Dear ReUp,

Our enrollment numbers have been dropping for three years straight. Every cycle, leadership wants to know what we’re doing to turn things around. We’ve tried everything — new tactics, more outreach, fresh messaging — but nothing’s working. I’m starting to think this isn’t just about execution. How do I know if it’s time to step back and rethink our entire approach?

— Seeking a Course Correction

Dear Seeking:

You are not alone. Many leaders put in more effort, launch bigger campaigns, and refresh messaging, yet still do not see the results they are seeking. This is not a sign that you are doing something wrong. It is a signal that the enrollment model itself may need a fresh perspective.

Traditional enrollment plans assume a tidy learner journey: inquire, apply, enroll, persist, graduate. Life is rarely that simple. Data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center show that 43 million Americans have some college credit but no credential. These are students who paused for all kinds of reasons, and many are eager to return if given the opportunity. Does your enrollment plan reach them? Do your policies and procedures support learners whose paths are less linear?

In this context, optimizing tactics alone is like rearranging deck chairs. Outreach, messaging, and campaigns matter, but if the system is built for a traditional path, students who pause or step away can slip through the cracks.

Where does enrollment truly end at your institution? If it ends at census day, orientation, or after first-term retention, you may be missing a significant population of potential returnees. Students who pause are not failures. They are learners, and they are ready to engage if we design systems that meet them where they are.

Adult learners must be central to any new model. At ReUp, 86 percent of the learners we support are 25 or older, and most balance work, family, and other commitments. Surveys show that 61 percent still want to return. Interest is not the problem. It’s often the traditional model of enrollment that blocks them. 

It is time to rethink the model. This is leadership in action. Designing an enrollment approach that aligns with the lives of adult learners is not easy, but it is the key to sustainable growth. When institutions embrace this perspective, they unlock the potential of millions of learners who are ready to return. The opportunity is enormous, and the path forward is clear.

About the Author

Christina Savas is Group Director of Partner Success at ReUp, where she leads both individual and statewide partnerships. With 27 years of experience in higher education — including roles at institutions and strategic education partners — she is dedicated to driving enrollment growth and retention in market-aligned academic programs.

A first-generation graduate with an EdD, MBA, and BS, Christina is passionate about re-engaging stopped-out learners and supporting institutions in boosting persistence, completion, and long-term enrollment stability.