A Customized Enrollment Strategy Helps Overcome Market Challenges

+10%

YoY increase in first-year headcount

+8%

increase in first-year net tuition revenue per student

Operating in the highly competitive New England market during a time of declining enrollments, the University of Maine grew headcount and tuition revenue with a highly personalized approach.

Aerial view of the University of Maine

When the enrollment pipeline narrows, data and agility win the day.

Hit hard by demographic shifts throughout their region, the University of Maine needed a way to grow enrollment and revenue despite the challenges. Our customized approach to enrollment and financial aid modeling helped them to beat the odds.

Student Type

Undergraduate

Solution

Enrollment

The Challenge 

In 2023, the University of Maine’s flagship campus faced a series of challenges. The enrollment cliff was heavily impacting the New England region, which was already a competitive higher ed market. This was complicated by a new statewide free community college initiative that, while promising to build future transfer momentum, threatened to cut into first-year enrollment in the short term.

At the same time, UMaine was contending with the difficult rollout of the new FAFSA for the Fall 2024 enrollment cycle. When UMaine needed a partner who could help them meet these demographic and financial aid challenges to achieve their enrollment and revenue goals, they looked to Carnegie.

Our Approach

Carnegie’s high-touch consulting and higher education modeling expertise made us an ideal partner to address UMaine’s challenges. 

We began by building custom yield and financial aid optimization models for each of Maine’s populations (in-state, out-of-state, first-year, transfer). All models were flexible, so we could forecast for a variety of strategies and circumstances, such as grant and scholarship investments for institution-wide strategies and specific academic programs. Additionally, UMaine’s teams assessed student-facing processes, resulting in faster admission decisions and more timely notification of scholarships for students. This further lifted their success, leading to comprehensive financial aid packages offered months before Fall ’24 deposit deadlines despite the FAFSA rollout challenges.

Our understanding of the higher education landscape helped us pivot strategies during the rollout of the FAFSA in 2024, ensuring UMaine was prepared and agile in the face of adversity. These investments and process improvements have driven both headcount and net tuition revenue success at UMaine.

A group of smiling students outdoors, with text: "+10% increase in headcount YoY, Enrollment Solutions.

What Worked

  • A custom approach to modeling provided tailored solutions for UMaine’s various student populations.
  • Flexible modeling enabled testing of existing strategies, which led to both proposals for new institution-wide strategies and more targeted investments in specific academic programs. 
  • Thorough reviews of grants and scholarships helped maximize return on investment.
  • Our higher education expertise and strategic partnership enabled the UMaine team to be nimble in the face of external challenges.
A woman examines a beaker in a lab; students sit on grass outdoors. Text: "Custom Modeling, Flexible Packages.

The Results

Our partnership with the University of Maine has driven both headcount and net tuition revenue success. The institution has exceeded growth benchmarks at comparable four-year public institutions in the region and nationwide. At the same time, UMaine has improved its ability to access and serve more in-state students across both first-year and transfer populations.

+10%

YoY increase in first-year headcount

+8%

increase in first-year net tuition revenue per student

10%

increase in new transfer student enrollment

A large group of people gathers on a green lawn in front of a campus building at the University of Maine.

Our partnership with Carnegie transformed our enrollment strategy. With their expert guidance in scholarship modeling, enrollment forecasting, and process optimization, we grew first-year and transfer enrollment by over 10% and increased net tuition revenue. Together, we exceeded regional and national benchmarks while deepening our commitment to access for Maine students.

Kevin B. Coughlin, Ph.D. Vice President of Enrollment Management University of Maine

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