high school graduates will peak in 2025 as anticipated – but that the decline might be slightly deeper than expected.

⮚ To read a summary of WICHE’s results, check out Higher Ed Dive’s analysis here.

Colleges and universities are facing tough choices. Ardeo can help.

Ardeo’s Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) is one of our enrollment tools that help colleges and universities enroll more students by overcoming concerns about student loans.

Our mission is to increase access to the transformative power of higher education for more students. We believe that by receiving a student loan safety net, students will feel empowered to enroll at their preferred college and will feel more confident following their dreams and pursuing their passions – not a paycheck – after graduation.

Why does this mission and Ardeo’s belief matter in the face of a declining college-bound population?

Increasing the rate of college-going students will be part of the solution for some states. (Nebraska is actively involved in such an effort). Promoting the availability of Loan Repayment Assistance Programs has the potential to support these efforts if the college promotes LRAP early and broadly.
Students choose not to complete the FAFSA because they are loan averse – it is in the top two reasons¹! Only 51% of students who do not submit the FAFSA enroll compared to 90%+ of those who do apply². Reducing loan aversion could help boost FAFSA submission rates and enrollment. (Some states require FAFSA submission. Texas is one of those.)
According to our most recent research with RNL and Halda, students who apply for admission may not complete the application (and so can’t be admitted) due to loan aversion³. Communicating the availability of LRAPs to incomplete applicants could boost completion. Timing is critical – earlier is better, of course. Offering LRAP to stale, incomplete apps could boost completion rates.
When higher ed needs more students to consider college, 71%⁴ of families of college-bound students report concern about using loans to pay for college is negatively impacting college planning. Students and families are ruling colleges out due to sticker shock and the need to use loans to pay for college. While this concern is higher among lower income families, families with incomes above $200,000 also report concerns.
Offering LRAPs differentiates campuses from their competitors at a time when this is desperately needed. If the population is decreasing, campuses must capture market share from others if they plan to grow.