AISGW Admission Workshop Doing More with Less Managing the EverChanging Admission Landscape

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AISGW Admission Workshop Doing More with
LessManaging the Ever-Changing Admission
Landscape

• Presenter Christine H. Baker
• Principal, the Baker Group
• May 7, 2008
• Bullis School, MD

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the Baker Group...

• Is a market research consulting firm specializing
  in independent school marketing and enrollment
  management projects.
• Has worked with over 100 independent schools
  since 1999.
• Principal, Christine Baker- has over 28 years in
  schools, both college and independent schools,
  most recent independent school experience- 7
  years as Director of Admission of Milton Academy.

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Doing More with LessManaging the Ever-Changing
Admission Landscape

• At a time when independent school Admission
  offices are feeling increased pressure to do more
  with less---to increase student enrollment, to
  cultivate new markets and to market more
  aggressively---what information do they need to
  maximize their effectiveness? This workshop is
  designed to explore ways Admission professionals
  can manage the changing landscape inside and
  outside of their Admission operations. By asking
  the right questions and collecting the right
  information, admissions professionals can engage
  decision-makers in discussions that will improve
  their school's response to an ever-changing
  market. 

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TODAYS GOALSManaging the Ever-Changing
Admission Landscape

• The changing role of the Admission Director
• Are you doing the fundamentals well? Is your
  infrastructure sound?
• 3. Research-Inventory what your school has done
  over the past 5 years and determine what needs to
  be done over the next 2.
• 4. Demographics and market challenges and the
  specifics of your schools market (current and
  future)
• Affordability- Define it for your school.
• 6. Setting a goal or goals based on todays
  discussion. Think Admission Office Action Plan!

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1. The Changing Role of the Admission Director
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1. Bigger Challenges for the Admission Director

• 1. Discussion about admissions and enrollment
  has had a year to year focus based on bottom line
  numbers versus a multi enrollment plan .
• Tuition increases have been the catch-all to
  budget needs. Financial aid budgets have been
  adjusted with tuition increases. The result, the
  of students on financial aid has remained the
  same, while the number of families needing aid
  has been steadily increasing.
• Collecting admission and enrollment statistics
  has been inconsistent and has been unclear to
  many what to do with the statistics once theyve
  been collected.
• Institutional research has not been a priority at
  most independent schools therefore decisions are
  often based on anecdote. As a result resources
  are wasted.

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1. Bigger Challenges for the Admission Director

• Needs of the Admission Offices have been
  misunderstood because most people think they know
  Admissions and yet very few people truly
  understand how the admission process has changed
  and the need for the entire schools support of
  admission efforts.
• As a result, Admission Offices have been
  understaffed, under budgeted and often blamed for
  a schools enrollment problem.
• Finding outstanding Admission professionals
  should be a schools top priority, and yet, in
  many schools people with little to no admission
  experience are placed in positions that they
  need to learn on the job. An effective Director
  of Admission needs to be both a strategist and a
  tactician, while also being an effective
  communicator, and well liked.
• Because of hiring choices in Admissions, many
  schools have excluded the Admission Director from
  strategic discussions yet, it is important to
  note that the Director of Admission is the only
  other person on campus, other than the Head, who
  needs to straddle the internal and external world.

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1.( New) Admission Director RequirementBe
Skilled at Reconnaissance both Internally and
Externally

• Reconnaissance (also scouting) is military and
  the medical term denoting exploration conducted
  to gain information. Militarily, reconnaissance
  is the active seeking to determine a foe's
  intentions by collecting and gathering
  information about an enemy's composition and
  capabilities along with pertinent environmental
  conditions, via direct observation, usually by
  scouts or military intelligence soldiers
  especially trained in critical surveillance.

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1. (New) Admission Director RequirementBe a
Strategic Tactical Thinkeraccording to Merriam
Webster Dictionary
.

