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Preparing for the Future
Strategic Enrollment Planning Executive ForumFebruary 2011 1
All material in this presentation, including text and images, is the property of Noel-Levitz, Inc. Permission is required to reproduce information.
Preparing for the Future: How to Assess your
Institution's Environment and Its Projected Changes Using a Market Research
and Assessment Checklist
Gary Fretwell, Senior Vice PresidentDr. Jim Hundrieser, Associate Vice President
February 2011
The future is embedded in the present.– John Naisbitt
The best way to predict the future is to create it.– Peter Drucker
Preparing for the Future
Strategic Enrollment Planning Executive ForumFebruary 2011 2
Planning is planning for change. There is no need to plan to remain the same or to evolve slowly.
– John Bean, The Strategic Management of College Enrollments
What do you know? What do you wish you knew?
Exercise:Institutional Enrollment Funnel
Preparing for the Future
Strategic Enrollment Planning Executive ForumFebruary 2011 3
Create your SEP research plan
MARKETCOMPETITION
PRODUCT
Q: How do we need to change
ourselves to meet our strategic
goals?
Research focus #1: The institution
• Student satisfaction and engagement metrics• Faculty/staff satisfaction and alignment with student
expectations• Alumni satisfaction/outcomes• Student attrition research
Preparing for the Future
Strategic Enrollment Planning Executive ForumFebruary 2011 4
Current student research revealsbroad institutional issues…
1234567
Overall, metexpectations?
Rate overallsatisfaction
Would enrollhere again
Tuition aworthwhileinvestment
Overall Satisfaction
Our students Students at other schools
…and specific institutional challenges
1. I am able to register for classes I need with few conflicts.2. Tuition paid is a worthwhile investment.3. There is a good variety of courses provided on this
campus.4. The campus is safe and secure
for all students.5. Faculty are fair and unbiased
in their treatment ofindividual students.
6. Adequate financialaid is available formost students.
Alumni research can informyour institutional strategy
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Percent of Alumni
Master's degree Doctoral degree Other graduate degree
Preparing for the Future
Strategic Enrollment Planning Executive ForumFebruary 2011 5
Faculty and staff attitudesshape institutional culture
“As a result of the findings, we have involved faculty and staff much more fully in the planning process, and have made improvements in wages and benefits and in our promotion process.”
– Jackie Virgint, Director of Institutional ResearchSanta Fe Community College (New Mexico)
Research challenges what we “know”
Institutional Priorities Survey
Student F/S/AItem rank rankSecurity staff response 40 6Adjunct faculty are competent as instructors 27 10Student disciplinary procedures are fair 44 8Channels for expressing complaints 58 20
Ranking of items 1-85; 1 = most satisfied
Q: How will the market’s
characteristics impact our future?
Preparing for the Future
Strategic Enrollment Planning Executive ForumFebruary 2011 6
Research focus #2: The market
• Demographic trends • Projected demand for academic programs• Price sensitivity• Lost inquiries and applicants• Brand/image research• Delivery format preferences
Demographics tell a story
www.wiche.edu
Tuition Paid by Lost Admits
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
Less than$2,500
$2,500 to$4,999
$5,000 to$7,499
$7,500 to$9,999
$10,000 to$12,499
$12,500 to$14,999
$15,000 to$17,499
$17,500 to$19,999
$20,000 ormore
% of Lost Admits
Pricing research replaces intuition
Tuition Paid by Lost Admitted Students
$20,000+<$2,500
Preparing for the Future
Strategic Enrollment Planning Executive ForumFebruary 2011 7
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
Nursing Drama Mathematics Crim. Justice Sports Mgt. Child Care Social Work Env. Studies
Interest Areas of College-Bound High School Students
Primary Market Secondary Market
Program demand shows opportunity
NRCCUA Postsecondary Planning surveyof college-bound high school students
Are you offering too many programsfor the number of students enrolled?
Client Typical Master's I
32 programs; 337 degrees
39 programs; 968 degrees
Ratio: 10:1
Ratio: 25:1
Ratio of Students to Programs
Essential attitudinal research
What level of awareness of our institution exists in out-of-state markets?
