The Importance of Investing in Nontraditional Students

Dr. Katelyn Sanders Director of Admission & Alumni Affairs Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy Shenandoah University Dr. Scott D. Miller President Virginia Wesleyan University As higher education’s long-anticipated undergraduate enrollment cliff approaches, a parallel reality is also coming into focus: non-traditional students are attending college with increasing frequency. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, graduate student enrollment was up 3% nationwide in Spring 2024 compared to the prior year, which is an even higher rate than the undergraduate enrollment gain of 2.5% over the same period. This data is great news for admissions departments who are equipped […]

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Making the Right Choice When Hiring Your Enrollment Management Leader

John W. Dysart President The Dysart Group Selecting the right individual to lead enrollment management at your institution is a critical decision.  It helps to understand the important considerations when making a hiring decision for this vital position Experience Matters Obviously, it is always preferable to select a candidate with experience.  Experience, by itself, is preferable.  The type of experience matters as well. An individual who previously held the same or similar title is good. An individual who seeks to move up from a lesser position, such as a Director of Admission, can be just as valuable. Many leaders focus […]

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How To Showcase Your Campus Values and Culture During Recruiting

Dr. Katelyn Sanders Director of Admission & Alumni Affairs Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy Shenandoah University Dr. Scott D. Miller President Virginia Wesleyan University   How do prospective students really decide on which college to attend?  While the quality of your curriculum, the prestige of your faculty, and the affordability of your tuition are all undoubtedly influential, one of the most important decision-making factors when it comes to selecting a college is also one of the most intangible:  the unique spirit of a school’s values and culture. Studies have shown that Gen Z sees their emotional well-being as a […]

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Avoid Joining the Ranks of Closed Colleges and Universities

John W. Dysart President The Dysart Group More colleges have announced that they will close permanently.  This continues the unfortunate trend of colleges and universities succumbing to the enrollment cliff, inflation and increased competition.  It seems like another school is added to the mix of failed entities every week.  The fallout from the FAFSA disaster this cycle is likely to trigger even more institutions ceasing operations.  The reasons are numerous: Demographic declines in the national customer base mean fewer available students. Many colleges and universities never recovered from the impact of the pandemic. More families question the ROI of a […]

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How Alumni Relations Can Boost Admissions— And Vice Versa

Dr. Katelyn Sanders Director of Admission & Alumni Affairs Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy Shenandoah University Dr. Scott D. Miller President Virginia Wesleyan University Active and engaged alumni are a vital component of any college’s long-term success. But while alumni support is obviously crucial in areas like philanthropy and public relations, there’s one important opportunity that many higher education institutions overlook: the potentially electric connection between alumni and admissions. Your alumni — especially recent graduates — are better equipped than almost anyone else to tell prospective students what makes your school so special. Their experience, perspective, and passion can […]

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The Financial Aid Disaster 2024

John W. Dysart President The Dysart Group The federal government through the Department of Education pledged to simplify the process for applying for financial aid.  The new process would be easier and provide a streamlined user experience.  The new formula would ensure more low-income students would be eligible for Federal Pell Grants.  The rollout of the formula and process has been a complete disaster. While the financial aid season launched in October for both students and financial aid offices, the changes resulted is significant delays. The timeline for students moved from October to January for students and families still encountered […]

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How Should College Admissions Approach AI?

Dr. Katelyn Sanders Director of Admission & Alumni Affairs Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy Shenandoah University Dr. Scott D. Miller President Virginia Wesleyan University As a famous New Yorker cartoon declared, on the internet, nobody knows you’re a dog. Today we could say the same thing about chatbots, which are quickly becoming ubiquitous in our digital and professional lives.  But what happens when chatbots designed to replicate human expression get involved in the highly personal college application process? Recent experiments from The New York Times and Today found that AI chatbots aren’t quite ready yet to craft a world-class […]

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Financial Aid Action Plan

John W. Dysart President The Dysart Group At the time of writing, the new FAFSA is still not available for students and families, and it is unclear when colleges and universities will have access to the results.  This uncertainty requires targeted actions by institutions to mitigate the negative impact of the financial aid processing delay this cycle. Add an update on the home page of the website now indicating the new FAFSA availability is anticipated to be on December 31, 2023. Indicate on the home page that students will be sent an email and a postcard reminder to apply for […]

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Virginia Wesleyan University Soars to New Heights: A Record-Breaking Trajectory

John W. Dysart President The Dysart Group   Six years ago, Enrollment Manager featured the awe-inspiring transformation of Virginia Wesleyan from an aspiring local college to an inspiring international university, highlighting it as one of the most remarkable shifts of the decade.  The article encouraged readers to keep an eye on Virginia Wesleyan’s trajectory in the years to come. Today, in 2023, the university’s journey has indeed been nothing short of amazing.  Led by President Scott Miller, a staunch advocate of The Dysart Group model, and Vice President for Enrollment Heather Campbell, the institution has just concluded a record-breaking year following the […]

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The Dysart Model: A Seven Part Model for Success

Dr. Katelyn Sanders Director of Admission & Alumni Affairs Bernard J Dunn School of Pharmacy Shenandoah University Dr. Scott D. Miller President Virginia Wesleyan University   An accompanying feature underscores the remarkable success of implementing a comprehensive enrollment model despite the challenges posed by the pandemic.  This feature not only highlights the immediate benefits of the model’s implementation, which has led to a significant surge in student enrollment, but also emphasizes its enduring advantages.  Much credit is attributed to the strategic application of John Dysart, president of The Dysart Group of Chicago, and his proven seven-part enrollment model of success. […]

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