• strategic function adjective1 of, relating
  to, or marked by strategy lta strategic retreatgt2
  a necessary to or important in the initiation,
  conduct, or completion of a strategic plan b
  required for the conduct of war and not available
  in adequate quantities domestically ltstrategic
  materialsgt c of great importance within an
  integrated whole or to a planned effect
  ltemphasized strategic pointsgt3 designed or
  trained to strike an enemy at the sources of its
  military, economic, or political power lta
  strategic messagegt
• tactical function adjective1 of or
  relating to combat tactics as a (1) of or
  occurring at the battlefront lta tactical defensegt
  lta tactical first strikegt (2) using or being
  weapons or forces employed at the battlefront
  lttactical missilesgt b of an air force of,
  relating to, or designed for air attack in close
  support of friendly ground forces2 a of or
  relating to tactics as (1) of or relating to
  small-scale actions serving a larger purpose (2)
  made or carried out with only a limited or
  immediate end in view b adroit in planning or
  maneuvering to accomplish a purpose

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Traditional Admission Funnel
25 who would consider private school
Full pay families- 4 bdg/ 8 day
Research
25 who are Strong Enough Students
Outreach Promotion
Inquiries Leads
Interviews / Visits
Recruitment
Applicants
Evaluation
Marketing
Accepts
Yield
Enrolled
Retention
Alumni
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1. Understand the Significance of an Enrollment
Management Model that works

• Definition
• A process that influences the size, shape and
  the characteristics of a student body by
  directing institutional efforts in marketing,
  recruitment, and admissions- as well as pricing
  and financial aid. In addition, the process
  exerts a significant influence on academic
  advising, the institutional research agenda,
  orientation, retention studies and student
  services. From a broader organizational
  perspective, the process inevitably leads to
  issues of mission and goals clarification and
  budgetary decision making. Don Hossler
• Admissions should not be the only office driving
  institutional research and marketing.

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The Core of The Enrollment Management Circle

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1. (New) Admission Director RequirementFacilitat
e the Enrollment Management Process

• Find your most promotable competitive edge, turn
  it into a powerful message, and deliver it to the
  right prospects.
• The Ultimate Marketing Plan
• Written by Dan S Kennedy

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Determining Your Promotable Competitive Edge

• Gauge the current state of your school-
  (enrollment, admission indicators) and determine
  what the school composite should look like in the
  future.
• Ensure value in the product by understanding
  whats working and what isnt and then improving
  whats not working.
• Understand the demographics impacting your
  schools market.
• Collect competitor information in your education
  marketplace to know how to position your school.

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Identifying your powerful message

• Determine your schools image (conduct
  constituent research)
• Understand what the market wants/needs
• Identify your schools distinctiveness (branding)

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Deliver It

• Assess the means in which your schools message
  is being delivered to the market (via print,
  ,technology people etc). The schools market
  includes prospective families for admission
  through alumni.

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Connecting the Message with the Right Prospects

• Conduct market research to understand past,
  current and potential markets.
• Clarify who are your schools right prospects.

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2. Are you doing the fundamentals well? Is your
infrastructure sound?

• Start with the fundamentals. Is your Admission
  Office doing the fundamentals well?
• Know what resources are needed to get your
  message to your market in the most credible way.
• Conduct the necessary research to inform you, so
  all decisions are made with cost effectiveness in
  mind.
• How are you spending your money? Do you
  currently have the resources to do what is
  expected of you (staffing, admission budget)?
• Do you really know your market? Are you spending
  money to recruit in the markets with the most
  potential for you?
• What do you know about the affordability index
  for your school?

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2. Collect Comparative Research on Admission
Office Resources
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2. HOMEWORKWhat are your best new ideas for
improving the fundamentals?

• Ways to convert prospects into inquiries
• Ways to convert inquiries to visitors
• Ways to convert on campus visitors to applicants
• Ways to convert acceptances to enrollments
• Use of technology
• Open House strategy
• Accepted student program
• Ways to utilize alumni
• Ways to utilize faculty
• Ways to utilize students
• Ways to utilize current parents

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Collecting Data and Research to Inform Marketing

• Market-Media-Message

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3 M Marketing Model

• 10-15 year history inq.-app.-enrollee
• Inquiry Survey
• Current Parents Survey
• Admitted Family
• Questionnaire
• Publications Focus Groups

Research
Media
Message
Market

• Linking the message to the market?
• Combination of
• People (Admission staff, Volunteer
  Network-alumni, faculty, parents, students etc.)
• Technology (web site, email)
• Publications (Admissions Catalogue,
• AdmissionNewsletter,postcards etc)d)
  Gatherings, fairs
• Advertising

Mission based- Distinctive Programs
(sub-brands) Outcomes Image or Identity ,
Quality, Size-value added Environment,
Location Are there people there like me?

