Making the Numbers Amid Demographic Declines 

The Enrollment LandscapeThe demographics challenge

• Fewer high school seniors in most regions of the U.S.

• International recruitment can help, but not a panacea

• Must reach growing populations of• First‐generation• Lower income• URM• Orientation toward community college• Local/regional in approach

Moderator and Presenters• Moderator: Paul Marthers, Associate Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management and Student Success, SUNY System

• Panelists:• Robert Alexander, Vice President for Enrollment and Communications, Millsaps College

• Madeleine Rhyneer, Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing, Susquehanna University

• Dee Voss, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions, Nova Southeastern University

The Enrollment LandscapeThreats to the Value Proposition 

• Perception that college costs too much• Media frenzy over student debt• Determined need versus perceived need• Unwillingness to pay the full price• Discount rates are at record levels

• Can they go any higher?• Is the current path financially sustainable?

The Enrollment LandscapeCollege = job preparation and public investments in higher education must boost the economy

• Outcomes, outcomes, outcomes• STEM is ascendant• Devaluation of the liberal arts• Internships and co‐ops• Billionaire college dropouts• Coding schools and Thiel Fellowship

The Situation on SUNY Campuses

• Downstate is flush, Upstate and Western NY are challenged

• U‐Centers growing, Colleges & Techs maintaining, Community Colleges down

• Increased focus on Metro NYC recruiting: the only part of NYS that is growing

• Discount rate hand‐to‐hand combat with regionally‐focused NYS privates and border‐state publics

• More recruiting outside NYS

Faced with all these challenges, what can enrollment managers do?

•Before you leave for a profession with more job security and a higher salary, consider the following three case studies that demonstrate success even in challenging times.

Millsaps’ Vision

Millsaps’ Strategic Enrollment and Marketing Plan

Streamlined Internal

Processes

Aggressive External Outreach

Strategic targeting vs. “predictive” targeting

Strategic Targeting

Starts with identifying students you most desire to enroll

Leverages your past success

Seeks to engage students as early as possible

Aspirational in design

“Predictive” Targeting

Starts with identifying students who share attributes with your current enrollments

Eliminates regions where you desire togrow enrollments

Misses opportunities to engage students earlyin high school

Regressive in design

Ease of Application to Multiple Institutions

Source: 2009 & 2011 State of College Admission, NACAC

17%Decline

80.0%82.0%84.0%86.0%88.0%90.0%92.0%94.0%96.0%98.0%

100.0%

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

-1.2%

-2.6%-1.2%

-2.6%-1.0% +0.8%

-2.9%

-1.8%

-4.1%

National average yield rate since 2001

Knowing when and how to engage students …

Percentages represent unique student populations

Seniors

20%

Juniors

30%Freshmen &Sophomores

50%

… to get the best resultsSearching each class year provides unique names available only once

19%

38%

19%

24%

19%

24%

19%

38%

Available only as seniors

Available only as juniors

Available only as sophomores

Available in two or more years

27,768 26,256 40,63146,093 60,015

56,821 60,35138,956

82,98773,380

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

160,000

180,000

Entering Class 2014 Entering Class 2015 Entering Class 2016 Entering Class 2017 Entering Class 2018Sophomores Juniors Seniors

Seniors

Search contact volume planSearch Contacted by Grade LevelEntering Classes 2014–2018

Seniors

Juniors

Seniors

Juniors

Seniors

Millsaps is well-positioned for 2017 and 2018Search Responders by Grade LevelEntering Classes 2014–2018

6,248 6,042 6,8885,7017,706

5,355 5,616

2,672

4,348

5,946

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

Entering Class 2014 Entering Class 2015 Entering Class 2016 Entering Class 2017 Entering Class 2018Sophomores Juniors Seniors

58%42%

Responded via Other Device Responded via Mobile Device

Millsaps College mobile device activitySophomore and Junior Search Program

Optimize your search for multiple devices

NEW simplified scholarship selection system

Search students account for 62% of depositsEnrollment Funnel by Inquiry SourceEntering Classes 2013 and 2016

Other Sources Search Sophomores

1,922

917 180

1,922

917

1801,148631

95

992

645

71

755

391

57

1,349

831

74

4,244

2,498

297

Submitted Applications Admits Deposits0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

4,500

Search Juniors Search Seniors

Deanna VossDean of Undergraduate AdmissionsNova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

June 2015‣ Lack of solid Admission

foundation/direction, no strategic plan

‣ Large staff but few who traveled

‣ Local tri-county, regional and small reach in NY

‣ Aggressive growth goals to double undergraduate enrollment by 2020

‣ Enormous potential

Strengths and

Weaknesses‣ Large staff‣ Large budget‣ New Residence Halls opening

fall 2018‣ New MD program opening fall

2018‣ Lack of knowledge‣ Office culture‣ CRM and technology

Strategies ‣ Common Application‣ Comprehensive Search

program‣ Complete update

communication and marketing plan

‣ Change in staff responsibilities

‣ Significant change to recruitment plan

‣ Change office culture and staffing

Goals ‣ Double undergraduate enrollment to 6,000 by 2020

‣ Averages out to 15% enrollment growth each year 2015-2020

‣ Increase out of state enrollment to 60% of incoming class

‣ Close gender gap to 60/40‣ Improve academic profile of

class

Current Outcomes ‣ Applications increased by 63% over 2015

‣ Admits increased by 40% over 2015

‣ Yield is holding at 8% ahead of 2015

‣ Registered is holding at 12% ahead of 2015

‣ Out-of-state enrollment is 49% and in-state 51% which is a change from 41% and 59% respectively

‣ No significant movement in gender gap

‣ Test score averages and gpa are even

27

Madeleine RhyneerVice President for Enrollment and Marketing

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Increased Housing Stock and a New Strategic Plan Call for

Enrollment Growth

29

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The Strategic Plan:

• Grow enrollment to 2500(do Boards and presidents read demographic charts?)

31

• What strategies and tactics will we use to grow enrollment?

• Do we have the resources we need?– Human capital– Financial capital

• How do you motivate the team?• Is there a fallback plan?

32

Go Big or Go Home

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• Complete overhaul of University website• Significant investment in building a robust

prospect pipeline• More targeted (and impactful) marketing

communications• New financial aid partner• Evaluate and re-think everything• There are no sacred cows

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Questions and

Discussion