Admissions 101: The Admissions Cycle

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Admissions 101 The Admissions Cycle

• Paul J. Deutsch
• Past President OACAC

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Activities of the admissions office

• While we work at different institutions with
  different missions and student populations, we
  all participate in similar student recruitment
  activities.

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Determining factors

• Public vs Private Colleges
• Open Admission vs. Selective vs. Highly Selective
• Rolling Admission vs. Precipice Admission
• Local vs. Regional vs. National
• Traditional Students vs. Non-traditional
• Residential vs. non-Residential

All of these factors determine the activities of
the admissions office and the timing of when we
conduct the activities.
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Other factors impacting institutions

• Demographic trends
• increased/decreased population
• Increased number of minority students
• Increased adult learners
• Technology
• web-based recruitment services
• distance learning
• Enrollment history of the institution
• Economic circumstances

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Traditional Recruitment Funnel
P R E - F U N N E L
Early Funnel
Mid Funnel
Late Funnel
Entering Class
Inquire
Visit Apply
Enroll
Introduce, Market Benefits, Confirm choice
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Recruitment Funnel
Addition of Retention and Alumni to the funnel in
order to be certain we were recruiting students
who are likely to graduate.
P R E - F U N N E L
R E T E N T I O N
A L U M N I
Mid Funnel
Early Funnel
Late Funnel
Entering Class
Visit Apply
Inquire
Enroll
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Multiple Recruitment Funnels
P R E - F U N N E L
Out-of-State
Early Funnel
Mid Funnel
Late Funnel
R E T E N T I O N
A L U M N I
Multicultural
Entering Class
Early Funnel
Mid Funnel
Late Funnel
High Ability
Early Funnel
Mid Funnel
Late Funnel
Introduce, Market Benefits, Confirm choice
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Multiple Funnels for each Student Population
Local
High
Non-local
Average
Out-of-State
Low
Academic Ability
Geographic
Very
Somewhat
Visit
apply
enroll
Not at all
Likelihood of enrollment
Minority
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Recruitment funnel(21st Century)
Academic ability
RETENTION
Geographic
ALUMNI
Apply
Enroll
Visit
General
Minority
Ability to Pay
Managing multiple funnels simultaneously in a
systemic fashion
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Recruitment Activities

• Off-campus programs (Travel) high school visits,
  college nights, off-campus interviews, geographic
  receptions.
• On-campus programs visitation days, individual
  family visits, overnight visits, scholarship
  programs, early outreach programs, etc.
• Telecounseling Inquiries, applicants, admits.
• Direct Mail Inquiries, applicants, admits.
• Electronic Communication web site, email, CDrom.
• Guidance Counselor Programs on-campus and
  off-campus.

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Non-recruitment activities

• Processing applications
• Reading applications
• Evaluating scholarship applicants
• Travel planning
• Assessing programs and services
• Program planning
• Staff training and development
• Managing student employees
• Orientation and registration
• Developing publications
• Completing Surveys
• Producing enrollment reports
• Managing web content

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RECRUITMENT FUNNEL ACTIVITIES
PRE-FUNNEL EARLY INTERVENTION, COMMUNITY SERVICE
PROGRAMS SUMMER CAMPS, WEB REPLIES
EARLY FUNNEL PSAT/ACT PLAN/CARD DECK
SEARCHES SAT/ACT SCORES DIRECT MAIL TRAVEL PUBLICA
TIONS ON-CAMPUS PROGRAMS ADVERTISING
Inquire
FEB - AUG
MID FUNNEL ON- AND OFF-CAMPUS PROGRAMS DIRECT
MAIL TRAVEL TELECOUNSELING PUBLICATIONS
AUG - JAN
Apply
JAN - MAY
LATE FUNNEL ON- AND OFF- CAMPUS PROGRAMS DIRECT
MAIL TELECOUNSELING PUBLICATIONS SCHOLARSHIPS FINA
NCIAL AID
Enroll
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GENERATING INQUIRIES
The goal during the EARLY FUNNEL is to identify
students who have the propensity to apply for
admission. Students who indicate an interest in
The College of Wooster are sent information about
the variety of recruitment programs and
opportunities available.
Search PSAT Search ACT Plan Search Midwest
Honors Card Deck Whos Who Card
Deck Person-to-Person Contact High School
Visits College Fairs Colleges That Change Lives
Tour Telephone Inquiries Electronic
Contact Online Inquiry Form Online Athletic
Recruit Form Online Wooster Legacy Form E-mail
Requests for Information
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GENERATING APPLICATIONS
Marketing Welcome to Wooster! Poster in High
Schools Visit Wooster Telecounseling Phone
Calls Apply to Wooster Telecounseling Phone
Calls Recruitment Programs High School
Visits College Fairs Colleges That Change Lives
Tour Fall Visit Day/Overnight Off-Campus
Interviews Off-Campus Receptions AAR
Interviews General Mailings Letter from
Geographic Counselor Letter from Dean of
Admissions Web Postcard High School Visit
Letter Viewbook/Application Mailing Value
Brochure (Parents) Reminder to Apply
Letter/E-mail Targeted Mailings Band and Chorus
Tours Letter Multicultural Visit Day
Postcard Science Mathematics Visit
Postcard Various Scholarship Letters Current
Student Letter (S.T.A.R.)
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CONVERTING APPLICANTS TO ENROLLED STUDENTS
Recruitment Programs Geographic Area
Receptions College Scholar Competition/Visit
Program Allen Scholarship Competition/Visit
Program Music/Theatre/Scottish Arts
Scholarship Competitions Spring Visit Days for
Admitted Students Off-Campus Interviews Person-to
-Person Communication Admissions Counselor Phone
Calls Telecounseling Phone Calls (Student
Callers) Faculty/Administrator/Alumni Phone Calls
(S.T.A.R.) AAR lunches Electronic/Written
Communication Financial Aid Award
Letter Scholarship Award Letter Presidents
Letter VPAAs Letter Alumni Board Letter Letter
to African-American/Multicultural Admits Faculty
E-mail (S.T.A.R.) Admitted Student Web Page
E-mail Faculty Mentoring E-mail
(S.T.A.R.) Current Student E-mail
(S.T.A.R.) Hand-signed Card (S.T.A.R. and
Multicultural)
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Seasons of the profession