• Who is best match?
• Which market segments will be most responsive?
• Segmentation by
• Geography,
• Lower vs. Middle Schools Upper
• Interest (Sub-brands)
• Race, Ethnicity (Programs)
• Quality (DI, CTY)
• Interests (Arts, Athletics)

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3. Assess Your Schools Image Conduct Necessary
Research

• Internal Research
• Faculty / Staff Survey
• Trustees Survey
• Parent Research
• Current Student Research
• Alumni Research
• Communications Audit
• External Market Research
• Prospect (Sending schools, Ed. Consults,
  Overlap schools)
• Inquiry- non app, Interview non app
• Admitted Student
• Cultivating relationships with current families
  is essential. A good relationship with current
  families is essential to the smooth operation of
  the current institution and is vital to the
  health of the future of the institution. By
  working closely with current families it becomes
  easier to learn more about perceptions and the
  assessment of your schools value.
• Importance of Research...It is important for you
  to know as much about who is walking in your door
  and not staying as it is about those who staying
  to be educated.

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3. Sampling of Inexpensive Research
ProjectsKeep it simple but, not simplistic

• Market Identification (Excel, Map Point)
• Peer School positioning information
• Inquiry-Non Applicant Questionnaire
• Tour/Interview Evaluation Postcard
• Interview-Non Applicant Phone Survey

• Publications Audit-Focus groups with yours and
  other schools publications
• Faculty questionnaire
• Current Parent Survey
• Exit Interviews with students leaving
• Admitted Student Questionnaire (ISAS)

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3. Define Your Desired Markets

• Identify markets with potential for high return
• Communities of current families, past parents and
  alumni
• Proximity to home
• High income
• Education Attainment
• School Age Children

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3. Mapping Softwarefor Mapping Admission
Activity

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AISGW Markets

• Montgomery County
• Fairfax County
• Washington DC

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Demographic Characteristics Analyzed for 3 AISGW
areas

• Average Household Income 2004
• Population Under Age 14 2004
• Educational Attainment (Graduate Degree)
• Average Household Tuition Expenditures 2004
• Source MapPoint 2006

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Average Household Income Montgomery County

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Population Under Age 14 Montgomery County

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Educational Attainment Montgomery County

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Tuition Expenditures Montgomery County

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Average Household Income Fairfax County

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Population Under Age 14 Fairfax County

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Educational Attainment Fairfax County

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Tuition Expenditures Fairfax County

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Average Household Income Washington DC

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Population Under Age 14 Washington DC

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Educational Attainment Washington DC

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Tuition Expenditures Washington DC

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Demographics and Market Challenges

• National Trends
• NAIS, AISGW Trends
• Competition from Public Schools
• Growth of Charter schools
• Home schooling

• 1

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National Demographic Shifts
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National Demographic Shifts
According to the Center for Demographic Policy
in Washington. DC The US is becoming the first
world nation where the racial/ethnic lines that
divide us are becoming blurred and scientifically
nonsensical, even as we continue our belief in
them. While we have a nation of whites and
blacks, record-high immigration rates are pushing
America to become a world nation. Only 15 of
recent immigration is from Europe. The remaining
immigrants hail from South and Central America
and Asia.
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NAIS and AISGW StatisticsEnrollment
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NAIS and AISGW StatisticsInquiries
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NAIS and AISGW StatisticsApplications
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NAIS and AISGW StatisticsAcceptances
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NAIS and AISGW StatisticsNewly Enrolled Students
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NAIS and AISGW FUNNEL STATISTICS change
2001-02 to 2007-08

• Change from 2001-02 to 2007-08
• Inquirers NAIS down 24, AISGW down 34
• Applications NAIS down 8, AISGW down 33
• Acceptance Rates NAIS 51 (07-08) vs. 49
  (01-02)
• AISGW 55 (07-08) vs. 36 (01-02)
• Enrollment NAIS down slightly, AISGW up 8

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Competition from Public Schools

• An ongoing threat for independent schools, is
  not being able to reach and recruit high-income,
  high-achieving students from public schools.
  These students are more likely to be living in
  the more affluent communities where public school
  systems are the strongest, and it is a challenge
  to find effective modes of marketing outreach.

