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Politics have always played a role in higher education, but in today’s climate, are they actually influencing where students apply and enroll?

In our Season Nine premiere, we tackle the complex relationship between politics and the college search—what the data tells us, how families are navigating these concerns, and what admissions offices can do about it.

Joining us this week are two expert guests:

• Grant De Roo, Founder and Principal of ADV Market Research & Consulting in Iowa City, Iowa, who shares key insights from his recent nationwide study on how state politics affect student decision-making.
• Robert Nowak, Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management and Dean of Admissions at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, who offers a campus-level perspective on how politically divided states impact recruitment and student perceptions.

We discuss surprising findings from the research, strategies for communicating institutional values without getting caught in political crossfire, and how admissions professionals can help students focus on belonging and fit rather than just red vs. blue.