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Enrollment, Secured.

We’ve helped over 200 institutions grow their enrollment while making college more accessible.

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Future, Insured

Ardeo Education Solutions is a public benefit company dedicated to increasing access to higher education. Our enrollment solutions help colleges and universities enroll more students by removing the fear of student loan debt.

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How LRAPs Work

Ardeo’s LRAPs help institutions increase enrollment while giving students and families financial peace of mind. LRAPs make this powerful promise: If income after graduation is modest, a student’s LRAP award will help them repay their student loans. 

You send us a list of students you want to enroll with LRAPs. We reach out to your students and their families to educate them about the program.

Students accept their LRAP award and enroll at your university! You boost yield by giving your prospects the financial confidence they need to attend. You only pay for those who enroll and borrow.

We help your graduates repay their student loans. After graduation, we take it from there. You pay nothing more. Ardeo manages all assistance requests, and we answer any questions your students may have.

Used By Over 200 Colleges and Universities

Ardeo Helps Change Enrollment Decisions to ‘Yes’

Ruffalo Noel Levitz surveyed 1,200 families of students at several institutions. The survey found:

16.1% Wouldn’t Enroll Without LRAP 16.1% of matriculated families said their student would not have enrolled at their chosen institution without LRAP.

65.3% Positively Influenced Enrollment 65.3% of matriculated families strongly agreed or agreed LRAPs positively influenced their student’s decision to enroll.

24.6% Students of Color 24.6% of matriculated families of color said their student would not have enrolled without LRAP.

Why This Enrollment Leader Chooses LRAPs

Learn how this VPE is using LRAPs to reduce borrowing concerns, improve yield, and help more students choose their institution.

Hear from Katie

How LRAP Eases Student Loan Concerns at Eastern Michigan University

Length: Two minutes and fourteen seconds.

How LRAPs Change Student Outcomes

Like many students, Bri worried about the debt required to attend her first-choice institution.

LRAP gave her the confidence to enroll.

When it came time to launch her career, she was able to pursue the opportunity that was right for her, not just the one that paid the most.

Today, she’s living her dream. That’s the difference a financial safety net can make.

Read Bri’s Full Story

Testimonials

Previous Testimonial Slide

What Administrators & Students Say

“I was deciding between two colleges, CCU being one of them. I liked CCU better, but it was more expensive. LRAP tipped the scale.”

Lucy K.

LRAP Award Recipient

What Administrators & Students Say

“Throughout our first year, we were able to grow [new student] enrollment by about 78%. We decreased our discount rate by over 10%.”

Jeremy Taylor

Vice President for Enrollment Management, Defiance College

What Administrators & Students Say

“I was on the fence between two colleges. Ultimately, it came down to LRAP when deciding which college was better.”

Jacob F.

LRAP Award Recipient

What Administrators & Students Say

“Everyone we were competing with was adding a bit to financial aid packages every year, and again late in the cycle. When we did the same, we were lost in the noise. Offering LRAPs to all incoming students is a way to do something different. We likely would have reduced discount about a point if not for claw back rationing on our state grant program.”

Dr. Michael McMahon

Vice President for Enrollment Management, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota

What Administrators & Students Say

“[Students and families have said that LRAP] has helped them make their college decision, and moved Eastern to be their top choice of schools that they were considering.”

Katie Condon

Vice President of Enrollment Management, Eastern Michigan University

What Administrators & Students Say

“I remember receiving my first LRAP check in the mail. I cried. I laughed. I jumped up and down with joy! I was filled with extreme gratitude.”

Brianna G.

LRAP Award Recipient

What Administrators & Students Say

“We view LRAP as a catalyst to empower student choice and confidence at Belmont.”

Chris Gage, Ph.D.

Vice President for Enrollment Services, Belmont University

What Administrators & Students Say

“I become sold on [my institution] primarily because of the Loan Repayment Assistance Program. This program has enhanced my entire collegiate experience by alleviating unnecessary financial stress.”

Michelle K.

LRAP Award Recipient

What Administrators & Students Say

“One of the biggest challenges facing students today is not simply the cost of college — it is the uncertainty surrounding the return on that investment. The Magician Advantage LRAP helped us change that conversation.”

LaMar-Octavious Scott

Former Vice President of Student Affairs, LeMoyne-Owen College

What Administrators & Students Say

“If LRAP had not been offered to me, I would have had to stay local and attend a junior college.”

Diego G.

LRAP Award Recipient

What Administrators & Students Say

“…in the last four years that we’ve partnered with (Ardeo), we’ve cut our discount rate by 7% and we’ve increased net tuition revenue by close to 15%.”

Drew Whipple

Formerly Associate Vice President for Enrollment, MidAmerica Nazarene University

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How Many Students Could You Enroll With LRAPs?

Use our Growth Calculator to view enrollment projections for three popular LRAP strategies. We combine your institution’s IPEDS data with Ardeo’s historic performance to give you an instant idea of impact.

✓ Instant Results

✓ No Prep Required

✓ Compare Multiple Strategies

 

Launch Growth Calculator

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do I know if LRAPs would work at my institution?

Use our complimentary Enrollment Growth Calculator to estimate how many additional students you could enroll with LRAPs. In seconds, it combines your institution’s IPEDS data with Ardeo’s historical LRAP results to project your potential enrollment impact.

