Chapman enrollment is on the rise amid ongoing diversity debate

Photo by Braylan Enscoe, Staff Photographer

Chapman enrollment in the fall of 2024 was the lowest in four years, but the Office of Admissions and Enrollment hopes for a change of tide in the fall of 2025.

In an email to university faculty, Assistant Vice President of Admissions Marcela Mejia-Martinez informed that the university received the third most applications in history, and their goal is to enroll 1,860 first-year and 300 transfer students this fall.

This is a positive turn for Chapman, which fell short of its 2024 enrollment goal by about 200 students, primarily due to changes and delays in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

“Application demand was good last year, (and) the number of students we admitted in profile for the class was good also,” said Mike Pelly, vice president and dean of enrollment. “The ability to apply for financial aid was horrible.”

As part of the FAFSA Simplification Act passed by Congress in 2020, the 2024 FAFSA application saw changes that sought to simplify the form for students, parents and colleges. These changes led to confusion and complications, leaving many students without financial aid packets by the May 1 enrollment deposit deadline. 

“That was an unforced error by the feds, in my opinion,” Pelly told The Panther. “They changed the FAFSA to make it simpler and more accessible, and they did the opposite.”

For many students, financial aid greatly influences their college decisions. Yet, with FAFSA back on track, schools like Chapman were able to send out financial aid packets to potential students, giving them the necessary time and information to make enrollment decisions.

“This year, the financial aid is much better,” Pelly said.“We were able to go out with awards in a timely fashion.”

Even with FAFSA packages swiftly being sent out to applicants, how many will choose Chapman is unknown until May 1.

“I think it is a bit too early to give any definitive statement on our admission,” President Daniele C. Struppa told The Panther. “What we can say is that the application volume was very healthy…we can also say that deposits are tracking favorably.” 

After crunching the numbers, Pelly expects around one in five admits to choose Chapman.

“It sounds low, but it’s really not because of how many colleges that student applied to,” Pelly said. “You’re predicting the behavior of 18-year-olds.”

Among many statistics about the admitted class, Mejia-Martinez pointed out that applicants are from seven United States territories, 66 different countries, speak 57 languages and hold 110 citizenships.

Although praising the medley of students Chapman attracts, the university’s stance on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is unclear. 

An uproar took over campus when Chapman was identified as one of the 60 colleges under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education for antisemitism. 

Further action was taken by students in a march for DEI after Provost Norma Bouchard and Vice President of DEI Reg Stewart went on leave without explanation. 

“I don’t think that (DEI) will influence us any more positively or negatively than any other school,” said Pelly. “I do believe that the protests we’ve had have primarily been Chapman students, and I support that because it's our students. A lot of other places have been kind of organized by outside groups coming in, and that's when things get out of hand.”

Like other schools, Chapman has been affected by changes in DEI policies, but application and enrollment numbers are on the rise for the fall despite the ever-changing political climate.