Building The Pipeline: Pre-College Programs in Higher Education | Results of the December 2025 60-Second Survey

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60 Second Survey
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Pre-College
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In December 2025, AACRAO created and distributed a 60-second survey to admissions professionals at higher education institutions, asking them to share information about their pre-college programs.

In December 2025, AACRAO created and distributed a 60-second survey to admissions professionals at higher education institutions in the United States. The survey asked these professionals to share information about their pre-college program offerings, organizational structures, integration with admissions, and program purposes. It received 161 institutional responses, providing insight into the current landscape of pre-college programming across higher education.

Key Data

Most institutions recognize pre-college programs as an important part of their enrollment pipeline.
77% of undergraduate-serving institutions offer pre-college programs.
54% of respondents offer summer bridge programs for incoming first-year learners.
61% of institutions offer one or more programs at no cost to learners.
And more.

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Unless otherwise noted in a specific report, the AACRAO member institution size, type and control categories are based on the following definitions and sources:

The enrollment value used to delineate the institution's size category is defined as full-time enrollment plus 1/3 of part-time enrollment and is based on the enrollment reported by the institution to the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).