Admissions vs. Administration: How Graduate Enrollment Became Strategic and Student-Focused at One College of Education

Presented by:Tracey M. Wofford, Ph.D.

April 9, 2015

Admissions vs. Administration: How Graduate Enrollment Became

Strategic and Student-Focused at One College of Education

Learning Objectives The what and why of a Graduate Enrollment

Management (GEM) process evolution Internal GEM misconceptions and ideas to address

them Collaboration and differentiation strategies and

tactics that worked – and did not work

Admissions vs. Administration: How Graduate Enrollment Became

Strategic and Student-Focused at One College of Education

About Mercer University & The Tift College of Education The Stakeholders Where We Were and Where We Are Now What We Did Then and What We Do Now What Changed and “True North” How It’s Going and Reporting It Key Learning and Lingering Issues

Admissions vs. Administration: How Graduate Enrollment Became Strategic and Student-Focused at

One College of Education

About Mercer University

& The Tift College of

Education

About Mercer University

12 colleges and schools, over 8,500 students, 1600 faculty, 60 major programs of study

Campuses, Regional Academic Centers, and online

Teaching hospitals and educational partnerships

Mercer University Press, NCAA Athletic Programs, the Center for Collaborative Journalism, and The Executive Forum

About The Tift College of Education

Largest Private Preparer of Educators in Georgia

Teacher Education & Educational Leadership Programs; Campuses, Hybrid, and Online

Conceptual framework of the Transforming Educator (To Know, To Do, To Be)

The Outlook for Education

Georgia Education Landscape ~ 10,000 Center-Based and

Home-Based Child Care Facilities

182 County and City School Systems

134 Independent & Charter Schools

38 Private Colleges & Universities

31 State Colleges & Universities

26 Technical Colleges 1 Military College

Ten Year Plan, Goal 1: Attract, enroll, retain, and graduate even more highly qualified undergraduate, graduate and

professional students.

Admissions vs. Administration: How Graduate Enrollment Became Strategic and Student-Focused at

One College of Education

The Stakeholders

Stakeholders of The Tift College of Education

Academic partners Prospects Staff and Leadership Policy makers Client partners Regulators Alumni and namesake college alumni

Admissions vs. Administration: How Graduate Enrollment Became Strategic and Student-Focused at

One College of Education

Where We Were and

Where We Are Now

Where We Were and Where We Are Now

Value Chain - Graduate Enrollment Management Process

14

MarketingAdvertising

Campaigns Media CoverageWebsite

ManagementPartnerships & Memberships

Ad Copy and Key Messages

Collateral (Fliers, Brochures,

Images)Recruitment Giveaways

Recruitment Activities & New Inquiry Data

AnalysisConferences/Fairs

Recruitment EventsInfo Sessions

School System/RESA Meetings and VisitsFeeder Institution

VisitsWord of mouth

referralsAlumni

CVue Data Steward & Reporting Analysis

Admissions Counseling/ Inquiry

ManagementQualifying Rhetoric,

Answering QuestionsScreening of

Motivation and Admissibility

Counseling on Schedules, Financing,

and CriteriaManaging to Deadlines

Follow-up, Closing & Asking for App

Application Management

Managing On-line /Paper applications in

CVueProviding Step-by-Step Instructions

Facilitation of entire process

Communicating Deadlines

Acknowledgement of correspondence

Materials management,

analysis, security and synthesis in CVue

Acceptance, Enrollment & Matriculation

Acceptance LettersFinancial Package

Campus/Center VisitsOngoing interaction – email, telephone, etc.

Providing further information and

support after acceptanceCoordinating Registration

To generate interest, inquiries, and demand

To evolve and develop specific program interest

To counsel, qualify, and drive

applicationsTo evaluate and

manage applications

To enroll academically

qualified, financially-prepared students

Primary Responsibility: Marketing &

Communications

Primary Responsibility: Enrollment

Management Directors & Faculty

Primary Responsibility: Enrollment

Management Team

Primary Responsibility: Faculty, Enr.

Associates & Fin. Aid

Primary Responsibility: Grad Admissions, Faculty, & Fin. Aid

Admissions vs. Administration: How Graduate Enrollment Became

Strategic and Student-Focused at One College of Education

Where We Were Where We Are Now Calls, emails, inquiries arrived to

many contacts (faculty, administrative assistants, staff)

Admissions questions answered or referred, one-way flow of information, no contact info captured, no follow-up scheduled

Catalogs, packets mailed; limited communications plan;

No initial qualifying or counseling Prospective students ‘existed’

only after applying

Designated contacts for prospects

Process flow and triggers for each prospect type

Workflow, scripts, templates (for accuracy)

Qualify, spur to action; market and re-market to prospects

All inquiry contact info captured; sources and conversions analyzed

Prospective students exist upon inquiry, not application

The Admissions Funnel – Then and Now

Faculty handled initial contact, inquiry management, admissions counseling, admission, enrollment to graduation.

