Transparent Costs, Confident Students: How Austin Peay Achieved Record Enrollment in Back-to-Back Years

As a regional public university (RPU) serving more than 10,000 students, Austin Peay State University (APSU) plays a vital role in expanding access to affordable, high-quality education in Tennessee. Like many RPUs, APSU enrolls a large proportion of Pell-eligible and first-generation students—precisely the kinds of students most sensitive to college pricing. These institutions, while less likely to make national headlines, educate nearly 70% of all public four-year college students in the U.S. and drive upward mobility for their surrounding communities.

But affordability only matters if students can see it clearly. APSU needed a better way to communicate the real, personalized cost of attendance—not just during moments of disruption like the FAFSA delays, but as a reliable, ongoing resource for students and families navigating financial aid with confidence.

The challenge

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Before partnering with Meadow, APSU relied on the federal template net price calculator (NPC) provided by the Department of Education. While technically compliant, the tool calculated cost of attendance based only on averages, painting an incomplete—or at times, misleading—picture of the actual cost. It didn’t account for Tennessee’s robust state aid programs, like the Tennessee Hope Scholarship, Aspire Award, Tennessee Promise, or APSU’s institutional aid. The result? Many students—especially first-time freshmen—were left confused or deterred by the “sticker price” of college.

Given APSU’s student demographics, this lack of clarity had serious consequences. For first-generation and Pell-eligible students, an inaccurate estimate could mean the difference between enrolling and walking away.

This became especially urgent during the 2024–2025 FAFSA cycle, when nationwide delays left families waiting months for aid packages. For APSU’s leadership, poor net price visibility wasn’t just an operational issue—it posed a direct risk to student trust, yield, and recruitment.

WATCH: The situation at hand

“We were traveling the state for admitted student events, talking to students and families who didn’t have aid packages yet. It was critical that we find a way to give them accurate, personalized financial aid estimates,” said Randi Robinson, Executive Director of Financial Aid.‍

The solution

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After meeting Meadow at the NASFAA Leadership and Legislative Conference in February 2024, APSU moved quickly. Partnering closely with Meadow, the team configured a customized net price calculator that incorporated:

• Federal and state aid rules
• Institutional scholarships
• APSU’s true cost of attendance

The result was a fast, student-friendly, and accurate calculator—launched just in time for APSU’s admitted student tour across Tennessee.

WATCH: A much simpler tool

“What drew us to Meadow was its speed and customization,” Randi shared. “We had demoed calculators that could take 20 minutes per student. Meadow’s is quick, accurate, and built to reflect Tennessee’s unique aid programs. It’s a much better experience for students and families.”

The value was so clear that APSU’s leadership allocated $250,000 in contingency funding to backstop any discrepancies between Meadow estimates and finalized FAFSA awards. In the end, they only needed about 10% of that amount—a testament to the calculator’s precision.

WATCH: Meadow’s accuracy

For Randi, this wasn’t just another project. It became a milestone in her leadership journey. While completing her doctorate in education, she wrote about the Meadow rollout as one of her top professional accomplishments—proof of its strategic importance to the university.

Today, Meadow Price remains a constant. Whether helping walk-in families who haven’t filed a FAFSA or supporting counselors amid shifting federal guidance, APSU continues to use Meadow’s calculator as a core tool to build student trust and deliver financial clarity.

The results

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Meadow’s NPC has helped APSU deliver real results:

• Record enrollment in Fall 2025: Following an 8.2% increase in the 2024–2025 academic year, APSU announced its highest-ever enrollment in Fall 2025, defying national trends and affirming its leadership among regional publics.
  
• Improved student confidence: First-generation and Pell-eligible students gained early, clear insights into their aid—at a time when many institutions struggled to provide answers.
  
• Staff empowerment: APSU’s financial aid staff used the calculator extensively in training and student support, enhancing their ability to navigate FAFSA changes and counsel with confidence.
  
• Ongoing value: Even with FAFSA timelines normalized, the calculator remains essential for students without completed FAFSAs and for day-to-day counseling.

“It’s a recruiting tool, a compliance tool, and a communication tool all in one,” Randi said. “Our staff are more confident, our students feel informed, and our families know we’re committed to transparency.”

Why it matters for RPUs

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Austin Peay’s experience highlights a vital truth: price transparency is foundational to regional public universities’ success. RPUs are the backbone of the U.S. higher education system, educating the majority of price-sensitive students and powering regional mobility. But if institutions don’t clearly show affordability, students often assume the worst.

WATCH: Positive student feedback

By adopting a modern, personalized, and fast NPC, APSU first grew enrollment by 8.2% in 2024. Then, in Fall 2025, they achieved record enrollment—a two-year growth story rooted in trust, clarity, and innovation. For RPUs like APSU, Meadow is more than just a calculator—it’s a partner in access.