Freshmen College Enrollment Increases in Fall 2024, Despite Earlier Reports of Decline
The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center has released new data showing a 3% rise in overall undergraduate enrollment in the fall, contrary to its earlier report of a decline. The original report, released in October, was based on a “methodological error” that caused the miscounting of certain students, leading to an undercount of freshmen and an overcount of dual-enrolled students.
The error was discovered through a thorough review of the data, and the center’s executive director, Doug Shapiro, apologized for the mistake. The corrected data shows a 3% increase in undergraduate enrollment compared to the previous year, with a higher enrollment at four-year colleges where large shares of students receive Pell Grants.
The new data is based on different methodologies and is not based on preliminary data, which was released earlier. The center is conducting a thorough review to determine the cause of the error and implement measures to prevent similar mistakes in the future.
The fresh data is encouraging for the higher education sector, with U.S. Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal noting that the increase is consistent with the trend in federal aid, with more than 5% of students receiving aid this year.
Higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz noted that while the new FAFSA form has improved, there is still room for improvement, particularly for low-income and first-generation college students. The U.S. Department of Education has released the new FAFSA form for the 2025-26 school year, with the goal of improving college access. Overall, college application volume for the 2024-25 application season rose 8% compared to the previous year, with the majority coming from the Common Application platform.
