Author: Dwyer Education Strategies

John W. Dysart President The Dysart Group, Inc. The higher education landscape is rapidly changing. Despite the general acceptance of the concept of enrollment management as an effective vehicle for understanding admissions, financial aid and retention, many private colleges and universities have still not adopted the model. Administrators should seriously consider implementing the approach to deal with myriad challenges facing institutions. Consider the following: Discount Rates Continue to Rise The average discount rate reached 45% in 2011 which means many schools are dealing with rates in excess of 50%. Enrollment management tactics can enable institutions to control and even reduce […]

Dr. Susan Coia Gailey Founder Data-based Institutional Research, Assessment & Reporting Systems Institutional research is needed to utilize assessment results. Research enlightens us on how to have an impact on outcomes that are important to us. Research identifies contributing factors so we can manage, or control, outcomes. Learning is one such outcome. Institutional research enables Learning Management, just as it enables Enrollment Management. Although learning and Enrollment Management are often separate pursuits, Enrollment Management has long term success with Learning Management ? students graduate and knowledgeable and competent alumni enhance the reputation of the institution in the workplace and community. […]

John W. Dysart President The Dysart Group, Inc. There are only four months remaining in the recruitment cycle and many colleges and universities are still concerned about their ability to realize their recruitment goals for Fall 2013. Perhaps you are running behind in applications? Maybe the number of applicants you have accepted for admission is less than at this time last year? Perhaps you have generated fewer enrollment deposits compared to the same time last year. It is not too late. There are still some initiatives that can be undertaken to improve outcomes: Consider a late search If your customer […]

Dr. Scott Miller President Bethany College Marylouise Fennell, RSM Principal Hyatt-Fennell ?With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it, nothing can succeed.? When he uttered these words, President Lincoln, besieged from all sides, was in the midst of the Civil War, yet he realized that mobilizing public opinion in support of the conflict was critical to the Union?s success. Effective marketing is no less vital to a college CEO. ?Doing well by doing good? has become a philanthropic mantra, but if institutions don?t market their own successes, who will? Don?t rely on others to tell your story. In a previous […]

Dr. Susan Coia Gailey Founder Data-based Institutional Research, Assessment & Reporting Systems Have you sensed rumblings about mandatory reporting by colleges and universities of the percentage of recent graduates who are working in their major field of study and their starting salaries? The metric duo defines the business term, return on investment (ROI), and applies it to college education. Instead of having stockholders, per se, we have stakeholders. Was it not so long ago that we were accountable for student loan default and graduation rates? Next were merit-based versus need-based grants, learning outcomes and cost of education. What’s more, we’re […]

Dr. Scott D. Miller President Bethany College Marylouise Fennell, RSM Principal Hyatt-Fennell What if they gave a traditional classroom lecture and nobody came? Although that?s not about to happen any time soon, the growing popularity of free virtual courses transcending barriers of time and geography, coupled with online offerings from for-profit institutions, poses a plethora of challenges for college presidents. As the next wave of students weaned on the Internet engulfs our campuses, enrollment managers and CEOs need to prepare now with strategies and answers before they begin to receive, in large numbers, requests such as these from 18-year-olds: ?I?ve […]

John W. Dysart President The Dysart Group, Inc. A small, Christian college located near the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina is bucking all of the enrollment trends. Despite the declines in state financial aid, changing demographics, severe economic challenges and rising costs, this little College has been growing. Dr. Dan Lunsford, the president of Mars Hill College, and his leadership team have placed the institution on the road to enrollment growth, program expansion and significant enhancements to the physical plant. The College partnered with The Dysart Group, Inc., a higher education consulting firm headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina two […]