Txgap keynote address 2015
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Dr. Brenda Harms provides the keynote address for the 2015 TxGAP Summer Institute. The address focuses on student care and how graduate enrollment professionals can provide personalization throughout the student life cycle.
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Txgap keynote address 2015
- 1. RECRUITMENT: LEADING THE WAY WITH STUDENT CARE Brenda Harms, Ph.D. Harms Consulting
- 2. Harms Consulting Dedicated to the idea of helping colleges and universities do a better job serving students.
- 3. The Importance of Student Care…
- 4. The Importance of Student Care… • Starting graduate school is not the goal – completing is • While historically graduate retention has been quite strong at many universities we are beginning to see some trends that are beginning to make us nervous • In graduate programs we tend to point toward “academic ability” as being the determination of success but with more executive programs and programs designed for working adults we see this shifting • We (colleges and universities) MUST become better at getting students across the finish line
- 5. The Importance of Student Care… • Enrollment Management (aka Student Care) • Truly a high level picture • Includes looking at overall revenue generated by graduate students by program • Should include retention rates – by program – of your graduate students • Focused broadly on the bigger picture of a students life cycle • Requires a systematic evaluation from point of inquiry to point of graduation
- 6. The Importance of Student Care… • Recruitment • Often our main focus when we think about growing enrollment • Focused on relational recruitment – or at least highly personal • Elaborate communication flows – focused on their needs • Extensive efforts are made to guide students through the process and getting started • Dedicated human resources are in place to bring prospective students in • Somewhat elaborate Open House events to attract graduate students to us • Expensive CRM’s
- 7. The Importance of Student Care… • Use of Scripts and Key Questions Designed to Help Prospective Students Think About Their Academic Goals • Emphasis – what is going on that has caused you to think about returning to school at this point • Experience – what type of field are you interested in working in • Employment – wanting to climb a ladder • Earnings – is increasing your income part of your goal • Education – what was your past academic experience like • Economics – what do you know about paying for school • Environment – who is supporting you as you consider this choice
- 8. The Importance of Student Care… Suggested Communication Flow for Unresponsive Inquiries • Adult inquires – Day 1 • Personal connection (email, phone, personal note) Day 1/2 • Follow-up contact (call) – Day 3 • Follow-up contact (email) – Day 6 • Follow-up contact (call) – Day 10 • Follow-up contact (email) Day 14 • Follow-up contact (call) – Day 18 • Follow-up contact (email) – Day 21 • Follow-up contact (call) – Day 26 • Follow-up contact (email) – Day 33 • Follow-up contact (email) – Day 45 • Follow-up contact (call) – Day 60 • Follow-up contact (maintenance) – holiday/newsletter/special announcements
- 9. The Importance of Student Care… Utilization of Scripts and Standard Messages • Timed emails being sent via CRM • Mindful phone follow-up (hopefully)
- 10. The Importance of Student Care… Auto-Response Electronic Messages • Inquiry – Day 1 “Thank you for your interest in XYZ University, we are delighted you have considered us as you are looking for an affordable and flexible MBA designed for professionals in the field. Brenda or Nancy from our admissions office will be following up with you within the next day to further discuss your goals. We look forward to working with you as you make this important personal and professional decision.”
- 11. The Importance of Student Care… Initial Phone Message or Email “Thank you for taking the time to inquire about XYZ University, my name is Brenda and I will be assisting you throughout your process with us. I’m anxious to hear about your professional goals and what had led you to thinking about graduate school at this time. If possible I would like to speak with you to discuss what you are looking for in an educational experience. Please let me know if you are available by phone at any time this week. My schedule is flexible and I am able to call any time before 7:30pm.”
- 12. The Importance of Student Care… Coordinated Phone Message with Email “Good afternoon, this is Brenda with XYZ University. You may have received my email yesterday and I was hoping we might be able to set up a time for me to hear about your professional goals and what interests you most about graduate school. I am available at 111-222- 3333 until 7:30 tonight – I look forward to hearing back from you.”
