This fall, colleges and universities are preparing to welcome what could be the largest freshman class in U.S. history. It should be a moment of promise—a surge in enrollment after years of volatility. But instead, it’s happening against a backdrop of deep financial and political uncertainty.

From the Supreme Court’s affirmative action ruling to sweeping proposals to dismantle the Department of Education, higher ed is grappling with rapid change. Budget cuts, reduced staffing, rising costs, changing rules, and public skepticism are all putting pressure on institutions—and on the students trying to make sense of it all.

At a time like this, how colleges support students financially isn’t just a back-office function. It’s front and center in the student experience—and in a school’s ability to meet enrollment and retention goals.

Here are three things every student financial services office should be thinking about heading into this pivotal fall:

1. Cost clarity isn’t optional anymore

From last year’s chaotic FAFSA rollout to headlines about current potential student loan disruption, transparency for families around how much of an investment they will be making is more critical than ever. 

A modern net price calculator isn’t just a regulatory box to check. It’s one of the most effective ways to build trust and eliminate confusion early in the enrollment journey, especially with students who may not have access to counselors or financial advisors. Clear, personalized pricing helps families make informed decisions and removes a major barrier to application and yield.

2. Scaling impact without adding headcount is essential

Many student financial services teams are being asked to do more with less—whether due to hiring freezes, budget cuts, or growing caseloads. But as student needs grow more complex, the demand for responsive, empathetic financial support is only increasing. And not only is there a push to do more, but the stakes are higher for recovering as much revenue and re-enrolling as many students as possible. This means that manual processes, especially those involved in pursuing past-due balances for in-house pre-collections, are crippling already stretched student financial services teams.

This is where modern tools for the high-effort, but important work of pre-collections matter. Automating communication, simplifying past-due billing presentation, and giving students self-serve options can free up staff time for higher-touch, higher-impact work. In a year with record enrollment, scaling support without burning out your team is critical.

3. On-time payments protect both students and schools

With institutional budgets tightening and federal support in flux, on-time tuition payments are more important than ever. But the path to those payments isn’t always straightforward for students—especially first-years navigating college finances for the first time.

Schools that make the payment experience clear, mobile-friendly, and proactive (think communication to students in the channels where they pay attention, reminders, flexible payment plans, and transparency around balances) are far more likely to see strong payment performance. And when students feel supported rather than penalized, they're more likely to pay on time, stay enrolled, and engaged.

Financial support is student support

For years, colleges have been talking about becoming more student-centered. This fall, as millions of new students step onto campus, the need to follow through on that promise will be more urgent—and more visible—than ever. For better or for worse, this moment in history is shining a spotlight on the services that keep institutions solvent and in good financial health to withstand turmoil and the student financial services offer is front and center. 

The question for institutions isn’t just whether they’re ready to welcome a bigger class. It’s whether their financial systems, communication strategies, and student support tools are built for this moment. The universities that innovate and bolster their systems and teams with modern tools and approaches will emerge as leaders that can weather the uncertainty of today and that to come.