Author: Dwyer Education Strategies

R. Kent Dussair President CDS Market Research When choosing a college, price and reputation are not the only student and parent considerations. Comfort level, location, size, diversity, academics, campus life, athletics, extracurricular activities, facilities and technology resources are also factors. When considering campus life, student housing along with eating arrangements and the social environment have to be weighed. Housing is an ?important component of attracting qualified students to a college and should be regarded as a tool for recruiting students at all levels, including undergraduate, graduate, international, exchange and transfer. Student housing provides safe, secure and stimulating environments that are […]

Kathy Allie Production Manager Premier Collegiate Communications Two new mailing requirements recently instituted by the United State Postal Service have the potential for dramatically increasing postage expenses. First, the postal service has tightened address placement requirements for flatsized pieces. For most Admissions offices, these include viewbooks as well as other types of catalogs and brochures.

Michael A. O’Grady Vice President of Sales Oventure Technologies I remember about 17 years ago, I was attending a university-wide ?town-hall? meeting at a large state university where I was working in financial aid and admissions. All faculty, staff and administrators of all levels were required to attend. As usual the president held forth and gave accolades to those aspects of the university he thought were going well, and forcefully admonished those he believed weren?t. The routine was always the same. The president would welcome questions after the admonishment and there would be the usual dead silence. And just as […]

Bill Smith President Think Ahead, LLC Web-based financial aid calculators have been available for several years, and many colleges have incorporated them into their outreach and marketing programs. Other colleges have avoided them, fearing that the posting of a financial aid calculator will open a Pandora?s Box. Aid officers sometimes fear calculators will create questions for users, resulting in increased call volume to explain calculator results. Others are concerned they?ll bind their hands, creating the expectation of an unofficial commitment to prospective students. And some worry that their aid packages will appear meager when exposed via a calculator.

John W. Dysart President The Dysart Group, Inc. ? Ensure that faculty take attendance every day and establish a mechanism to report students who do not attend class. ? Test or quiz within the first ten days of class for all courses enrolling new students, especially freshmen. ? Package currently enrolled students as soon as they apply for financial aid. Do not wait until the end of the Spring term.

John W. Dysart President The Dysart Group, Inc. The United States is facing one of the most significant economic downturns in recent history. It is too early to tell how much worse it is going to get, but at a minimum it is likely that most families are very concerned about the national economy and their own financial situations. Uncertainty will create immediate challenges for colleges and universities. The current economic situation may impact college and university retention rates this term. Institutional leaders would be well-served to consider addressing possible attrition issues in the next couple of months.