College Board Middle States Regional Forum February 13, 2008 Atlantic City, New Jersey.

College Board Middle States Regional ForumFebruary 13, 2008

Atlantic City, New Jersey

COMMUNITY COLLEGE…“…a great place to make some mistakes”

COMMUNITY COLLEGE FACTS (courtesy American Association of Community Colleges)

46% of all US undergraduates (plus another 5 million non-credit students)

39% of all international students in the US50% of all new health care workers and 80%

of firefighters, police and EMT workers educated at community colleges

$400K more earnings in a lifetime than a HS grad

SO IF YOU’RE SO SMART……why aren’t you going to a community college?

FIVE COMPONENTS OF ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENTMarketingRecruitmentFinancial AidRetentionCompletion

MARKETING – WHO DO WE REACH, HOW AND WHEN?Not a name brandProspective students aren’t all centrally

locatedMany prospective students haven’t even

been thinking about college – needs beyond the traditional high school to college path

Media coverage of higher ed trends – focuses on 18-year-old students and four-year colleges

MARKETING SOLUTIONS• Go beyond communicating with high schools –

find your non-traditional students, learn where they get their information

• Center of the community – arts, family events, programs for all ages, municipal functions – keep the name out there

• Flexibility – scheduling, starting new programs, Continuing Ed, multiple locations

• When to market? For next term’s registration? At the time of the decision? For special events?

• Always keep an eye on the local economy• Recruiting other schools’ students for

summer/winter courses to get caught up, save money, graduate on time – a win/win/win

RECRUITMENT CHALLENGESPerception that CC’s are only for students

who can’t be admitted to four-year collegesLimited territoryBeing compared to four-year schools that put

more emphasis on the “wow factor”Lack of cost factor awareness

RECRUITMENT SOLUTIONS• Sell the school’s quality and the concept to students

through guidance counselors and parents• A Bachelor’s Degree is a Bachelor’s Degree, no matter

where the student started• Make those outside the county aware of unique

programs• Some mimic 4-year schools – dorms, honors programs,

even Bachelor’s Degrees – more “WOW” appeal• Don’t ignore college fairs – be a player• Partner with four-year schools – not just articulation

agreements – and high schools (dual enrollment)• Make sure recruiters can address cost and aid questions• Re-recruit! Many CC students take 2 years off after HS

FINANCIAL AID AND COSTS• CC’s should always play up the affordability

angle• Difference for two years at a CC can be tens of

thousands and much less debt, but…• $1000 is still a lot of money to high need

families• Have to keep things clear and simple – aid

recipients tend to be first generation, single parents, recent immigrants, etc.

• Make information readily available in as many languages as your student body needs

CAN COMMUNITY COLLEGES MAKE STRATEGIC USE OF FINANCIAL AID?• Answer is YES!• Strategic, but not necessarily just a

recruitment or yield device• If payment is required when students

register, FAO must be highly proactive• Aid can encourage desirable enrollment

behaviors• NJ STARS – state merit scholarship for

community colleges with a continuation for years 3 and 4 at a state four-year college

RETENTION AND GRADUATION • Most community colleges’ #1 challenge• Political pressure, USNWR mentality, a “one size

fits all” accountability• Identifying students’ goals is difficult – might not

be a degree • Making education a priority is a challenge• Classes the students need, when and where they

need them – identified by Noel-Levitz as CC’s biggest delivery gap

• What does an Associate’s Degree give a student?• Students need both quality instruction and

advising

COMPLETION – HOW DO WE GET STUDENTS INTO CAPS AND GOWNS?

Advising, tutoring, outreach, flexibility, lots of hand holding

Learning communitiesMake the information students need

plain and simple, make sure it’s where they look for it, and repeat it often

Put emphasis on long-term goalsTransfer and life experience credits

David SheridanDean of Enrollment ManagementUnion County College1033 Springfield AvenueCranford, NJ [email protected]