While the nation has seen a large decline in college admissions, Weber State University and other schools in Utah have avoided this trend. Interim President Leslie Durham explained that while there was a 4% decrease in fall of 2025 this was likely due to a decrease of international students. “Right now, we are ahead of pace for fall 2026, so we are very optimistic,” Durham said.
Leslie Park, Weber State’s executive director of Admissions and Recruitment, said this trend started on the East Coast. She said that it is due primarily to the lower birth rate. “Just the pure number of 18-year-olds has declined as well,” she said. While this birth rate decline has not yet hit Utah, Park explained that it has led to greater competition with out-of-state schools to keep the students in Utah. Park said that a declining birthrate, paired with a growing narrative about the worth of higher education, has led to an overall dip in the number of freshmen enrolling in these schools.
Park has said that Weber’s flexibility regarding online programs and openness to non-traditional students have also aided in staying ahead of the patterns of decline. Durham said that Weber is working to keep its numbers high by working towards removing barriers for students. The university has made investments in advising, improved the timing of financial aid, reducing course fees and expanding partnerships among other initiatives.
High school junior Melanie Rucker said that she plans to pursue at least an associate’s degree after graduation. Rucker said this will happen after she spends time working to save money for higher education. She believes this will help her secure better employment in the long run.
Despite the projection that Utah will face a similar decline to these other states, Durham remains hopeful.
“Higher education is in a challenging period, but Weber State is well-positioned to weather this storm. We are creative and entrepreneurial, continually looking for ways to bring a transformational college experience within reach for more students,” she said. “When students do enroll here, they will find deeply caring, talented faculty and staff, along with meaningful, exciting opportunities that will expand what they thought was possible for their careers and lives.”
