Khadeeja Reed, a Webster Schroeder High School graduate, wasn’t aware of the enrollment challenges facing many colleges or the complications from a recent federal financial aid form revision. Her focus was clear: locating the right school to pursue her dream of majoring in Health Sciences. She found it at Keuka College.
Webster Schroeder High School graduate Khadeeja Reed poses with her high school guidance counselor, Patty Cooke. Khadeeja plans to study Health Sciences at Keuka College.
So did Karla Pabon, a Saint Dominic Senior High School graduate from Hicksville, Long Island, who dreams of becoming an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter, and Kyleigh Ulrich, a Grand Island Senior High School graduate who will major in Occupational Therapy.
They’ll join more than 350 first-year and transfer students this fall as part of Keuka College’s largest incoming class in recent memory. All three cited the College’s size, academic opportunities, signature Field Period® internship program, and welcoming setting as among the attributes that attracted them.
“The Field Period® internship program was the deciding factor for me because it will give me an opportunity to explore my interests and get experience in my field before graduating,” said Khadeeja.
“I love how small and intimate it is,” said Kyleigh. “Being on the lake isn’t such a bad thing, either!”
Long Islander Karla Pabon has her sights set on becoming an American Sign Language interpreter.
The uptick in enrollment comes at a time when many colleges and universities are struggling to maintain enrollment rates, and several upstate New York schools have closed. Unlike some of those schools, Keuka College was able to capitalize on its small size during the enrollment process.
“Because we’re not a huge university, we’re able to devote personalized attention to every individual student,” said Vice President for Enrollment Management and Marketing Pete Bekisz. “When delays in releasing the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms created complications, our Admissions team worked one-on-one with applicants, extended deadlines, and provided needed support.”
Incoming Criminology and Criminal Justice major Fiona Duffy said Keuka College’s lakeside location and sense of community were among the reasons she applied.
The problematic FAFSA rollout led to an 11.6% decline in form submissions nationally, as reported by the National College Attainment Network. In response, Keuka College extended its application deadline for the Fall 2024 semester, dedicated additional resources to assist with FAFSA and college applications, and maintained frequent communication with applicants.
This support was invaluable to students like Fiona Duffy, a Washingtonville (Orange County, N.Y.) High School graduate who plans to study Criminology and Criminal Justice.
“My family and I hadn’t really ever dealt with anything regarding aid or FAFSA, so there were a few times we weren’t exactly sure how to proceed,” she said. “Whenever I reached out to Keuka, they were incredibly helpful. We were always greeted warmly and helped as much as possible.”
Christiana Curtis said one of her priorities for selecting a college was finding a campus that made her feel at peace. “When a student is in a good head space,” she said, “they tend to be able to perform better.”
A smooth enrollment process, including completion of the FAFSA submission, is crucial for Keuka College applicants, given the College’s generous scholarship program of up to $27,000 a year for all accepted students.
“Financial aid was a very important factor that I didn’t want to think about due to how much I liked Keuka after the first visit,” said Christiana Curtis, a Columbia High School graduate from the Albany area who’s eyeing a dual major in Writing & Communications Arts and Visual Communication Design. “So, when we got the financial aid package, we were extremely surprised to see how generous it was. That package allowed me to set in stone my final decision to go to Keuka.”
Now, students like Christiana, Fiona, Karla, Khadeeja, and Kyleigh are free to focus on what’s most important: transitioning to college life and getting to know one another.
“Keuka has a gorgeous campus, with plenty of outdoor space,” said Christiana. “As nervous as I am to be starting at Keuka, I find myself most excited to meet other students.”
