David, you are right on track. Let students know what they need to do to be successful and "why." It is the why that matters... link to their future career.
Dr. B
Personal contact to build a relationship equals retention. Keep doing what you are doing, only more of it... especially build trust.
Dr. B
I am not so sure that it is tricky, if it is true. The key is to tell the truth... what really happens and why. Make sense?
Dr. B
Being nice and pleasant is always a start, we work in a competitive market and it makes a difference.
I believe the key word here should be “consistencyâ€. Consistency needs to start at the admissions process and then follow throughout the educational process from admissions to administration to instruction/education and finally with student support services.
i beleive that it is improtant to make the students that are inrolling understand that they may not have the skills to be successful and if they don't they should rethink the feild that they are training in
I know that future students getting personal contact for the instructors helps with informationa dn retention. They get more awarness of the learing and they know what they will be doing when they get further along in the courses. Their understandings should be clear view so they are not shocked of what is expected and they do not get discuraged at that time.
I realise that it is a tricky job to do the "sales job" of admissions and still be acurate about the program. It is also a tricky "sales job" to be an instructor and keep motivation towards the final goal... graduation, employment, success...
I think it is counter-productive when departments dont support each other. Ideally we should compliment each other. As many students as i have heard complain about expectations vs. reality, easily as many have admitted that they were informed at the begining of policies and expectations.
For sure. And, this can be a challenge. The more you can link with others, the better.
Dr. B
The most importang thing about rules,and regulations,is to be sure each Instructor is on the same page when it comes to enforcing them.....
If all tell the same story... you are right, retention will increase. Why? The expectations are the same.
L
One thing I have found is that admissions is not completely forthcoming with the actual expectations. I feel that if they were the students would know what is expected and be alot more likely to stay.
I could not have said it better myself!
We need more contact and interaction between admissions and the academic staff. Too many times I have listened to tourguides/addmissions people misinforming students about the core of a program or using an inflated value to describe a benefit of being a student in the program. When I hear this I try to pass the correct information along proper channels to reeducate the person in question.
I agree. Truth is the key... Mainly, we all need to tell the same story.
Dr. B
my advice to all admission reps is to always be honest with the perspective student.
My experience has shown that expectations have a great deal to do retention results. It is important for everyone that the student meets has the same goals and expectations for the student, we need to be up front and trustworthy with the student questions, answer all questions with the most accurate of information and if you don't have an answer find someone that does.
I think the rules are moving targets right now. In the next few months, things should settle down. In general, administration may be waiting for some test cases before acting.
Dr. B
Wonder if there are suggestions on how to make sure they understand and comply with rules without appearing so strict?
Appreciate that point of view- instead of our orientation at present- which focus on dry reading of rules.
