Author: Dwyer Education Strategies

College and university Presidents are likely to be charged with securing new leadership in the enrollment management division at least once during their tenures. What exactly should Presidents be looking for in Chief Enrollment Officers or Vice Presidents for Enrollment Management? What are the right questions to ask? How should experience be evaluated? These are important questions to answer to hire effective leaders supervising recruitment and financial aid operations.

John W. Dysart, President The Dysart Group Admission counselors are an integral part of the recruitment process and will likely have the greatest influence on whether prospective students attend your institution.  Admission counselors are on the front line and their ability to build relationships, provide information and deal with objections is critical. Passion for the Institution/Mission It is important to hire people able to demonstrate a real passion for the institution.  Belief in the mission and the ability to show enthusiasm for the college or university is a must.  This explains why most admission counselors are graduates of the institution where […]

John W. Dysart, President The Dysart Group Admission counselors are among the most important employees at any college or university.  Their impact on the institution is broad and vital.  When you have successfully recruited and hired excellent admission counselors, what can you do to keep them? Career Track You are more likely to retain good admission counselors if you structure the office in a manner where counselors can see a clear career track.  Few want to remain admission counselor for the long term.  Good people, however, might persist if they see opportunities for advancement and professional growth. You may initially hire […]

Enrollment management models have been implemented, at least to some extent, at most colleges and universities. Data-driven identification of prospective students, tracking of inquiries and applications, monitoring of communication and yield rates, marketing, strategic utilization of financial aid and well-planned financing options, along with retention and graduation plans have been commonplace.

Enrollment management remains the single most vital area of any college or university with a tuition-driven budget. As institutions revise their marketing strategies, develop retention programs, and upgrade campus facilities, parents and students remain in the consumer driver’s seat. What’s the value for their tuition dollar? What are the “extras” that a campus can offer? Which institutions offer the best financial-aid packages? Will graduates have a job waiting for them after four years of college?

Sarah Seigle Program Manager, Enrollment Management Academic Impressions More institutions are using small and big data sources across the prospective and current student lifecycle to inform key decisions related to enrollment and retention. To take a look at how Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) is changing and to get ideas for how institutions can better leverage their data, we reached out to a panel of three prominent experts: John Dysart (President of the Dysart Group) Randall Langston (Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management at the College at Brockport) Brian Williams (Vice President for Enrollment and Institutional Analytics at John Carroll University). These three, joined […]

Stay on message. In the ferocious competition for students today, effective presidents ensure that their enrollment teams not only understand the recruitment message, but that they also promote it effectively in each and every communication distributed to prospective students, parents and families—alumni, too. Because the best marketing strategies derive from strong and consistent messaging, presidents must insist on hiring enrollment staff who are fully briefed and conversant on the institutional brand, programs and unique features. Other institutional stakeholders can help you. Here are some tips for making sure that your enrollment team is walking in step with your presidential vision […]

John W. Dysart President The Dysart Group Competition has been fierce for most colleges and universities over the last decade.  Changing demographics, increased costs and stagnant investment in financial aid at both the state and federal levels have made it harder for institutions to even maintain their enrollments, much less realize material growth.  The evolution in the market taking place in recent years, and likely to continue, is making things even more challenging. Declines in state support for financial aid continue. We are seeing a real change as states shift responsibility for providing access away from the local community and toward […]

John W. Dysart President The Dysart Group Louisiana State University of Alexandria posted another record year for recruitment. The institution implemented a new recruitment and financial aid model in 2013 and the results have been transformational. The outcomes for Fall 2016 are extraordinary: LSUA enrolled the largest number of students in history. Total student enrollments have increased by nearly 47% since 2013. The 529 new freshmen represent the largest number in history. On-line enrollment has increased by 64% in just the last year. The University enrolled a record number of students in its Honors Program. The University enrolled a record number […]

Dr. Marylouise Fennell Principal Hyatt-Fennell Dr. Scott D. Miller President Virginia Wesleyan College For many years, Scott has had a quote taped to his computer from a longtime, nationally prominent presidential colleague: “I want to have the most effective internal communications in higher education. If we can start with this assumption…that will provide the platform for our external strategy. This belief in effective communications must drive our planning.” Former Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill had it right: all politics is local. It follows, then, that successful public relations strategies start on campus. With most college CEOs spending more than […]