More than half of community college students considered abandoning their enrollment plans entirely due to frustrating admissions processes and inadequate support, according to a new survey that highlights critical gaps in how colleges onboard prospective students.
"Students are falling through the cracks during admissions and onboarding, despite the time and energy staff invest in recruiting them," the report states. "These missed connections can derail students from reaching their personal and career goals."
The findings come as community colleges face mounting enrollment pressures. Only 63% of recent high school graduates enrolled in college in 2024, down from 66% in 2019, while 58% of U.S. counties have seen declines in their under-five population since 2020, signaling future enrollment challenges.
The survey revealed significant disparities between student expectations and institutional capacity. While 73% of students expected responses to enrollment questions within 24 hours, only 21% actually received them that quickly. More than a quarter (27%) waited over a week for responses, and 7% never heard back at all.
Students are also requesting help through labor-intensive channels that strain already overextended staff. Among students who requested information before applying, 51% completed online interest forms, 45% emailed colleges directly, and 36% called. Only 28% used chatbot or live chat options, suggesting many colleges lack robust self-service tools.
Despite the digital age, students strongly value face-to-face interactions. Nearly three-quarters (73%) said personal interaction during enrollment was extremely or very important. Before applying, 27% toured campuses, 23% attended on-campus information sessions, and 21% attended high school information sessions.
