Why does this matter?
UNLV is entering a new era of undergraduate student enrollment. Demographic changes have increased competition across the country. Most states are experiencing declines in the number of high school graduates. While Nevada will see some increases over the next six years, out-of-market universities are driving competition by aggressively recruiting in Nevada now more than ever.
The composition of high school graduates is also changing, resulting in a decline in the demand for higher education. These factors are driving a decline in yield rates across both public and private institutions.
Acceptance rate is the percent of applicants admitted to the university. Yield is the percent of admitted students that enroll with us.
As reflected in these graphs, our yield is currently 43.4 percent, down from 51 percent two years ago. The national average for yields at four-year colleges and universities is 32 percent. Now that UNLV is attracting far larger numbers of high achieving applicants from new markets, as a matter of course, our yield is expected to continue to drop.
This actually means we are attracting the right kind of student from new markets and an increasing number of more highly qualified students from existing markets. UNLV is moving in the right direction.
Where do we hope to see this go?
Building new enrollment markets takes time. To combat declining yield rates, UNLV will need to continue to grow its applicant and admit pool if we are to increase enrollment. UNLV’s reputation as a Top Tier, research university is gaining steam. We will need to leverage that momentum to attract the students we most want to enroll
What are we doing to get there?
The Office of Admissions continues to see tremendous success in increasing UNLV’s visibility and reach in all markets. In the past four years, out-of-state applications have increased by 93 percent and admitted students by 64 percent; in-state applications have increased by 30 percent and admitted students by 30 percent. Sustaining that kind of success requires targeting the right prospective students and starting the conversation with them early in their high school careers. Successfully moving those students through the funnel all the way to enrollment will require strategic involvement of the campus community.
How you can help
The Office of Admissions has a lead role in recruitment, but its success depends on engagement of the entire university. Here’s how you can partner with Admissions: actively participate in Discover Tours, Rebel Preview, various bus trips, and on-campus group visits throughout the fall and spring that target prospective students; join us for programs targeting admitted students, such as spring Admitted Student Days and Scholar Achievement Receptions; and many other activities.
Colleges can partner with the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships to coordinate college scholarships with institutional scholarships early in the cycle, maximizing their impact. This will be critical moving forward in order to remain competitive in the current market.
