This session will explore the development and integration of various recruitment, retention, student success, and institutional pricing/financial aid practices to limit attrition and maximize enrollment and tuition revenue. It will further explore how customer retention based on relevant academic programming with career outcomes increases market share and improves market position for future classes.

Rethinking Thinking for the 21st Century University: An Innovative, Interactive Method to Enhance Retention by Fostering Critical Thinking Skills

Adopting a student-centered approach to your digital inquiry strategy is a great way to increase student conversions. But you’ve likely already got an embedded and functioning inquiry journey, so where do you start? What do you do?

Join our CRM Implementation Strategist and all-round higher education admissions guru Michael Doran as he digs into the world of Conversion Rate Optimization and the many benefits of taking a student-centered approach to this.

He will cover:

As enrollment and marketing offices continue to adapt to meet the needs of today’s students, understanding both student and parent behavior is just as critical as identifying new market opportunities to shape your next class. Is your marketing strategy engaging the students and families who are most interested in hearing from you?

We’ll discuss:

We will examine the necessary steps to build a comprehensive retention program from name purchase through graduation.

Institutions of higher education allocate the bulk of their effort and energy toward recruiting students who match the demographic, socioeconomic, or academic parameters they desire. However, data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicate that around 64% of students complete their bachelor’s degree at the same institution where they started within six years, leaving an average of 36% of students either dropping out or transferring to another institution.

Even during the pandemic, the University of Wisconsin-Parkside maintained its commitment to increasing college attainment in its region by continuing to set historic records for the number of graduates and student success. These efforts were recognized in 2022 by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) with its Excellence and Innovation Award for Student Success and College Completion and a 4th place U.S. News ranking for social mobility among public colleges in the 12-state Midwest region.

The session will describe the strategic approach and tactics to boost new student enrollment.  We will describe implementation and outcomes of direct admission with a major search site, partnerships with local high schools, academic program development, athletic recruitment, and several other initiatives.

Research shows that 65% of students choose where to attend college based on whether their program of interest is offered, however developing new programs to respond to student demand can be an expensive, time intensive gamble. But it doesn’t have to be that way. This session will explore how enrollment leaders at small colleges can take the reins to affordably test and launch the majors students want most without hiring new faculty or risking long-term deficits.