• The timing of admissions activities varies
  depending upon on the type of institution, the
  type of student it serves and the institutions
  position in the marketplace.

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Late summer and fall

• Goal Generate interest and applications

• Travel Planning
• Geographic territory
• Key H.S.s to visit
• College Fairs
• Travel to high schools and college fairs
• Direct mail activities (viewbook, application,
  FA, academic programs, HS visit announcement,
  etc.)
• Campus visitation programs
• Individual campus visitors (interviews, tours,
  etc.)
• Off-campus Interviews

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Winter

• Goals Generate, Read Process Applications,
  encourage campus visits, select scholarship
  winners.

• On-campus programs
• Individual family visits
• Visitation Days
• Scholarship Competitions
• Email communications
• Telephone communications
• Direct mail activity
• Read and Process Applications

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Spring

• Goals Generate enrollment deposits
• Generate inquiries for following year

• Read and process applications
• Determine scholarship winners
• On-campus programs
• Off-campus Yield programs
• Telephone communications
• Direct mail to students and parents
• Generate enrollment commitment
• Generate interest from juniors (searches, visit
  days, direct mail, etc.)

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Summer

• Goals Confirm paid students, generate
  additional paids, generate inquiries for
  following year, assess the previous year, prepare
  for upcoming year.

• Activities
• Search responses
• Web responses
• Rising senior visit programs
• Student interviews
• Application and yield studies.

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Keys to student recruitment

• Sending the right message to the right students,
  at the right time, in the right format.
• The development and management of a multi-level
  prospective student communications plan.
• Consistently sending our messages through well-
  trained, committed, caring individuals across the
  campus.
• Having the appropriate resources to implement the
  plan

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Communications PlanDirect Mail
Summer Visit Day Invitation
Geographic Recpt. Invitation
Visit Day Invitation
Visit Day Invitations
Sophomore
Junior
Senior
Quality Mailing
Viewbook
CDrom
ACT Letter
ACT Letter
PSAT Search
Search Reply
Minority Search
PSAT Search
Search Reply
Travel Reply
Travel Reply
Travel Reply
Travel P.C.
Does not Include Admitted Student Activities
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Communications PlanPrograms and Travel
Daily Campus Tours and Admission Interviews
Special Tours
Career Beginnings
Geographic Receptions
Sophomore
Junior
Senior
Fall Travel
Spring Travel
Fall Travel
NEOEA Day
Spring Visit Day
Summer Visit Day
Spring Visit Day
Fall ADD
Fall ADD
Fall ADD
Multicultural Visit Day
Does not Include Admitted Student Activities
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Communications PlanElectronic
On-line Scholarship Application
Incoming E-mail and Responses
On-line tour scheduler
On-line Applications
Sophomore
Junior
Senior
CDrom
Parent E-mail Sequence
Search Response Option
Search Response Option
Invitation to Visit
Does not Include Admitted Student Activities
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Success in Admissions

• Know your institution
• Accept that you will work non-traditional hours
• Seek opportunities to improve your skills
• Display commitment
• Assess your effectiveness

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Success in Admissions

• Be prepared to multi-task
• Dont view students as an interruption to your
  work
• Be a team player
• volunteer for assignments
• Help colleagues as time permits
• Maintain a positive attitude
• Willingly accept direction from supervisor and
  veterans
• Conduct yourself in a professional manner