Improving your admissions processes...
Our admissions department currently operates very effectively. The prospect is interviewed, taken on a tour of the facility, introduced to all of the directors, meets with the program director over their program of choice, and tested. They recieve follow up calls from the admissions staff and are scheduled for orientation. We could possibly improve our admissions process by asking more probative questions to gather more specific information from the prospect regarding their expectations of the school, of college studies, of goals and values.
Our admissions process requires students to take an entrance exam in Math and English. If they receive a grade lower than acceptable, they are required to take an 099 course of which they are required to pass in order to remain in the institution. However, this generalized entrance requirement does not effectively determine students ability to comprehend mathematical formulas specific to Electronic Engineering nor Mechanical Engineering.
A more stringent entrance examination would help improve our retention, while probably not achieving the entrance numbers required of Admissions. Often, "making our numbers" becomes more important than ultimate retention. This then becomes academics challenge to pour knowledge into a student that does not have the comprehension skills, becomes frustrated, results in failing the course, and the faculty are then judged by student pass ratio which encourages them to "pass" students to improve their evaluation.
Suzanne,
Checklists can help everyone. Including those involved during the checklist creation process. Makes you all think about what a prospect needs.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
Ann,
Best of luck with your efforts and thank you for your comment.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
Before recent improvements, our retention rate has not been what we would like in many of our offered programs. Recently, we began including handouts on each of our programs in the prospective students' information packets. These handouts included possible career options as well as information about median income. We wanted our students to be informed as possible when making their decision.
After completing this section of the course, I think it would also be beneficial to provide this information via checklists, which would assist our admissions director in determining what information is most necessary to provide to each prospective student.
Currently, our retention rate is not as high as we would like it to be.
Our school is small, and we have utilized the director (and sometimes instructors) as our admissions personnel also. We have finally hired an actual admission director to oversee the admissions process, which has already improved our retention rates slightly.
We have never utilized checklists in the admissions process. This is something that I intend to share with our new admissions director. These are great for marketing, as well as for determining the intentions and qualifications of prospective students. We will be able to measure how well these work by comparing them to our past (non-checklist) admissions procedures.
Currently, our admissions process is rather short (depending on when the student applies). They can apply for a course fairly close to when the course begins, which shortens the admission process. After this module, it has become clear that it may very well be necessary to require a specific amount of time in the admissions process. We will have an application deadline and stick to it, so that students have a longer time in the admissions process. Furthermore, the checklists and self-check lists seem to be extremely helpful. Furthermore, I liked the idea of also using them as a marketing tool to peek interest in a program that the student may not have realized was there. Overall, this module has been incredibly helpful, and I intend to implement these strategies to boost a retention rate that has proven to be below optimal.
Robert,
If your school or company does not actively recruit from high schools. If you can you should have someone from education develop articulation agreements with the technical and vocational schools. If the students are able to receive a few credits that will help.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
Travis,
The students come with the dream. Provide product knowledge to Admissions so they know the reality.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
Admissions must be aware of all physical and mental aspects of a particular educational program. Some candidates are sold a dream, not reality.
I am currently employed at a career college and feel we are lacking in the recruiting process for obtaining new students. I feel we should be going out and actively recruiting students high school students who are currently enrolled in technical and vocational schools. There are several in the area and believe they would be a good fit for our program. I also feel we should be attending their open houses and career days as a way of marketing our name but I'm not sure of the any restrictions placed on us. Any thoughts or suggestions?
Ralph,
If there is a local director for the field reps perhaps they could provide some follow up.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
Although I do not work in the Admissions Department, I believe they do a great job of introducing the students who are interested in taking our offered programs, to the courses offered, the activities they will be engaged in in these course, and the requirements of them while in these courses. They do mention periodically how this course and the lab tasks relate to the field and the importance of mastering the tasks. I do believe they operate using some sort of check list. I say this because on occasion I here them speak to where they are with a student in the enrollment process. I also know that relationships continue after the admissions process is complete, and they are quick to point a student to the right department when issues arise.
Where I believe we have room for improvement is with our field reps. Unlike our on campus admissions reps, the field reps work off campus. The relationship is different and sometimes severed upon the start of the program. I would like to see some follow up there.
Patricia,
I am glad the course gave you a new perspective.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
Aurora,
This may be tough to discern. Students may not open up about being forced to go to school.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
Maggie,
What is your retention rate? What was it last year?
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
I am employed on the academic side of the college and I find it fascinating how education and business mesh. Academia tends to believe that retention relates to keeping the students' attention while gaining knowledge and admissions appears to lean more toward "retention" equating to the commonalities of career graduates. So far, this part of the course is offering me a whole new insight about retention. I can see where it would greatly benefit a potential student to sit-in on a class before enrolling into college because the person could do some serious thinking about, "Will having a college loan for the next 10-25 years be the right move for me?" Hopefully, that person would answer, "Yes, having a career would be well worth it".
Our admission representatives have a checklist that they are required to go through with each prospective student. They inquire about their transportation, child care, employment and housing. If they have questions about housing the reps refer them to student services. They are also given a tour of the campus. One thing that could improve retention is making sure they are enrolling for themselves and not being pushed into the training. Maybe by probing a little more in the area.
I believe our admissions process is working fine. Unable to see any way at this time the can improve retention.
I do believe that students need to feel a connection to their school, and I think that feeling connected to the faculty and staff will help. There must be a time when they are introduced to faculty and staff, thus giving a sense of security and comfort. I think this would help in student retention.