- 13. The Importance of Student Care… Communications Highlighting Program Benefits “As you consider returning to school to earn your degree I wanted to mention to you that XYZ University places a premium on your current and past work experience. Many of our students have already gained valuable knowledge in their professional roles and that knowledge will be helpful in your classroom work and interactions with your peer network.”
- 14. The Importance of Student Care… And then they enroll…….
- 15. The Importance of Student Care… Silence….
- 16. The Importance of Student Care… The Role of Communication • We often do a great job communicating with prospective students while they are making their decision but allow them to completely slip off the radar once they start school • Retention focused communication allows for more than “its time to register for class” communication • Retention focused communication allows for an ongoing reinforcement of the decision that a student has made to select you as their educational partner
- 17. The Importance of Student Care… Typical Approach - Melt Prevention (a shift to process) • Register for classes • Check your university email • Get your books • Accept your financial aid award • Pay your bill • Login to your courseroom • Show up for class
- 18. The Importance of Student Care… A New Way to Think About Melt Prevention • Reinforcing the decision • Heading off buyers remorse • Getting the support team for each student on board • Preparing for the unexpected (difficult work schedules, employer tuition running out, etc.)
- 19. The Importance of Student Care… • From yes… • Stop EVERYTHING and take a moment • Celebration and Congratulations – have a party (or at least take a moment to say WOW) • A human being has just made the huge decision to give up time and money for the next few years in an effort to better themselves – get a card, send a note, do SOMETHING • NOTE – less than 12% of the American public over 25 has a masters degree!
- 20. The Importance of Student Care… “I know we celebrated when you were in my office but I was thinking more about your decision to start graduate school while I was driving home last night and I just wanted to send you a note. Please know that I am so happy for you that you have made this commitment to yourself. Your professional goals are getting closer already!”
- 21. The Importance of Student Care… • From yes • Reinforce the decision • Continue reminders of the professional and financial opportunities they will have upon completion • Acknowledge that they have made a brave choice (This is a big time/money investment in themselves) • Openly discuss the fact that they may now be overwhelmed with the idea of actually starting • Connect them to other current students or peer mentors • Continue to help them navigate the sometimes messy process of financial aid, course registration, buying books, getting final undergradauate transcripts, etc.
- 22. The Importance of Student Care… • From yes • Check in on their own support system • Supporters during the consideration process can occasionally turn into detractors once a person has finalized their decision • Look for ways to build out support systems – encourage students to create back up plans now, before they need them if there are snags in their return to school • Work • Children • Financial • Transportation
- 23. The Importance of Student Care… • From yes • Stay connected • Think about how diligent you were in your process of recruiting this student – stay just as diligent with keeping them until they get to those first few classes • Connect “starting students” to one another – • Facebook “MBA Graduate Group” is very popular • Coffee Groups • Early receptions
- 24. The Importance of Student Care… • From yes… • 8 weeks to the start (as an example) • Process and paperwork (application complete, official transcripts on file, financial aid application in place, books and materials, deposit made, etc.) • Provide a before you get started checklist and include some fun notes •Celebrate your decision •Call your friends or family and tell them your great news •Take yourself back to school shopping
- 25. The Importance of Student Care… • From yes… • 6 weeks to the start (as an example) • Prepare beyond school • Send email sharing some helpful tips •Double check work schedules •Housing (if a move is involved) •Review potential conflicts with schedules
- 26. The Importance of Student Care… “I was thinking about some of the things that concerned you when you were considering returning to college. I wanted to check-in with you that you had talked with your supervisor and were comfortable that your employer would work with you on your schedule. Please let me know if you were able to get that worked out or if we need to take a second look at your schedule.”
