Technical difficulties in the wake of the FAFSA Simplification Act, scheduled to go into effect for the 2024-25 academic year, have caused significant challenges for both students and institutions in determining what financial aid may be available. The cascading results have affected multiple parts of the college application process, including housing. Earlier this month, ACUHO-I conducted a straw poll of its members to learn more about the FAFSA delay, its impact on projected enrollment and on-campus housing applications, and the potential impact it could have on housing occupancy for the upcoming semester.
The poll results illustrate how institutions are faring in enrollment and occupancy compared to the prior year, and delve into differences by region and select institutional characteristics. Highlighted findings include:
- Growth in occupancy: despite the FAFSA delay and related issues, there appears to be growth at institutions in certain regions.
- Size matters: larger institutions appear to be faring better overall compared to smaller institutions, with occupancy numbers remaining stable or increasing compared to prior year.
- Short- and long-term Effects: potential short- and long-term effects on students, institutions, and higher education are identified.
The full poll results are available to download below. They are also available in the ACUHO-I online community.
About ACUHO-I
ACUHO-I is the leading association for campus housing and residence life staff members with more than 17,000 professionals representing 3.2 million on-campus student residents from around the globe. ACUHO-I offers educational events, authoritative publications, and credible data and research that demonstrates the positive effect that campus housing and residence life have on student recruitment, retention, growth, and achievement.
