The rubber should hit the road by June, says Gray. “That’s when I think you’ll see an increase in the community college numbers,” she says, referring to four-year college admits opting for less expensive two-year community college. At the end of the day, Morgan State hopes to see a total of 2,100 new clients enroll by the time school doors open next fall, says Gray. That goal includes 1,700 freshman and 400 transfer students.

Some combination of boosting financial aid where possible, getting packages together faster and educating parents and students about the safety of expanded federal aid programs have been key tools in nearly every school’s new strategy.

At Fort Valley State University in Georgia, where applications have risen significantly, the school has increased the number of merit-based President and Dean’s scholarships and developed new procedures to make the enrollment process run more smoothly. School officials used this spring break to mount a major tour of high schools across the state, says Terrance Smith, vice president of student affairs and enrollment. With tuition, room and board set at $13,000 a year, Smith considered Ft. Valley competitive and expects a “significant” enrollment increase on the heels of a 17.7 percent increase last year.

Xavier officials, meanwhile echo others who say the nation’s changing economic landscape is prompting them to engage in more financial education for understandably nervous parents and students.

“We have so many students that never accept their aid awards because their parents have warned them against going into debt or they view these funds as typical loans,” says Winston Brown, dean of admissions at Xavier. “We are working with our students to help them better understand this is an investment in their future and they are not likely to receive this type of support, under such flexible terms, again in their lifetimes.”