Colleges work to get new students in down economy - JULIE MACK, Kalamazoo Gazette

Officials at Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo College say they're working hard to prevent enrollment declines in 2009-10 but face considerable uncertainty about how the sour economy will affect students' plans for next fall. Will high school seniors choose less-expensive colleges than they might have selected a year or two ago? Will students pay deposits now only to change their minds this summer if the recession worsens? How will the recession affect retention of current undergraduates? How can schools maximize their use of financial aid at a time when families are taking a hard look at college costs?