Legacy Higher Ed

Great time talking with Bart Caylor and Troy Singer about some of THE most actionable research an enrollment team can do. Check out the blog or go back and find the podcast on the Caylor Solutions page!

What a treat to once again be on the Dordt University campus with Brandon Huisman, Greg Van Dyke and many of their talented and dedicated colleagues. An engaging and inspiring day walking through Admitted Student Intel research and seeing an exciting construction project in action! Also great to have a last-minute cameo from Korey Compaan of Exceleration Solutions. Go Defenders!

A Legacy Lesson coming at you courtesy of a MASTER motivator and leader, Coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Reflect on these words when recently asked on the PIVOT Podcast about considering his legacy as a veteran, surefire hall of fame coach... "The challenges of today are always going to trump that. My career has been long, OK? These dudes, man, their careers are short (pointing over his shoulder at the practice field and his players). I owe them urgency. I owe them to be IN it the way THEY'RE in it. I don't have a longevity mentality when I get out of bed in the morning, because they're not afforded that. As a leader, I gotta live like they live, and relate to that." Whew, those are powerful words, friends. Especially in the enrollment world, where young professionals come and go as quickly oftentimes as the average length of a professional football player's career (around 2.5 years). Do we have an URGENCY to pour into those entrusted to us as if OUR careers depended on it? That mentality will pay dividends on multiple fronts: more successful teams, a fulfilled and energized workforce and the revealing of gifts and strengths that inspire thoughtful and productive advancement opportunities for your best performers. It is WORTHY of your energy and focus. There is a reason that, each year, coach Tomlin is selected, through NFL player surveys, more frequently than any other as the coach they'd most like to play for other than their own. He pays the daily price of true leadership, and we should as well if granted the avenue to do so.

“Are we really maximizing our opportunity to connect with prospective audiences if we’re not taking the time to find out why they’re making the decisions they’re making?” — Dave Burke By surveying attending students and students who decided to go elsewhere, your institution can give your admissions team additional data to help streamline their processes. But the research doesn’t stop there! Considering outside influencers like parents, coaches, and other trusted adults can bring a unique perspective of comparative analysis. We’re joined by David Burke, the President of Legacy Higher Ed, to talk about all things admitted student research, data analysis, and even what to do if you encounter a bear in the wild. Join Troy Singer and I as we discuss: ? [4:25] Admitted student research defined ? [9:56] The nuts and bolts of student survey research ? [17:36] Competitive analysis through cohorts ? [24:41] How to survey different audiences This week's episode is sponsored by Caylor Solutions and Ring Digital. #studentresearch #admittedstudents #research #data #studentsurvey

Blessed to be at the annual NACCAP Conference, and honored to accept the Lifetime Service Award for Tim Fuller on behalf of his family. Bart Caylor created another phenomenal tribute video for the occasion and David Burke and Chant Thompson shared a few thoughts on Tim’s life and legacy. A joy to be surrounded by long time friends and colleagues at beautiful Westmont College this week!

As a recreational golfer who doesn't find much time to play, and even less to justify consistent practice sessions, I love reading about game improvement theory when I get the chance. This curiosity led me to purchase the book I'm currently reading, whose writer dropped a terrific quote from author James Clear. "Your outcomes are a lagging measure of your habits." Woah, deep stuff there, huh? Perhaps not conceptually, but such a powerful statement explaining the disconnect so many people, organizations and teams experience between desired results and the lack of discipline required to achieve those results. I wonder how many of us can look at our organizations, whatever they may be, and identify TRULY game-changing habits consistently embraced and contributing to the success of our team? Or, is there an organizational attention deficit disorder rampant in our midst that hinders a sense of purpose and the discipline of focusing on the habits that breed positive results? I've observed a LOT of enrollment operations, and let me say there is an epidemic of tail-chasing sweeping the higher ed landscape, often coupled with inordinately large investments in silver bullet products that feed a sense of false security a great deal more than they do actual enrollment goals. What is your hope for success built on? Is it a finely tuned and purposeful operation marked by efficiency and discipline? Or, is it perhaps a well-intentioned but uncoordinated "striving" series of efforts that leaves you and your colleagues exhausted and unfulfilled time after time? Good golfing requires strong habits of both body and mind (and I'm finally discovering the latter can make up a lot for deficits in the former). Similarly, the potential for our teams to win is deeply and profoundly impacted by the habits instilled in our work. Good. Habits. Drive. Outcomes.

