In the fall of 2023, Kalamazoo College enrolled 372 first-year students. In 2024, that number was 314 — a drop of just over 15%.
In 2023, the U.S. Department of Education released a new version of its financial aid form, the FAFSA. It was meant to be shorter and simpler. But the rollout was plagued with technical issues and delays.
Like many schools, Kalamazoo College uses the FAFSA to determine a student’s financial aid.
"We weren't able to get financial aid offers out on the table until the end of April last year. And they’re normally out in October," Vice President for Admissions and Financial Aid Mj Huebner told WMUK.
She said the number of applicants, as well as the number of admitted students, was comparable to previous years. The drop occurred instead in enrollees — the students who chose K over other schools.
What students actually pay at Kalamazoo College, said Huebner, is similar to what they would pay at a larger school such as a public university. But that's not obvious to families without an offer.
Huebner added that small colleges invest differently in students than their larger counterparts, and that difference can lead to uncertainty for families.
"It was more of a known commodity, what you would have to pay at a state school, or even a community college," Huebner said.
This year’s cycle, for 2025 enrollees, has been smoother, she said. Rollout was less delayed, and the form is actually simpler. Huebner indicated she’s hopeful that the steady applicant numbers she sees now will lead to higher enrollment this fall.
Budget effects
This year's smaller class size means fewer students paying tuition for the next few years. Vice President for Business and Finance Lisa VanDeWeert spoke to the financial aspects of this decrease.
She said enrollment is one of many factors, including inflation and the price of insurance, stretching K's operating budget.
"All of those factors are causing the perfect storm where we have to evaluate our operations in order to make it more financially stable," she said.
The College has been working to improve its finances, VanDeWeert added, for a couple of years.
That includes renegotiating contracts, automating tasks, and delaying the replacement of retirees.
"We are looking at every single line item of our operating budget to evaluate it, to understand what changes might be made to increase revenue and decrease expense."
Overall, the College aims to reduce its operating budget by up to 5%.