Small Baptist College Increases Enrollment by 26%

John W. Dysart
President
The Dysart Group

I worked with the administrative team at Southeastern Free Will Baptist College last year to review admission and financial aid operations. Like many small colleges and universities, enrollment declined in recent years.

• New student enrollments had dropped by 22% over the previous five years.
• Total enrollment was down 31% since 2017.

We collaborated to review recent practices and outcomes and agreed upon an action plan of new initiatives to grow enrollment.

Nate Ange, President, Southeastern Free Will Baptist College

The institution has already realized promising results after beginning the implementation of a new strategic enrollment plan:

• The admission process has been simplified.
• Systematic communication with prospective students has been emphasized.
• Financial aid eligibility has been front-loaded to facilitate access and financial planning.
• New student enrollment increased by 26% this past Fall.

While there is still much to be done, and a total transformation of the enrollment plan will take more time, Southeastern Free Will Baptist College has already reversed the negative enrollment trends of recent years and is poised to continue significant enrollment growth.