Reflecting on a terrific week at the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) Multi-Academic conference in San Diego. A few highlights: - reuniting with some of the best and brightest leaders in Christian Higher Ed - sharing insights with Brandon Huisman on Admitted Student and Parent Research from 2023 - negotiating some table moves to get Caylor Solutions as my exhibit hall neighbor - and last but NOT least, celebrating Tim Fuller with a Champion of Higher Education Legacy Award as well as an emotional tribute video and a speech by David Burke Thanks for the partial sun and the FULL warmth of great fellowship and networking, San Diego!

I am sometimes asked "What type of research should enrollment leaders be pursuing in order to drive strategic direction and operational changes? (OK, perhaps not in those exact words, but you get the picture.) Some institutions collect data like my 12-year-old does candy on Halloween. Unlike my son, though, who never forgets how to consume his hoarded treats, many colleges neglect to put their intelligence into action. As my colleague Tim Fuller used to say, "You can never have enough data, but you can have too much..." Meditate on THAT one for a minute or two! It takes discipline and focus to produce the "so what" responsiveness that your research data demands, and another type of discipline to stop yourself from biting off more than you can chew. So then, what is most important for admissions professionals to digest? Here are three out of a short list of worthy research projects from our perspective that can help you prioritize your fiscal and human investments and direct the most consequential efforts from a data standpoint: * Funnel Performance Analysis - regardless of your student audience type, it is imperative that you exhibit dogged determination to assess the roadblocks and opportunities within your funnel. Do you need more interest at the top? Are you having a hard time getting submitted applications completed? Has your yield percentage dropped off the cliff compared to recent cycles? All these metrics and more within your funnel carry enormous implications on new student enrollment potential and are often only given cursory glances that don't lead to introspection and responsive initiatives. Bonus points if you're able to benchmark against "like" institutions and/or competitors! * Former Applicant Research - Your institution likely has a National Clearinghouse license. Use it! Determine where your former applicants are attending, and re-recruit especially those at community colleges as transfers. Consider establishing a transfer counselor relationship with them as early as their first semester at the CC, and stay top of mind for when it's time to finish their degree. * Admitted Student Research - OK, so now those who know me are thinking"Ahhh, here comes the sales pitch buried in the blog". Yup!! Unabashadly, we contend that there is no more valuable audience to gain feedback from than your most engaged prospective student audience, that being your admitted students, whether they chose your institution or not. There is a myriad of data just waiting for you to mine on the college search process, your admissions experience and campus, characteristics important to college-bound students (and parents) and so very much more. Find an avenue to survey them (before they start college) and learn what makes them tick. now THERE is some serious actionable intel that drives recruitment, marketing AND financial aid strategies. Happy researching to all you data hounds out there, more on this topic to come in future posts...

Has been an honor and privilege to attend the ABHE Annual Meeting as a presenter and exhibitor this week. I continue to be impressed with how this organization serves its members, provides meaningful development opportunities and connects Biblical Higher Education constituents together in such a powerful way. The Association for Biblical Higher Education

Legacy Lesson #4 - Short and sweet this week! During times of disruption, do you see the clouds or the silver lining? Are you opportunistic or fatalistic when the unexpected arrives at your door? As a leader, if you tend towards the problem-identifier versus the problem-solver, have you intentionally surrounded yourself with some intuitive, creative and positive thinkers to balance things out and help you press through the present storm (cough, delayed FAFSA, cough cough)? It is a gift to be able to see the light around a corner at the end of a dark tunnel, and not everyone possesses that gift. If you look around and see nothing but "obstacle obsessors" in your midst, your team is in trouble. Find that person (preferably plural) that can see the opportunity in every obstacle, and put them in places of influence, or at least open dialogue. Winning teams are never overly focused on present realities. They always seem to be either reaching for something just beyond their grasp or straining for solutions beyond the circumstance.