Did you receive the news that your college is shutting its doors? You are not alone. As the college landscape changes to adjust for enrollment shifts, there will inevitably be an impact on colleges across the country. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, collective undergraduate enrollment decreased by 15% between 2010 and 2021. This is due to a variety of factors, including a steadily falling birthrate that ultimately results in less students graduating high school. Colleges and universities are then left with smaller applicant pools and enrollment rosters. If schools are unable to make enough financial adjustments to account for this decreased enrollment, then eventually the decision will have to be made to close.
This decision is difficult across the board, for the college and university staff, faculty, alumni, and current students. It can also impact the surrounding towns and local economy. Doug Moore, founding partner of a firm that manages colleges’ closing processes and logistics, stated in an interview that shutting a college’s doors is “brutal and painful.”
While the ripple effect of a college closing is far reaching, you may be wondering how to navigate this news as a student. Brothers John and Billy Gillet faced this situation when they received the news that their school, Eastern Nazarene College, was closing its doors. John would have entered his fourth and final year at ENC; Billy was entering his sophomore year. Here are the key aspects of managing the news of a college closing, with some insights from these brothers who have lived through it.
School Agreements and Teach-Out Plans
Some higher institutions that close their doors have worked with other schools to establish agreements or teach-out plans. Teach-out plans, sometimes known as provisional plans, are legal contracts that outline how students can have a reasonable opportunity to complete their degree at another school. This type of agreement can aid students with the transfer of their earned credits and completion of their specific programs of study.
As your first step, be sure to ask if your school has made any agreements with other colleges or universities. You may find that the transition to these contracted schools is easier to manage and more cost-effective than transferring to another college. This is because you will most likely be able to transfer more credits at these schools versus schools not included in the teach-out plan.
John, as a senior, found his new school outside of the agreements that ENC had made. Some changes were helpful, like the overall school cost being significantly less than ENC’s cost; but some were frustrating, such as many of his credits not transferring. He only found this information out after he accepted his admission offer.
Billy chose a school that ENC had partnered with, but he still discovered that not all of his credits transferred. Even though his new school has a higher tuition rate than ENC’s, part of the agreement allows Billy’s first year attending this new school to cost much less.
Their biggest piece of advice: “Make sure you know how many credits you’re losing when you transfer.”
Applications
If you have the option to choose a college or university that your current school has partnered with, then your application process may be different than if you transfer to a school outside of their agreement(s). Either way, be sure to follow the instructions for the specific school(s) you are applying to. It’s also important to update your FAFSA. Billy noted that to add another school to this application was the “easiest thing.”
Both brothers agreed that selecting a new college was a process. It involved research, campus visits, and many conversations about the transition.
Just be sure to take the time you need to decide on your next steps. There is no need to enroll at a college in a panic. Do your research about how to best navigate completing your program of study, considering academics, finances, and overall college experience.
Transcripts
Be sure to request your academic transcript from your current college. Unless the college has a record-keeping agreement in place with a school or organization, you may not be able to access your transcripts or school records after the college officially closes its doors. It’s wise to request a handful of transcripts or receive and save a copy electronically.
Loans
Communicate with your loan servicer and update your school of record. You want to be sure your loans will not enter repayment unexpectedly due to your school’s closure.
If you need time before enrolling in another degree-granting program, consider the important information that the U.S. Department of Education shares about school closures in regard to federal financial aid.
Silver Linings
Although it is not welcome news to hear that your college or university is closing its doors, there can be green grass on the other side. The Gillet brothers miss aspects of ENC, but both have found the silver linings in their situations. John is glad he found a school with lower tuition and Billy prefers the community and college atmosphere at his new school.
No matter what school you attend—or transfer to—you can always make the most of your opportunities.