For a more detailed assessment, our team of former enrollment leaders can perform a custom analysis, evaluating your institution’s goals, student populations, and enrollment strategy to determine where LRAPs are most likely to make an impact.

What third-party research is there that LRAPs grow enrollment?

A Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL) survey of 1,200 matriculated families found that 16.1% said their student would not have enrolled and attended without LRAP, while 65.3% said LRAP positively influenced their enrollment decision.

Want to understand what LRAP could mean for your enrollment? Request a complimentary Opportunity Analysis. Our team of experienced enrollment leaders will evaluate your goals, student populations, and enrollment strategy to identify where LRAP is most likely to make an impact.

Are student loans really preventing students from enrolling?

Yes.

Research consistently shows that concerns about student debt and repayment are among the biggest barriers to enrollment.

In fact, “level of debt” is the #1 concern about college among families, according to a 2026 Princeton Review Survey of high school students and parents. It has been the #1 concern for 13 consecutive years.

This concern translates into real, measurable behavior. In 2026, Encoura found nearly 2 in 3 (60.2%) of students say they have ruled out a college because of the amount of student loans they would need to borrow.

The challenge isn’t simply the overall cost or amount required to borrow. Many students hesitate because they are uncertain about what life after graduation will look like.

Concerns like:

  • Will I be able to repay my loans?
  • Will debt limit my professional or personal choices?
  • What happens if I don’t earn as much as I expect?

often go unresolved during the enrollment process. LRAPs help institutions eliminate those concerns and enable enrollment.

What colleges and universities use LRAPs?

LRAPs have been used by more than 250 institutions.

Partners include institutions such as Belmont University, Westmont College, Loyola University New Orleans, Eastern Michigan University, Centenary College of Louisiana, Bradley University, Colorado Christian University, Valparaiso University, University of Portland, Palm Beach Atlantic University, Xavier University, and many others.

Why wouldn’t I just offer more financial aid?

Additional aid is an effective way to change a decision, but it’s expensive.

According to a 2024 Ellucian survey, it takes $5,000 in additional aid per year to change 44% of students’ enrollment decisions. That’s $20,000 over four years.

LRAPs can grow enrollment for a fraction of that cost.

For many families, the question isn’t just, “Can we afford this college?” It’s also, “What happens if things don’t go according to plan after graduation?”

By providing a post-graduation safety net, LRAPs resolve these concerns without requiring institutions to increase their discount rates.

Do I have to offer LRAP to all my students?

No.

Many institutions use LRAPs strategically to support specific enrollment goals.

Common targets include:

  • Education, social work, and other mission-driven majors
  • Populations with historically lower yield rates
  • Specific SAI or financial need bands
  • States or other geographic regions
  • First-generation students
  • Transfer students
  • Unresponsive admits

Institutions can target as many populations as they wish – up to their entire incoming class.

How much does an LRAP cost?

Pricing varies by client. Please reach out to view pricing for your institution.

Partners only pay for students who enroll with LRAPs and borrow.

Because LRAP costs are tied directly to enrollment outcomes, many institutions view them as a cash-flow-positive investment.

There are no upfront implementation fees.

How long does it take to launch?

Launch in as little as five business days.

Our team provides strategy consultation, admissions team training, marketing support, and ongoing check-ins to ensure a successful experience.

How do Loan Repayment Assistance Programs increase enrollment?

LRAPs help students feel more confident about the future.

Many institutions already work hard to make college affordable. Those efforts are important, but they don’t always address students’ concerns about what happens after graduation.

LRAPs provide reassurance that if a graduate’s income is modest, they won’t have to face student loan repayment alone.

As concerns about repayment decrease, students are more likely to:

  • Complete applications
  • Submit deposits
  • Follow through on their enrollment plans

The result is measurable enrollment growth.

“I would not have been able to attend Butler without this award. I love everything about Butler; however, the price tag discouraged me from attending. LRAP made me feel a lot more confident.”
– Delylah T., LRAP Recipient

Here’s a snapshot of the results some of our partners are seeing:

  • 355 students enrolled with LRAPs at Loyola University Chicago
  • 109 students enrolled with LRAPs at Aurora University
  • 61 students enrolled with LRAPs at Whitworth University
View More Case Studies

What is a Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP)?

A Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) is a financial safety net that helps repay federal student, private alternative, and parent PLUS loans if a graduate’s income is modest.

Institutions partner with Ardeo to offer LRAPs to their undergraduate students. By reducing concerns about borrowing and repayment, LRAPs help students feel more confident about enrolling.

Unlike scholarships or grants, LRAPs don’t reduce the overall cost of attendance. Instead, they provide reassurance about what happens after graduation by promising to put money in the pockets of grads who need repayment assistance.

Trending Resources

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Combat State Teacher Shortage with LRAPs

Student loans and modest starting salaries are major barriers for many prospective teachers. With LRAPs, education students have the freedom to follow their dreams.

Empower Future Educators

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Stats from Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL)

72% of families said they have ruled out institutions based on sticker price. So, what can institutions do?

Download RNL Stat Booklet

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Client Success: How Defiance College Boosted New Student Enrollment

You will hear from Defiance’s chief enrollment officer about why they were looking for innovative enrollment solutions and why they chose Ardeo to help them meet their institutional goals.

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