David--
That's a great question and often misunderstood. The FERPA laws preclude sharing some information except on a 'need to know' basis and other regulations apply concerning grades, financial, etc. to parties other than the student. This discussion is not focused on sharing information that is contrary to those regulations. There is information, however, that students share with the admissions, financial aid and other staff that are generic in nature and could be useful in retention.
For instance, many institutions have a prospective new students complete a type of survey at their appointment. A common question concerns potential barriers (child… >>>
