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The impending demographic cliff in higher education— in other words, the predicted dramatic fall-off of college enrollment — came into view in the wake of the Great Recession that began around 2007. As this recent Hechinger Report article notes, we have arrived at the brink of it. Author Joel Vargas reports that this fall is the beginning of the decline in higher education enrollment, originally catalyzed by the recession-driven birthrate slowdown.
Vargas poses a challenge: What opportunity might be found in this crisis? He posits that "blurring the lines" between high school and college and increasing their interdependence, as with the growing incidence of dual enrollment programs, may keep more students engaged and prepare workers more effectively for post-college success.
This approach engages multiple coaching principles — spotlighting opportunity, focusing on strengths, clearly laying out the facts of a situation in order to problem solve productively, among others. Academic coaches can play a role at the grassroots level, both by applying these principles with their students, and by highlighting how academic success skills and strategies translate to greater effectiveness and longevity in the workplace. This will serve to, as Vargas puts it, "tighten the connections between high school, college and work."
Emphasize with your students how the actions of effective learning align with the actions of an engaged, high-performing employee. Ask questions such as:
- How does what you do in the academic setting build your value as an employee?
- What would it look like for you to operate effectively as a learner and as a worker?
- What steps can you take — today, this week, this semester — to move toward making that vision a reality?
The demographic enrollment crisis presents higher education with a powerful opportunity: placing academic coaching at the center of student success strategies.
LifeBound’s academic coaching training provides institutions with a proactive solution to enrollment pressures, strengthening student engagement, retention, and career readiness. By equipping faculty, staff, and academic coaches with relevant questioning, strengths-based approaches, and career-focused skills, campuses can effectively engage, retain, and prepare students to thrive academically and professionally, even amid enrollment challenges. These skills help to bolster faculty resilience as well as help the students they serve.
Available as a self-paced online course, live three-day virtual workshop, or advanced certification, LifeBound uniquely blends academic coaching expertise with real-world business insights, ensuring institutions remain competitive and students emerge career-ready and professionally prepared.
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