- 27. The Importance of Student Care… • From yes… • 4 weeks to start (as an example) • Phone message “I was looking through the list of students who will be starting the MBA program next month and saw your name. I really am pleased you have decided to take this step, I know finishing your masters degree is a significant goal for you and we are pleased to be a part of it.”
- 28. The Importance of Student Care… • From yes… • 3 weeks to start (as an example) • Electronic Communication “As students at XYZ University prepare to start classes in a few weeks we wanted to share with you an interesting chart that really reinforces your decision to earn your graduate degree. While your financial future might not be the only thing you had in mind when you made your decision it is certainly a piece of the decision for many of our students.”
- 30. The Importance of Student Care… • From yes… • 1-2 weeks to the start • Phone call appointment • Any final questions • Reviewing classes/classrooms/etc. • Asking them to let you know how it goes after the first class
- 31. The Importance of Student Care… • From yes… • Start of Class (if you have a standard first class start) • In person well wish • Ask them to let you know how it goes (again)
- 32. The Importance of Student Care… • From yes… • Two days after classes start • Send email – acknowledge how overwhelming this will feel • Ask them to let you know how it went
- 33. The Importance of Student Care… • From yes… • Two days after classes start • Send email – acknowledge how overwhelming this will feel *** If you are serious about retention – make a phone call as well *** This will let you know who you need to be most worried about right from the start
- 34. The Importance of Student Care… • From yes… • Two weeks after classes start • Email – Hope things are going well • A nice place for the formal final handoff to advising (or not)
- 35. The Importance of Student Care… • From yes… • 1 week prior to the end of the term or semester • Congratulations on your great success • One step closer to completing your goal
- 36. The Importance of Student Care… • From yes… • 4 months into program • Reminders of why they made the decision • Increasing their professional marketability • Positioning themselves for more opportunities
- 37. The Importance of Student Care… • From yes… • 25% complete point • Acknowledge all that they have accomplished – credits earned, difficult classes successfully completed, steps taken toward achieving their goal
- 38. The Importance of Student Care… • From yes… • That difficult class • Every student has a class in their program they are fearful of taking. Flag it in your system and send a supportive messages during this course
- 39. The Importance of Student Care… • From yes… • 50% complete • Half finished!! Celebrate that they are closing in on their goal (and that time is flying by)
- 40. The Importance of Student Care… • From yes… • 75% complete • You would be shocked at the number of students who get within 12 credits of finishing a program and stop-out • Cheering that the end is in sight – remembering how worried they were at the beginning that they could pull this off – celebrating GPA
- 41. The Importance of Student Care… • From yes… • Last Term (or last group of classes) • Help them stop and look at what they have accomplished. • Pull out of the CRM some of what motivated them in the first place to attend – remind them of goal completion. • Speak to how much they have grown both personally and professionally
- 42. The Importance of Student Care… • From yes… • Last weeks of class • Thank them for being a part of a great group of graduate students at your institution • Share with them that you will celebrate their success with them at graduation (if you attend) • Be appreciative of the honor and the privilege of being a part of their achievement • Welcome them to the 12% of masters level Americans
- 43. The Importance of Student Care… • Build on the relationship • Find reasons to celebrate • Setting a few quick reminders regarding each student will allow for a highly personalized experience • Look for ways to be part of their academic experience that have nothing to do with process or paperwork • Birthday notes, holiday cards, the no reason note in the mail – you never know when your timing will be perfect
- 44. The Importance of Student Care… • Two Final Thoughts • We really must take a new approach to graduate students being sensitive to the “new” way many of these individuals are attending school • Institutional acknowledgement that starting doesn’t always mean finishing with graduate learners • Providing student care over the entire student lifecycle allows for prevention of retention issues – who better to do that (or at least advise the effort) than recruitment
- 45. The Importance of Student Care… Thank You!
- 46. The Importance of Student Care… If you would like to discuss the idea of “student care” further please feel free to contact me at: Bharmsconsulting@gmail.com 641-529-3535