CHARTING YOUR JOURNEY THROUGH THE ENROLLMENT LANDSCAPE

Heather Hoerle, Executive DirectorSecondary School Admission Test Board

Institute for New Heads, July 2014

ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT IS NOT ADMISSION

MEET THE CHIEF RELATIONSHIP AND REVENUE OFFICER

STEP ONE: GET STUDENTS IN THE DOOR

DECLINING BIRTH RATES

STATE AND ZIP CODE DEMOGRAPHIC DATA

State of California, WICHE data

THE OTHER COMPETITIONCharter School Enrollment Growth

2000-2010

Sources: NCES, Charter School Alliance of SC

THE OTHER COMPETITION

STEP 2: UNDERSTAND THE CHANGED

ADMISSION FUNNEL

A NEW REALITY: INQUIRES HAVE CHANGED

• Demographic declines and shift• Economic Decline = Affordability,

Accessibility issues• Where have all the inquiries gone?– Secret Shoppers/Stealth Applicants

• International enrollments on the rise• Domestic boarders on the decline

STEP 3: KNOW THE CONSUMER

Who Decided Where To Apply?

Barriers to Entry:

• Rising tuition rates• Ability to pay vs. willingness to pay• The application process!

STEP 4: KNOW YOUR MARKET POSITION AND BRAND PROMISE

KEY DATA EVERY HEAD SHOULD KNOW

EXAMPLES OF KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

RECRUITMENT MARKETING FINANCIAL RETENTION

% of students moving from one funnel stage to the next

% increase in recruitment activity in targeted marketing areas

Tuition revenueDiscount rateNet tuition revenue

% of students that re-enroll and % of attrition (breakdown by target group)

Number and % of students for each identified target group (geographic, feeder schools, athletes, etc.)

Market share - % of potential students in target market who enroll

Total financial aidAverage award (by boarding/day)Unmet needTotal tuition paid by FA families

Exit survey data (reasons why enrolled students depart; trends)

“Brand” Promise

Example: Hawken School Principles, Head of School Scott Looney

HAWKEN SCHOOL PRINCIPLES

1. We truly know our students...as learners and individuals.

2. We pay purposeful attention to the development of character, helping students understand Hawken's motto of "fair play," and its founder's call to find their "better selves.“

3. We consider developing the intellect to be a critical part of developing character and, as such, we expect the highest levels of academic excellence from our students.

4. We orient our program with a primacy toward the development of 21st century skills beyond the acquisition of specific knowledge.

5. We use classroom methods that place the student at the center of learning. We teach children to make choices, manage their time, think critically and creatively, and develop ownership for their learning.

6. We believe students find energy and passion through engagement, and we expect them to participate and contribute meaningfully in an array of activities outside of the classroom.

7. We believe in the power of community, and foster connections through teamwork, partnerships, and shared experiences.

8. We appreciate difference and individuality, and embrace diversity in our community.

9. We believe students need authentic experience in the real world to make meaning from knowledge. We consider nature, Cleveland and the global community to be extensions of our classrooms.

10. We believe that to provide the most relevant education possible, our faculty and administrators must be learning continually about educational best practices, advances in technology and developments in the world.

STEP 5: USE FINANCIAL AID STRATEGICALLY

Nearly three-fourths of the parents feel they would be not at all likely or not very likely to send their children to private school if

they did not receive financial aid (71%).

Source: NAIS Financial Aid Services Survey Analysis Report, June 2013

DEPENDENCE ON TUITION

FINDING FULL PAY FAMILIES

Assumptions: Family of four, two parents, two children, one in a tuition-charging school, parents age 45, both work, one earns $25K, DC

residents, no net worth, COLA = 1.000

Source: SSS By NAIS methodology for the 2013-14 academic year; Tuition data from NAIS Facts-At-A-Glance, www.nais.org

“Merit Aid is Here to Stay.”School Discussion Points

Muhlenberg College

• 30% of institutional grant money is merit-based.• 70% of institutional grant money is need-based.• Merit is becoming more essential in meeting enrollment goals.• Depending on market position, the number of families who are

eager/able to pay full freight is a diminishing pool of families.Haverford College

• There is a problem with the needs analysis formula; one could argue that no school is really “meeting need.”

• Haverford does not offer merit aid, but they are certainly stretching the definition of meeting need.

• The real question is about the methods employed to manage enrollment vis-à-vis an institution’s finite resources.

Temple University

• Despite increased transparency in the process, they have never been more busy working appeals to the aid process.

• Temple has become more generous with merit aid than in the past.• Boards need to fully understand the implications of merit on a

school’s infrastructure.

