I think that the admissions process at my school can be lengthened to help with retention. Often I see students rushed through the process even after orientation has taken place. Late enrollments are more likely not to persist in school. I think my school should implement a longer admissions process and put an end to late enrollments.
How would adding time to the process help retention?
Dr. B
Our admission department meets with all incoming
prospects, they will escort the prospects around our campus. While taking the time to stop in at differrent class that are going on. They can ask the teachers question about the class. I feel it gives the prospect abetter picture of whats going on here.
Agreed. Now, what can you do establish a "relationship" early on? Remember, a relationsip equates to trust.
L
I feel admissions is one of the most important for showing the benifits for the school.
Hi Ben,
Yes, the accuracy of information in admissions and academics needs to calibrate as well. Students become frustrated when admissions does not tell the whole story. What is the result? Students drop from school.
Dr. Banks
As much as the admissions team can be a key roll in retention. If they misrepresent, or do not fully disclose information. They can cause a student to feel lied to and that student will find it much harder to commit when presented with the academic or financial challenges that other student may stick through.
As an instructor at my campus I am not very familiar with the admissions process and therefor cannot speak intelligently about how it may help a prospective student. Maybe the process can be improved by becoming more familiar with it. I do know that we are not allowed to give an entrance exam, but maybe the potential student could be asked to submit a self evaluation.
Yes, it is important for you to link to admissions. The message that you give to students needs to square with what is being said in enrollment. Good place to start is to listent to what prospective students are being told.
Dr. B
Yep, misrepresentation is a root cause for stuents leaving school in the first two terms. Do all that you can do to deliver what is being promised.
Dr. B
Being an instructor I am not directly involved with the admissions process. I use the first day of class as an orientation to the course, explaining what’s required, how the grading works and the lab layout.
I think that it is most often possible to improve processes that we use to enroll students. I think that it is critical for students to get a clear picture of what they are embarking upon through through thrie degree and to have an effective workable plan in place to complete the program successfully, whether that means having backup childcare, a friend who could drive the student if their car breaks down, or even a day planner to schedule out study time. It is important for admissions to address this from the beginning so that if a student does run into trouble they do not panic and they can more on to plan B that was already determined.
I like your idea of a clear picture. And, you deal with a number of issues that effect retention. Consider the impact of telling the whole "academic" story, too.
Dr. B
Absolutely. I would really like to see the check list imlemented.
The admissions process and those who do it are constantly being reviewed and tweaked. This comes from within as well as from without in the form of accreditation reviews. The school has increasingly made faculty more aware of those processes and their active role in retaining students once they are “in.” This includes weekly assessments of the students’ progress with letters out after assignments are due to those who are lagging. The requisite help is offered, of course. There is also a quarterly profile sent to instructors showing the percentage of students who left during/after that quarter in each of the instructor’s courses. Those student’s could have left for a litany of reasons, but the report offers comparative data with instructors teaching the same course so that there might be an exchange of lessons learned…..How can each of us better improve the retention of students?
Students are referred to a “Lab” in areas where they have trouble. This is usually in APA, using MS products and things of that nature. There is also help in our Library in a variety of areas that are intended to make students successful in their academics. I think the network of support does more to retain students after they are in than admissions; but the identification of students who have issues could be a little better and shared more with instructors. We are made aware of “special needs” students, but there are students of lesser need that I would like to be aware of. Much of that is volunteered by the student, but you can guess that most want to “blend” and will keep it to themselves before asking for help.
David, I feel like a mushroom at times as well, but have become involved more in the admission process through committees and getting to know some of the key players. I am adjunct so that is a little more of a challenge. I think that workshops might help where more of the process is explained, trends discussed, and changes that are on the horizon that might deal with projected student needs, the needs in the workforce and so forth.
Thanks for sharing an excellent and reflective response to the question. The key... through advising form a "relationship" so that students feel they can ask for help. Too many times we do the reports and collect the data. But people are poeple and they want to know you.
Dr. B
Good point. Adjuncts really need to be included. The idea is to link for success.
Dr. B
they need to spend more time with each prospective student, not worry about hitting their quota for the month. By doing a detailed interview, they can truly decide whether or not the school would be a good fit for them.
What about linking academics, too? This way you are saying the same things to prospective students.
Dr. B
