3. Three institutions that enroll high proportions of Black students experienced the largest declines in first-time freshmen enrollment. Declines may be related to challenges with the FAFSA.
Three institutions, Southwest TN Community College (STCC), Tennessee State University (TSU), and the University of Memphis enrolled approximately 13.8% of all first-time freshmen (FTF), but 50.9% of Black FTF statewide in 2023 – approximately half of all Black freshmen. TSU and the University of Memphis reported the largest decreases in FTF and undergraduate enrollment for Fall 2024. TSU enrolled approximately 889 less first-time freshmen students in Fall 2024 while the University of Memphis enrolled approximately 620 less first-time freshmen compared to Fall 2023.
Challenges with the rollout of the 2023-24 FAFSA, an essential form that allows millions of students access to financial aid every year, may have contributed to this decline in FTF enrollment, alongside other factors. Leveraging this 14th day enrollment data, institutions that serve a large majority of Black first time freshmen across Tennessee have been most impacted in the Fall of 2024. While college-going data for the Class of 2024 is still to be released, future data releases from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission may offer additional clarity. Importantly, large declines in FTF and overall enrollment at Tennessee State University coincide with significant financial and governance challenges at the institution.