Anonymous
Post 08/22/2025 08:30     Subject: Elon big decline in enrollment
I have a kid there, their top two were Elon and Furman. The school has been around since 1889 and the town is named after it. It's a tough marketing spot I would think, they can make a joke about it but offend some. Elon and DOGE was relentless news story during application period. I think most intelligent people can separate it all, but there will definitely be some that can't look past it I presume.

I am curious to see how the Dickinson, Denison, Gettysburg, Fairfield etc. faired and if they had similar drops.
Anonymous
Post 08/22/2025 08:28     Subject: Elon big decline in enrollment
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I had never heard of it until last year and I definitely recoiled because of the name. I assumed there was a real link to Musk, whose corporate interests are hard to keep track of.


If you haven’t heard of this school since last year, you’ve been living under a rock or have very limited knowledge of colleges.


DP. It’s a small, mid-tier college; there are a lot of those, and most people haven’t heard of any of them! My kid goes to a highly ranked LAC that is well-known among on sites like DCUM but gets blank stares from people who don’t spend their lives talking about colleges on the internet.

Everyone like PP who hears about it for the first time is going to have the same reaction. Given his wealth, that’s a totally reasonable assumption. This is a problem!
Anonymous
Post 08/22/2025 08:27     Subject: Elon big decline in enrollment
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I had never heard of it until last year and I definitely recoiled because of the name. I assumed there was a real link to Musk, whose corporate interests are hard to keep track of.


If you haven’t heard of this school since last year, you’ve been living under a rock or have very limited knowledge of colleges.

You aren't living under a rock if you haven't heard of a school that can't get 20,000 applications and accepts 67% of its applicants.
Anonymous
Post 08/22/2025 08:26     Subject: Elon big decline in enrollment
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I had never heard of it until last year and I definitely recoiled because of the name. I assumed there was a real link to Musk, whose corporate interests are hard to keep track of.


If you haven’t heard of this school since last year, you’ve been living under a rock or have very limited knowledge of colleges.


It’s a tiny regional school in the south. Not everyone is going to hear about it.

Anonymous
Post 08/22/2025 08:25     Subject: Elon big decline in enrollment
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Because no one wants to walk around in a sweatshirt with the name Elon on it. This will fade over time. Just like many no longer want to be seen in a Tesla now.


He’s one of the most famous people in the world, he’s only in his 50s, and he can’t help but make a spectacle of himself. He’s responsible for putting hundreds of thousands of people out of work in the US and killing millions of people around the world. The stink on the name “Elon” is permanent. I would put money on the college rebranding/renaming itself in the next 5-10 years.


They really should rebrand themselves. But that surely won't be easy. Has any other college pulled off a rebrand in recent history?
Anonymous
Post 08/22/2025 08:21     Subject: Elon big decline in enrollment
Anonymous wrote:I had never heard of it until last year and I definitely recoiled because of the name. I assumed there was a real link to Musk, whose corporate interests are hard to keep track of.


If you haven’t heard of this school since last year, you’ve been living under a rock or have very limited knowledge of colleges.
Anonymous
Post 08/22/2025 07:52     Subject: Elon big decline in enrollment
Anonymous wrote:Because no one wants to walk around in a sweatshirt with the name Elon on it. This will fade over time. Just like many no longer want to be seen in a Tesla now.


He’s one of the most famous people in the world, he’s only in his 50s, and he can’t help but make a spectacle of himself. He’s responsible for putting hundreds of thousands of people out of work in the US and killing millions of people around the world. The stink on the name “Elon” is permanent. I would put money on the college rebranding/renaming itself in the next 5-10 years.
Anonymous
Post 08/22/2025 05:24     Subject: Elon big decline in enrollment
Because no one wants to walk around in a sweatshirt with the name Elon on it. This will fade over time. Just like many no longer want to be seen in a Tesla now.
Anonymous
Post 08/22/2025 03:35     Subject: Elon big decline in enrollment
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Perfect storm:

1. Expensive, mid-tier private at a time when people are feeling economic precarity…

2. …and the government is reducing college affordability/access by limiting federally subsidized loans…

3. …and also reducing the international student pool.

4. Yes, Elon Musk has made the name “Elon” toxic. This might not be a big issue for a highly ranked, widely know school, but for a school like Elon, combined with the other factors, it’s a problem. How many people want to walk around with the name “Elon” plastered across their chest or on a hat? Most people have never heard of Elon University, so their first association when they see an Elon sweatshirt is Musk. It’s terrible for their brand, and a small, expensive, regional school cannot afford that.


Isn't Elon a lot cheaper than other privates? In NY it is seen as a solid choice for students who really want to be in the South but don't have the stats for Emory or Wake. I also know a kid who probably could have gotten into one of those 2, but chose Elon for the business leaders program + smaller more personal experience. Parents are well-off and the tuition isn't an issue.

I highly doubt people who just miss Emory would drop all the way down to Elon. Thats delusion.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2025 23:29     Subject: Elon big decline in enrollment
The school swag does cause a double take these days.

Great school though.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2025 22:22     Subject: Elon big decline in enrollment
I am a proud alumni and bummed with the news. Hoping this is something they can turn around. I know they’ve added more programs (like nursing) since my time there.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2025 22:11     Subject: Elon big decline in enrollment
Interestingly both DC loved Elon, and they are nearly polar opposites in both academics and ‘ school fit” requirements. I have met a few graduates from Elon and know one family with a child there - all very positive about their experience.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2025 22:09     Subject: Elon big decline in enrollment
Anonymous wrote:Although Elon's rationale for the drop in enrollment lacks credibility, I don't think we can jump to conclusions about the real cause for the drop. While not a perfect comp to Elon, Furman had a similar drop. First year enrollment for the class of 2029 at Furman is 557 vs 616 for the class of 2028, a 10.6% drop. As class profiles get posted at moderately selective colleges, it will be interesting to see which schools dropped and any trends among those colleges with bigger declines.


Agree. I am sure this will be seen widely this year and even more so next year. This is not an Elon specific problem.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2025 21:54     Subject: Elon big decline in enrollment
Anonymous wrote:Although Elon's rationale for the drop in enrollment lacks credibility, I don't think we can jump to conclusions about the real cause for the drop. While not a perfect comp to Elon, Furman had a similar drop. First year enrollment for the class of 2029 at Furman is 557 vs 616 for the class of 2028, a 10.6% drop. As class profiles get posted at moderately selective colleges, it will be interesting to see which schools dropped and any trends among those colleges with bigger declines.


Interesting. Maybe kids don't want to go to Elon or FU.

JK. I am very familiar with Elon. It is a wonderful place for the right kids.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2025 21:51     Subject: Elon big decline in enrollment
Although Elon's rationale for the drop in enrollment lacks credibility, I don't think we can jump to conclusions about the real cause for the drop. While not a perfect comp to Elon, Furman had a similar drop. First year enrollment for the class of 2029 at Furman is 557 vs 616 for the class of 2028, a 10.6% drop. As class profiles get posted at moderately selective colleges, it will be interesting to see which schools dropped and any trends among those colleges with bigger declines.