Student-Focused Admission for Easier Transition

Objective

To share the journey of Polk State College from task-focused to a

student-focused admission process.

We Were Here

• Admission Letter• Optional Orientation• Purge Calls• Multiple flyers with incomplete information

We Are Here

• Admission Letter

• Guide to Polk State College• Concierge Service• Required Orientation• Student Convocation• Follow-up Survival Guide• First Year Experience

We Will Be Here in 2015-16• Targeted admission events by student type• Admission letter• GPS on mobile app with live chat• Concierge service /My personal Polk flight leader• Required orientation - online anytime live chat• Student convocation• Follow-up survival guide and interactive event as

part of FYE class• First Year Experience fully implemented

Admission Letter

• Every contact must count big time• From general to personalized• Retained in student web portal• Contains the testing ticket• Directs students to the GPS• Iscored campaign to understand

developmental education exemption

Activity

Guide to Polk State College• Don’t read it all – read what you need• Development of the GPS• Annual review of the GPS• Interactive use of the GPS– During Orientation– Student visit to the Admission, Registrar, Advising,

Financial Aid, Business, and Faculty Offices– Culture Change

• Personal call within 24 hours(workday) of application

• Welcome• Help with residency• Review PERT, Exemption, and Orientation• Guide them in using the GPS – and knowing the next step

for them• Walk them through PASSPORT login• Set them up with email account• Document/record problems/issues for further

improvements in our process

Concierge Service

GREEN GLASS DOOR

Required Orientation• Big project with online orientation

– Same experience, in-person or online

• Strong input – From faculty– College-wide (Food service vendor, bookstore, TLCC, library, facilities, safety)

• Interactive

– Student-specific like the admission letter– Q & A – repeatable, resource rich– Uses GPS to select dev ed courses

• Professionally done– Voice-over and videos– Camtasia how-tos for email, PASSPORT, Library, and website navigation

• Assessment– 96% good or very good. Nearly 1000 comments such as “Awesome”,

“Don’t change anything it is great!” “Wow! I learned so much.”

Convocation

• I can only imagine!• I can dream!• I can be inspired!• I can connect!– With faculty– With my campus– With student activities and government

Mentor Training

• What is a mentor?• The Power of Peer Mentoring• The Role of a Peer Mentor• Flight Command – Squadrons – Flight

Leaders• Building Meaningful Academic

Relationships• Understanding Diversity and

Engagement• Communication and Listening Skills• Confidentiality• Crisis and Conflict Resolution• Responding and Referral Skills• Making Contact Count• Responsibilities and Reporting

The Ceremony900 attendees….• Greeted by Flight Leader Mentors• Soaring to Success Video from Graduation• Procession of Faculty and Staff– Led by Professor Dodie Cowan• Welcome and Congratulations – Lakeland SGA President, Chris Ly• Celebrating Your Choices – Vice President of Student Services, Reggie Webb• Invitation to Pursue Excellence – Professor Aaron Morgan• See It and Be It – Alumnus Josh Austin• Fly Without Fear – President, Dr. Eileen Holden• Closing Remarks and Instructions – Winter Haven SGA President, Kimberly Myers• Recession• Soaring Eagles Cheer and Class Photograph• Soaring Inspirations

Esteemed Faculty and Staff

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1486157771631592&l=4895893037022959735

Evaluation

• 95% of students felt:– Welcomed– Connected– Inspired– Can imagine themselves

graduating– Believe their dreams of

an education will come true

• Students loved the Academic tour

• Nix the lunch• Nix the pre-registration

as required• Plan mentor experience

differently

Follow-Up 3 weeks into Term• Survival Guide– Advisor help

• Dropping down• Tutoring• Life issues• Early Alert

– Contact Information– Most commonly needed knowledge

• Email• Financial Aid disbursement

– Encouragement to stay the course

Assessment

Assessment Loop• Student Perception of Services Survey – Fall• Freshmen/FTIC Student Survey – September• Event evaluations – Orientation – Convocation

• Focus groups of peer mentors• Focus groups of incoming students – GPS• Assessment of each element of the FYE

Soar Eagles! We are Polk!