Are our marketing messages resonating with prospective students and parents?
How can we use different messages to target different types of students?
How are we viewed in terms of quality against our top competitors?
Preparing for the Future
Strategic Enrollment Planning Executive ForumFebruary 2011 8
Perception research can be a wake-up call
“Name a positive perception that students have of MyU…”
PercentDon’t know, nothing 42.5Community, area, scenery 19.2Programs, courses (general) 9.8Social atmosphere, environment 8.5Campus 9.0Reputation 5.8Smaller classes/student-to-teacher ratio 3.8
Graduates' Reputation Among Employers
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
Unknown
Better reputation
Below average reputation
Parents Adults Employers Counselors
Perceptions can vary widely by audience
Measuring impact of a marketing initiative
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Competitor 1 Competitor 2 Competitor 3 Competitor 4 Competitor 5 Our School
Pct Extr / Very Familiar (2003) Pct Extr / Very Familiar (2005)
Familiarity v. Competitors
Preparing for the Future
Strategic Enrollment Planning Executive ForumFebruary 2011 9
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Outcomes Technology Diversity Overall Reputation
Pct Prefer Our School (2003) Pct Prefer Our School (2005)
Have we improved parents’ perceptions?
Reputation v. Competitors
. . Research drives marketing media strategy
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Television Internet Newspaper Radio Magazines
NewsEntertainment
Non-enrolling admitted students
• Telephone surveys comparing features with school of choice
• In-depth interviews that get past the polite answers
Preparing for the Future
Strategic Enrollment Planning Executive ForumFebruary 2011 10
Q: What is the evolving competitive
context for our institution?
Research focus #3: The competition
• Competitor enrollment trends• Competitor marketing messages• Competitor academic program offerings• Institutional image vis-à-vis competitors
www.nces.ed.gov/IPEDS/
Preparing for the Future
Strategic Enrollment Planning Executive ForumFebruary 2011 11
What you can learn from IPEDS
• Institution characteristics
• Degree completions
• 12-month enrollment
• Human resources
• Fall enrollment
• Finance
• Financial aid
• Graduation rates
Assess your real competitors
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
Proprietary Theologicalseminaries
2-year colleges Small public 4-yr Med. or largepublic 4-yr
Med. or largeprivate 4-yr
Share of IPEDS Universe Share of College's Inquiries
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
2001-2002 2005-2006
Bachelor's Degrees Awarded inBusiness Administration
Four-year publics Four-year privates For-profits
Understand your market share trends
Preparing for the Future
Strategic Enrollment Planning Executive ForumFebruary 2011 12
Capture the basics of yourcompetitive position
• Have you heard of (our institution/competitors)? (basic name recognition)
• Level of familiarity 1-5 (knowledge)
• One word or phrase they associate with the institution (perceptions)
Top-of-mind (five-minute) telephone awareness survey
Awareness of your name vs. competition
0
20
40
60
80
100
Our school Milton Coll Dover U
Carter U Williams U
% Yes
In-state Florida Alabama Georgia S. Carolina
Research to establish brand positioning
1. Ensure we are not simply duplicating the positioning of other institutions
2. Help correct misperceptions in the marketplace3. Determine which brand messages should be
primary4. Define targeted messages by audience
Preparing for the Future
Strategic Enrollment Planning Executive ForumFebruary 2011 13
Research ensures the rightmarketing messages
Quality is…• Faculty who publish• The smartest students• US News ratings
Quality is…• Faculty teaching• Career preparation• Successful graduates
Competitor message content analysis
Communications studies show competitive opportunities
• No competitors sent information designed for parents.
• Only two competitors sent meaningful information about the requested major.
• Only three competitors sent information about financial aid, which was specifically requested.
• Only three competitors responded within 48 hours to an e-mail inquiry.
• Public universities did not use multiple communications to build relationships with prospects.
Preparing for the Future
Strategic Enrollment Planning Executive ForumFebruary 2011 14
Do you know competitive pressureby major?
Knowledge comes by taking things apart; wisdom comes by putting things together.
− John Morrison
Create your research checklist
Preparing for the Future
Strategic Enrollment Planning Executive ForumFebruary 2011 15