Using Assessment in Admissions to Inform First Year Experience Planning

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Using Assessment in Admissions to Inform First
Year Experience Planning

• Lonnie R. Morris, Jr.
• Vice President for Enrollment Services, Holy
  Names University
• Annual Conference on the First-Year Experience
• Phoenix, AZ
• February 6, 2005

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Notes for Our Discussion

• Private, urban institution with less than 2,000
  students
• 2003 entering freshman, 80 response rate
• Purchased instrument from nationally recognized
  organization

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Overview

• Relationship to academics
• What theyre planning to do
• Their impressions of us
• Impact of their plans and impressions

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Four Levels of Discussion

• Our Institution
• National Norms
• Private Institutions
• Enrollment Under 2000

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National Normative Data Report

• January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2002
• 19 Privates, 37 Publics
• 16 with Enrollments of 2000 or less
• 3 schools with same religious affiliation
• 20 schools under same accreditation jurisdiction

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What are they planning?
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Plans to Work
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Plans to Work Our Students

• 31.2 plan to work 11 to 30 hrs/wk
• 30.4 have no work plans at all
• 2.2 plan for 40 hrs/wk
• 20.3 are undecided

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Activities of interest

1. Fraternities and sororities 64.0
2. Service organizations
3. Varsity athletics
4. Student Radio/TV
5. Theater
6. Religious organizations student government
7. Student publications
8. Vocal music
9. Departmental clubs

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Fraternities and Sororities
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Top 10 Reasons to Continue Education

1. become a better educated person
2. requirements for occupation
3. develop mind and intellect
4. high level occupation
5. increase earning power
6. study different subjects
7. maturity
8. independence from parents
9. more cultured
10. meet new people

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Independence from Parents
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Major Source of Information About College

1. Parents or relatives 43.7
2. Visit to campus
3. College alumni
4. College catalog
5. College brochure
6. College representative
7. High school teacher 16.3
8. Friends at the college
9. High school counselor 14.1
10. High school administrator

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Parents or relatives
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What do they already think about us?
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Top 5 Impressions of Our School

1. Personnel care about individual students
2. High quality academic programs
3. Friendly students
4. Many cultural events and programs
5. Many activities and organizations

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Unimportant Decision Factors

• Friends attend or plan to attend 59.7
• Type of housing available
• Sports opportunities 48.2
• Male to female ratio
• Religious affiliation

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Care about Students
19
College Rating at Time of Application
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What does it all mean?
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Work Around Work

• 1/3 of entering freshman plan to work at least 11
  hours per week
• Flexibility in course offerings
• Campus employment opportunities
• Consideration in academic advising

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Understand Implications of Interests

• Interests vs. follow-through
• Levels of engagement
• Representative values of interests
• Providing the experience without the activity

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The Parent Trap

• Incorporate findings into parent orientation
• Market more aggressively to parents as primary
  influencers
• Use parent organization to establish balance

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Managing Impressions

• Qualify and articulate how you satisfy those
  deemed as important
• What does it mean to care about students
• Relationship to quality of service
• Educate campus about the unimportant
• Realign energy and possibly resources

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Choice Ranking is Risk Factor

• Immediate engagement
• Marketing strategy for new customers
• Change the perception

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Lonnie R. Morris, Jr.

• Vice President for Enrollment Services
• Holy Names University
• 3500 Mountain Boulevard
• Oakland, CA 94619
• 510.436.1351
• Lmorris_at_hnu.edu