Open Enrollment - creating Urgency?
We are an open enrollment school, however students sometimes lose urgency to complete their paperwork and get started since they are aware we cannot turn them away. Any thoughts on how to create urgency with new students?
Karina,
We call it homework! We get a task list to do and activities to complete in order to maintain the enrollment process.
Patty Aronoff
Andrew,
We should always be dealing with the best needs of the student. They are our consumer and the focus of enrollment.
Patty Aronoff
I am also part of an open enrollment school. i find that if the interview process is done correctly the student is motivated based on there needs and toured. there is no problem with urgency because they are doing what it is they wanted.
Communication is key! Setting deadlines ahead of time before enrollment date is beneficial. Giving them clear direction on the pending documents and
giving them an outline of what's to come.
Li,
You are right! Also students need the boost to see the career of their dreams right around the corner.
Patty Aronoff
If your school is a career institute, you can create a degree of "urgency" by making the student understand that the sooner they complete their program(s), the sooner that will be able to join the workforce. Job/career opportunities can come and go at any given moment, and companies will not stick around and wait for you to complete your education/training when they can hire someone immediately, who've already completed their training.
Diane,
It is all about the student, the sight of success in their eyes and the achievements they want to make in their life. We are there to take that journey with them.
Patty Aronoff
In the long run this student's goals are what are going to dictate their sense of urgency. Learning what motivates them and why they are doing this - and not just a surface reason like "so my kids see they can do it" or "for my job" but really learning about their family educational history. It is also important to find common ground with them based on your own past educational experiences, and helping them see the bigger picture that graduating with a college degree provides. These are all crucial pieces in the 'urgency' arena. It also does help to let the student know from the start that you are here to help them succeed. That you care about their success should always be apparent. If they trust you then they won't be 'embarrassed' or slow to respond. They know you have their interests at heart and they are ready to move forward. Also set solid times to complete steps and have a solid plan in place. If the student knows what the next step is they are more likely to complete it. And keep following up. If they don't answer or fall off the face of the earth then call and remind them how important this was (in generic terms of course to protect privacy) and make sure they know you are always there and will never judge them for missing an appointment or getting scared. That way they feel safe in calling you back.
Eduardo,
It's building that relationship in admissions. By demonstrating trust and a caring attitude with the students they feel more comfortable and discussing their choices.
Patty Aronoff
I believe it all starts with the very first meeting with the student.
If a person was intrigued enough to visit the school in the first place, it can be said that they're at least considering the possibility of entering your school.
Depending on your type of demographic, some of these candidates haven't been to school in a long time and a lot of this can be scary for them. Often times, when someone is scared, timid, confused, or overwhelmed, the fight or flight response tends to kick in and they will never tell you the true reason why they have suddenly disappeared.
We may see it as "losing urgency" when it fact it may be that they are just too embarrassed to admit that they are a little lost or maybe do not see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel.
The best way I've found to combat this is to simply take some time to thoroughly explain the process to them from A to Z (which you should be doing anyway. It's very important to get to the core reason that they want to pursue whatever it is that they want to pursue. Often times, this process of interview and empathy will lead to them convincing themselves that they can no longer put this off any longer and follow through with the paperwork and process.
Additionally, follow-up is crucial. Just keep them informed and clear as to what is going on and remind them of the next step.
Elizabeth,
Some schools use a checklist. They have the students sign the checklist at each point and get them a copy. Gives a good touch base between enrollment and the student.
Patty Aronoff
