How can you promote transparency in enrollment management?

If mission and vision is step 1, step 0.5 is gathering input from a very large range and number of stakeholders: Board, leadership, faculty, students, donors, alumni, community, and peers both “vertical” (i.e. high school to college counseling) and “horizontal” (other higher education institutions and organizations).

One effective way to promote transparency in enrollment management is by implementing a clear and accessible communication strategy. For example, establish regular updates through newsletters, website announcements, or social media channels to keep stakeholders informed about enrollment processes, admission criteria changes, and any relevant updates. Providing concise and easy-to-understand information helps foster transparency by ensuring that stakeholders, including prospective students and their families, are well-informed and have access to the information they need to navigate the enrollment process confidently.

Pour promouvoir la transparence dans la gestion des inscriptions en enseignement supérieur, il est essentiel de communiquer clairement notre mission et notre vision. Nous pouvons utiliser des outils tels que des brochures informatives, des présentations en ligne et des vidéos explicatives pour informer les étudiants potentiels et leurs familles sur notre processus d'inscription, nos critères de sélection et nos objectifs pédagogiques. De plus, nous pouvons organiser des réunions d'information ou des journées portes ouvertes pour permettre aux intéressés de poser des questions et de mieux comprendre notre établissement.

Ensuring transparency in enrollment management involves candid communication. Clearly outline the values considered in the admissions process, avoiding ambiguity. Host virtual sessions to provide valuable tips to all applicants and manage expectations effectively. Be forthright about grade or essay quality cut-offs, fostering trust and aligning expectations. Transparency builds a foundation of honesty and fairness, creating a more inclusive and informed admissions process.

Sharing data is crucial when managing any effort, and enrollment management is no exception. So there should be a regular report tracking key measures of success. But in my experience, in both business and academia, people responsible for managing any area will tend to report good news and shy away from bad news. The way this manifests is a different set of metrics each time a report comes out. Specifically in enrollment management, this might mean in one month hearing about visits to the college website, another month the highlight might be the number of applications received, and another month might focus on retention from first to second year. To really understand progress, pick the important metrics and report on them every period.

I would switch these first three: stakeholders-data (and in at least two rounds) before mission and vision. Enrollment management is a service function in support of a broader mission, and the 1,2,3 as organized here upends that.

Pour promouvoir la transparence dans la gestion des inscriptions en enseignement supérieur, il est essentiel d'impliquer les parties prenantes dans la prise de décision. Des méthodes telles que la consultation publique, les sondages en ligne et les réunions ouvertes permettent d'engager les étudiants, les parents et les enseignants. Utiliser des outils de communication efficaces tels que des plateformes en ligne pour publier les critères d'admission, les résultats des évaluations et les statistiques d'inscription favorise également la transparence. Enfin, mettre en place un comité consultatif composé de représentants de différentes parties prenantes permet d'assurer une prise de décision collective et transparente.

Transparency in enrollment management involves openly communicating admission criteria, reviewing processes, and providing timely updates. Clear guidelines on GPA, standardized tests, and additional requirements help applicants understand expectations. Establishing responsive communication channels, updating enrollment statistics, and sharing decision timelines contribute to a transparent process. Financial transparency, including accessible information on tuition, fees, and financial aid options, is crucial. Involving stakeholders and considering student representation in decision-making enhances community engagement. Overall, these measures build trust, foster inclusivity, and ensure a fair and accessible enrollment experience.

Prospective students are on a customer journey. I know the word "customer" can be divisive in Higher Education, but I would argue that up until the point of enrollment, a prospective student is making decisions in exactly the same way a customer is. They are on a buying journey, one of the most important of their lives. Survey and operational data shows that at discovery stage, prospective students care most about factors like reputation, teaching quality and course content. However, after they have applied, this changes - and one of the most important factors they consider in their decision making is... responsiveness of the institution. If you resource to be responsive, you'll meet student expectations and provide a better journey.

A very sensitive topic... In a competitive business school environment, ranking publishers include admissions-related aspects in their calculations for MBA schools, like % of female students. Business Schools are transparent in their emphasis on diversity and holistic approach. This, ultimately, helps them to build a class that aligns with ranking objectives. In a class of 100 with 90 students confirmed and a gender ratio of 2/1 (male/female), I would not be surprised that an institution will focus its effort on only recruiting female students to get to a 40% female participation. It's good news for the media and will have a positive impact on the ranking position (isolating other elements). Transparency, questionable.