Category: Article Archives

This has been an unprecedented year in enrollment management as the pandemic changed everything. Colleges and universities were forced to make adjustments and modifications on the fly to adapt to new realities. So many obstacles, challenges and upheaval!

It is easy to overlook the impact of financial aid policy and process on your enrollment counts and the financial bottom line.  The truth is that the details of your institutional approach to financial aid will definitely influence recruitment success, retention rates, net revenue and thus your operational options.

COVID-19 has presented higher education with many unique and unprecedented challenges. No institution has been spared its impact—national or global, public or private, liberal arts or research institutions, nor those with large or small endowments. It has become clear in the higher education landscape, however, that those who acted swiftly and thoughtfully appear to be in better shape than their competitors who waited to enact a plan.

I am always surprised when reviewing enrollment management operations at colleges and universities how often I discover that the institutional website does not support recruitment efforts. While websites have been critical in the recruitment and financial processes for decades now, many colleges and universities have not taken even initial steps to upgrade the electronic experience for their customers. Given the current pandemic, the website has never been more important.

During these challenging times for enrollment managers, the focus tends to be on admissions. Enrollment managers are working to grow the inquiry base, better focus search strategies, increase folder completion rates and maximize yield. While juggling all of the recruitment issues related to admission, we can lose sight of the importance of the financial aid operation.I have had the pleasure of visiting more than 200 colleges and universities throughout the United States and have taken detailed looks at the various approaches to financial aid. When identifying problems with approaches to financial aid, the missteps are fairly common.

If you do not have an heir apparent currently working at your college or university, consider your Director of Financial Aid.

I sometimes find difficult enrollment challenges and problematic trends that institutional leaders, board members, faculty and alums have not recognized, or have not taken seriously. Sometimes, problematic outcomes can be hidden by other entities and practices.

The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) has made dramatic changes to its Code of Ethics and Professional Practices after pressure from the Department of Justice. In the past, the organization had some strict rules which the DOJ found restrained trade.