Enrollment numbers at Kansas State University continue to be affected due to COVID.
Richard Myers, K-State President, tells KMAN that they consider three different buckets when looking at enrollment. They look at applications, admissions, and enrollments.
“Our apply and admits are the highest ever in the schools history,” Myers says. “This year, the yield, the number of those that are admitted that actually enroll, I think has been impacted by COVID.”
Myers adds that students decide to come to K-State by coming to campus, seeing the campus, and meeting the people, but due to COVID-19, there has been limited opportunities to do so, which he believes has hurt both freshman enrollments as well as out-of-state enrollments.
He says the university is actually taking a focus on increasing out-of-state enrollment numbers, largely in part to the decrease in the number of graduating Kansas seniors going to college over the last several years.
“We’re a great value, we have great curriculum, great academic quality and credentials, so we feel that we can attract out-of-state students.”
Myers says Kansas State University is currently primarily an in-state recruiter with about an 80%-20% ratio of in-state to out-of-state students and since the pandemic it has been even more challenging to increase the out-of-state numbers.
“We are one of those places where it makes a difference to be here, to come here,” Myers adds. “Of course, Kansas students probably have been on campus with their parents one time or another through our many programs, but out-of-state students have no clue.”
Myers says another factor they consider when trying to increase enrollment is the cost. He says while the concern of college affordability continues to rise, he believes finances should never stand in the way of a student and a college education.
“The land grant promise from the Morrill Acts of 1962, was to provide access, broad access, to university education, and part of that is making sure there aren’t obstacles, like finances to get them to do it.”
Myers says the university is working hard to bridge the affordability gap and to make college an option for everyone.
“We also are very lucky at K-State with our alumni, and friends, and supporters, and corporations, to receive a lot of philanthropy around scholarships and that sort of thing.”
Myers adds that Kansas State University is dedicated to making college affordable for everyone.