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Charter Schools

• A charter school is a public school operated
  independently of the local school board, often
  with a curriculum and educational philosophy
  different from the other schools in the system.
• 3,625 charter schools are operating in 41 states
  and the District of Columbia, serving 1,076,964
  students.
• First charter school founded in 1991 in
  Minnesota.
• In 2005-06 424 new charter schools opened. There
  were an additional 90 schools approved to open in
  2006-07.
• Most important reasons for founding a charter
  school
• Alternative vision for schooling (58)
• Serve a special population (23)
• Gain autonomy (9)
• Top 6 charter schools states
• California (652) Ohio (304)
• Arizona (464) Texas (286)
• Florida (353) Michigan (244)

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Maryland Charter Schools

• Maryland Charter School "A vision of promise
  for innovation and the reform of the public
  school experience
• Number of Charter Schools in Operation 30
• Baltimore City - 22 charter schools
• Anne Arundel County - 1 charter schools
• Frederick County - 1 charter school
• Harford County - 1 charter school
• Prince Georges - 4 charter schools
• St. Mary's County - 1 charter school
• Number of Approved Charter Schools opening in
  2008/2009 4
• Baltimore City - 3
• Baltimore County - 1
• Number of Enrolled Students 7,216
• Baltimore City - 5,591
• Year of Charter School Law During the 2003

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Washington DC Charter Schools

• The D.C. Public Charter School Board currently
  oversees 56 charter schools on 81 campuses. The
  enrollment of charter schools in Washington, D.C.
  for the 2007-2008 school year is 22,007.

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Virginia Charter Schools

• Virginia has 4 charter schools. But in response
  to both the success of charters nationwide, and
  to the changes that have opened up the
  Commonwealth's charter school laws, many
  communities have begun to consider charter
  schools as a tool to increase options for
  parents. Charter schools are nonsectarian, public
  schools of choice. They are granted special
  autonomy to run independently of their
  traditional local school system in exchange for
  meeting agreed-upon levels of student academic
  performance. They can offer a specialized and
  innovative educational vision, or simply
  represent a new choice for parents. Charters are
  often smaller than other public schools, allowing
  them to offer certain advantages by virtue of
  that smallness.

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Growth of Home schooling

• The home-schooled population continues to grow.
  According to the National Center for Educational
  Statistics and the National Household Education
  Survey (NHES), there were 360,000 students
  home-schooled in 1994. In 1999 the same survey
  reported 790,000 home-schooled students. The
  National Home Education Research Institute
  reports that there were over 2.4 million students
  being home-schooled in 2004-05.
• Virginia- had 2005-06 20,694 home schooled
  children

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Reasons for Home schooling

• Teach a particular set of values, beliefs, and
  worldview.
• Accomplish more academically than in schools.
• Customize or individualize the curriculum and
  learning environment for each child.
• Use pedagogical approaches other than those
  typical in institutional schools.
• Enhance family relationships between children and
  parents and among siblings.
• Provide guided and reasoned social interactions
  with youthful peers and adults.
• Provide a safer environment for children and
  youth, because of physical violence, drugs and
  alcohol, psychological abuse, and improper and
  healthy sexuality.
• Source 2007 National Home Education Research
  Institute

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5. How affordable are you?
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Five Trends in Financial Aid Management
(Source Mark Mitchell, NAIS)

• Pricing out of the market a growing concern
• Is the pool of full-paying, interested prospects
  drying up?
• Growing aid budgets but stagnant reach
• Recipients relatively flat but investment
  growing
• Shifting consideration of who gets funded
• Emotional middle class greater priority than
  low-income and statistical middle class one
  20,000 grant vs. five 4,000 grants?
• NTR, enrollment, cultural implications
• Seeking to decrease sticker shock of
  high-income families
• Merit aid, tuition discount strategies
• SSS results recalculated or recalibrated
• Shifting from aid for access to aid for
  affordability

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Affordability
Affordability
Rise in Day School Tuitions

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Shifting Aid Applicant Pool
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Affordability
How Much Has Income Grown?
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Affordability
How Much Has Tuition Grown?
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Affordability
How Many Families Make That Much?

Percentage of families earning 100K - 200K with
school-age children
Source NAIS Demographics Center, www.nais.org
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Affordability
How Many Families Make That Much?

Percentage of families earning 200K with
school-age children
Source NAIS Demographics Center, www.nais.org
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AffordabilityFind out household incomes of your
current families






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AffordabilityGauge the value of your school
attributed by your current families












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AffordabilityGauge the impact tuition is having
on your current families


















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Managing the Ever-Changing Admission Landscape
You are justified in feeling that  independent
school Admission offices are feeling increased
pressure to do more with less---to increase
student enrollment, to cultivate new markets and
to market more aggressively. It is important in
this climate to maximize your schools
effectiveness on all levels  By asking the
right questions and collecting the right
information, admissions professionals can engage
decision-makers in discussions that will improve
their school's response to an ever-changing
market.