GEM handles prospecting, inquiry contact & qualifying, admissions & financial info, application materials, Orientation, and retention outreach Faculty handles admission, enrollment to graduation.Funnel graphic from Noel Levitz

Admissions vs. Administration: How Graduate Enrollment Became Strategic and Student-Focused at

One College of Education

What We Did Then and What We Do Now

Passive Respond Converse to satisfaction No questions of inquirer No capture of information Urge to apply Invite to information session End interaction No record or capture of inquiry Little to no follow-up

ActiveReach out, engage in responseConverse to satisfaction, qualify and queryCapture contact data; assess for fitExplore intent to apply by whenInvite to event, agree on next actionRecord inquiry in database, set future taskFollow-up/correspond over next 2-6 weeks; re-engage/re-inviteInterval re-marketing over next 2-4 admission cycles

Admissions vs. Administration: How Graduate Enrollment Became

Strategic and Student-Focused at One College of Education

Admissions vs. Administration: How Graduate Enrollment Became

Strategic and Student-Focused at One College of Education

Where We Were

Where We Are Now

• Application• Eligibility• Evaluation• Decision

Admissions

• Accept / Decline

• Registration• Financial

Planning• Enrollment

Acceptance /

Enrollment

• Marketing Services• Inquiry Management• Event Management• Relationship

Management• Feasibility

Discussion• Needs SatisfactionInquiry

• Application Administration

• Eligibility Review• Ongoing

Communication• Recommendation

and Evaluation• Decision by

Stakeholders

Admissions • Accept / Decline

• Recordkeeping / Registrar

• Registration• Financial Planning• Orientation• EnrollmentAcceptanc

e / Enrollment

Admissions vs. Administration: How Graduate Enrollment Became

Strategic and Student-Focused at One College of EducationWhat We Do Now

Inquiries /Prospects

Committed Applicants

Admissible Candidates

Enrolled Register

ed Students

Engagement

Communication

Yield

• Incomplete• Completed

• Status• Corresponden

ce• Evaluations• Accepts/

Starts

Committed

Applicants

Admissible

CandidatesEnrolled Registered Students

Cultivating Inquiries - 1:1 counseling via medium of choice for inquiry. Engage to serve wants/needs and initially assess

admissibility. What We Did Then

Admissions vs. Administration: How Graduate Enrollment Became Strategic and Student-Focused at

One College of Education

What Changed & “True North”

Admissions vs. Administration: How Graduate Enrollment Became

Strategic and Student-Focused at One College of Education

What Changed: 2010-2015 “True North” The Economy & Education

Enrollment The Certification Rules Complete SIS replacement Internal Reorganization Tift Dean Retirement Programs’ Format Funding and Financial Aid

Mission Framework Code of Conduct Standards Consistent Student Focus on

“Academically Qualified, Financially-Prepared Students”

Results Values-Based Leadership

Admissions vs. Administration: How Graduate Enrollment Became Strategic and Student-Focused at

One College of Education

How It’s Going and

Reporting It

Admissions vs. Administration: How Graduate Enrollment Became Strategic and Student-Focused at One College of Education

How It’s Going Reporting It Contact Strategies In Place Co-Located with Faculty Frequent Recruitment

Events Inquiries Consistently

Engaged & Tracked Partnerships Expanding &

Deepening Strong Brand

Data Modeling with Conversions, Forecasts, and Projections

Relationships & Collaboration Reinforce GEM Methods Support Program Directors’

Preferences Student Care, Partner Care Social Media, Alumni, and

Service

/education.mercer.edu

@MercerEducation

/MercerEducation

Tumblr, Flickr, Google+, EventBrite, YouTube, LinkedIn & InstaGram

Admissions vs. Administration: How Graduate Enrollment Became Strategic and Student-Focused at One College of Education

Social Media

Admissions vs. Administration: How Graduate Enrollment Became Strategic and Student-Focused at

One College of Education

“Key Learning &Lingering Issues”

Admissions vs. Administration: How Graduate Enrollment Became Strategic and Student-Focused at One College of

EducationKey Learning and Lingering Issues Education GEM in Georgia is highly complex Complexity requires high touch, high collaboration with students

and faculty: marketing, re-marketing, and recruiting take longer Improving Teacher Preparation (Accountability) sometimes at

odds with Access and Affordability for students Rate of Change Remains Rapid for Professional Standards Performance-Based Evaluation, Common Core, and

Commercialization of Higher Education Remain Top Concerns Still Lack Solid Alumni Strategy, Referral Program, Social Media

Listening Strategy, and Consistent Graduate Retention Plan

FINAL THOUGHTSBringing It All Together!

Admissions vs. Administration: How Graduate Enrollment Became Strategic and Student-Focused at One College of Education

Beware of “Best Practices” Claim and Guard Your Professionalism & Integrity Stakeholder Consideration Weighting of Students First Faculty Collaboration, Mutual Respect, and Shared Goals Prospects Need to Tell Their Story – Let Them Use CRM to Cultivate Inquiries Focus on Forming Classes Vs. Completing Activities & Tasks Work Six-Nine Months Ahead of Need Flag Early Warnings of Trend Changes Quickly Create Flow from Admissions to Orientation to

Matriculation

YOUR QUESTIONSResources for Further Support

Your presenter

Tracey M. Wofford, Ph.D.Director of Graduate AdmissionsTift College of Education 3001 Mercer University DriveAACC Building, Suite 585Atlanta, Georgia 30341678-547-6422 office Thanks for

Attending!!