STEP 6: BE AN EXPERT ON ASSESSMENT

DEMONSTRATING RESULTS

Value-Added

Achievement & Growth

Admission & Selection

A HOLISTIC APPROACH

THE PURPOSE OF A STANDARDIZED ADMISSION TEST

The SSAT:• Measures broad academic skills necessary

for success in a college preparatory program.

• Provides a common performance measure across disparate academic programs.

• Differentiates between and among applicants.

• Consistent long-term use of scores enables schools to track admission data over time.

STEP 7: RECRUIT AND PAY FOR TALENT

MIND THE GAP!

Classroom School Admin Marketing Finance

60.0%56.0%

43.0%

17.0%10.0%

53.0%

71.0%

57.0%

Background Responsbility

A Higher Ed Model For Independent Schools to Consider?

PAY DISPARITY?

HOW IS YOUR ADMISSION OFFICE STAFFED?

• Admission Leader• Associate Staff• Office Managers, Administrative

Assistants • Temporary staff may be needed

during peak times

STEP 8: SUPPORT AN ADMISSION &

ENROLLMENT CYCLE THAT IS YEAR ROUND AND CAMPUS WIDE

Wide Range of Responsibilities

Responsibility Day Boarding

Marketing/Communications 72% 72%

Financial Aid 55% 65%

General Administration 55% 47%

Advising/Counseling 25% 45%

Admission Only 29% 31%

Coaching/Extracurricular 12% 19%

Teaching 10% 6%

Dormitory 0% 25%

Source: NBOA’s Welcome to the Jungle: A Business Officer's Guide to Independent School Finance & Operations, 2010.

Source: NBOA’s Welcome to the Jungle: A Business Officer's Guide to Independent School Finance & Operations, 2010.

Source: NBOA’s Welcome to the Jungle: A Business Officer's Guide to Independent School Finance & Operations, 2010.

48% - Wanted more

opportunities to interact with

current students!

STEP 9: ENCOURAGE COLLABORATION

AND CROSS FERTILIZATION

What are the top issues facing schools in 2014 – cited by NAIS Heads and Board Chairs?

ISSUES Heads Board Chairs

1) Managing enrollment/Keeping school affordable 68% 68%

2) Marketing/branding school 55% 48%

3) Recruiting/retaining /compensating talented faculty 52% 41%

4) Developing sound 5 year financial plan for school 47% 42%

5) Creating 21st C program and curriculum 43% 34%

6) Expanding parent and alumni support 40% 53%

7) Communicating with internal and external audiences 35% 25%

8) Renovating/enhancing school facilities 30% 35%

9) Increasing financial aid 29% 27%

10) Identifying effective sources of non-tuition revenue 25% 25%^

ADMISSION & THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

• Provides include important dashboard enrollment metrics at every board meeting.

• Produces an annual report on the State of the School’s Enrollment to help trustees understand the school’s current enrollment situation/competitive market status.

• Offers (in concert with the business officer) forecast scenarios for trustees to support discussion of a multi-year enrollment strategy.

ADMISSION & THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

• Are in regular communication (e.g. bi-weekly meetings with metrics focused on school’s enrollment financials).

• Admission assumes responsibility for managing “the anxiety of admission” with prospective families.

ADMISSION & THE BUSINESS OFFICER

• Share in the tuition setting process and benchmark data in developing a tuition strategy

• Establish common messaging for tuition billing and ongoing communication with families.

• Establish customer service expectations in the business office.

• Collaborate in financial aid budget and strategy development.

ADMISSION & THE DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

• Work together to share student/family data and to review pockets of interest/alums.

• Establish a process for sharing prospective and newly- enrolled potential donors between departments.

• Review and coordinate communication calendars and ensure consistency of message.

STEP 10: KNOW YOUR LEADERSHIP MATTERS

ROLE OF ADMISSION IN SETTING TUITION

The vast majority of schools are

tuition driven, yet 87% of Directors of

Admission do not play a role in tuition setting.

ADMISSION’S ROLE IN SETTING THE FINANCIAL AID BUDGET

ADMISSION’S INVOLVEMENT WITH THE BOARD

66% of respondents are not seated at the board

table.

ADMISSION DIRECTORS IN HIGHER EDUCATION:

• 65% report directly to the president

• 76% are members of the president’s cabinet

• 88% participate in board meetings*

*Witt/Kieffer, 2009

YOU SET THE CULTURE

• Innovation in admission and assessment

• Understanding and delivering your school’s outcomes

• Accessibility• Knowing that the Admission Director is

a leader – leave the boardroom door open!

GOOD LUCK TO INH’s CLASS OF 2014!

Heather Hoerlehhoerle@ssat.orgPhone: 609-436-6140

Member hotline: 609- 683-5558www.ssat.org (student/parent website)www.admission.org (school website)