3 Considerations For College Enrollment Managers

Overall college enrollment has declined for the last ten years, specifically rates for 18- to 24-year-olds attending college have significantly dropped in the last year. How can institutions think creatively about their enrollment efforts? In a recent Friday 5 Live podcast, Aaron Basko, vice president of enrollment, marketing and communications at the University of Lynchburg and frequent Chronicle of Higher Education contributor, shared his insights into the upcoming year for college enrollment managers. We asked him to gaze into his admissions crystal ball. Here are 3 takeaways from our conversation:

1. Financial Models Need Updating

Colleges and universities have used the same financial model since the 1950’s, and that model based on tuition as the central revenue source, is no longer serving institutions well. In the coming year(s), institutions will be challenged to create new revenue streams. That might look like investing in graduate degree programs or intentionally recruiting non-traditionally aged students. For other institutions, new revenue streams might include hosting conferences or providing professional development for outside organizations.

2. Comprehensive Retention Plans

Enrollment melt, the term used to describe when a student accepts admission but does not actually enroll at a college, is the first stumble in retaining a student. Retention has to begin before students actually step foot on campus. Investing in comprehensive retention programs is a necessity, and retention efforts need to include the student’s first points of contact such as admissions staff.

3. On-Ramping Students

Continue the conversation: Transforming Enrollment Challenges Into Opportunities: Share & Discuss With Colleagues .

For nearly 20 years, Innovative Educators has assisted college leaders to build foundations of success for their students. Institutions have seen student engagement and retention increase as a result of utilizing Go2Orientation, OnlineLingo and StudentLingo to onboard new students. Grounded in best practices for online learning, Innovative Educators student support tools are engaging, interactive, and community-building. Go2Orientation, OnlineLingo and StudentLingo together create a powerful online resource center providing support to students throughout their academic journey.