The State University of New York reported a 2.9% increase in fall 2025 enrollment, marking the system’s third straight year of growth after a decade of declines. Total headcount reached 387,363, with first-time undergraduates up 3.1% and community college headcounts rising 5% to 173,893. New programs such as the SUNY Reconnect initiative — which offers free tuition to residents aged 25–55 in select fields — and policy changes like FAFSA completion requirements for high school students were cited by state leaders as contributors to the rebound. Transfer enrollments and growth at selective campuses remain below long-term targets, however, and SUNY still trails the 500,000-student goal set by the governor. For statewide higher education policymakers and admissions officers, the SUNY results signal that targeted access programs and direct-admissions pathways can produce measurable enrollment lift even as broader demographic headwinds persist.