Joanne T. Ceres Director of Enrollment Management & Registrar Pitt Community College Converting Applicants to Students: Keep in Touch Using Communications.

Joanne T. CeresDirector of Enrollment

Management & RegistrarPitt Community College

Converting Applicants to Students:

Keep in Touch Using Communications Management

• Welcome Packet sent to all new students when application was processed

• Problem: No follow-up, no further contact until time for registration

• Problem: Information Overload

• Problem: Too generic, not tailored to specific needs

Advisor List

Transcript Request

Important Dates

Program Brochures

Registration Information

Information Packet

• All information sent in one packet

• Ability to personalize correspondence

• You control the timing of mailings either with the “days” function or with “send by” option

• Allows you to continuously keep in contact with prospects, keeping your institution’s name in the forefront

• Keeps a history, so you can measure the effectiveness of each piece sent

• Formed in Fall 2006 in response to declining enrollment in Spring 2006

•Academic areas•Student Development services•Admissions•Distance Learning•Other areas as needed

Representation From Across Campus:

Define what communication tracks are needed

Decide which specific materials need to go to all students and which will go to targeted populations

Determine optimum timing for receiving materials

1. Review existing Welcome Packet to see what was currently being sent

2. Re-design initial welcome letter

3. Form sub-committees to do the work

Review the generic documents currently included in the welcome packets and make suggestions for changes and/or

additions to these materials

Welcome Packet

Registration Information

Important

Dates

Advisor List

Transcript requests

Program Brochures

Review the generic documents currently included in the welcome packets and make suggestions for changes and/or additions to these materials

Office of Admissions & Records P.O. Drawer 7007 Greenville, NC 27835 252-493-7232 www.pittcc.edu September 26, 2008 «Firstname» «Middlename» «Lastname» «Addresslines1» «Addresslines2» «City», «State» «Zip» Dear «Prefix» «Lastname»: I am pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Pitt Community College! We are glad you have chosen Pitt Community College to continue or pursue your educational goals. Please note your enrollment information below: Student ID Number: «Id» Major: «XPersonAcpgTitle» Advisor: «XPstAdvisorName» Advisor Phone: (252) 493-«XsPstAdvisorPhone» Tuition Rate: «XPstResStatus» STATE In order to complete the admissions process, the office of the Registrar will need official high school/college transcripts for all students. Note that you may not pass the prerequisite check for registration in certain courses if your transcripts are not received and posted before the next registration period. If you have NOT already requested transcripts to be sent to the Office of the Registrar, please use the enclosed form to make your request. Student copies of transcripts cannot be accepted as official documents. You will be receiving additional information in separate mailings. If you haven’t already done so, you should speak with an admissions counselor at (252) 493-7245 to discuss your educational goals and the next step of the admissions process. If you have a need for a disability-related accommodation, please contact Disability Services at (252-493-7294. Questions about the information above? Please call the Office of the Registrar at (252) 493-7232. Welcome to Pitt Community College – Home of the Bulldogs! Joanne T. Ceres Director of Enrollment Management & Registrar Enclosures

Make recommendations regarding the initial communication with students who have been accepted or readmitted

• Determine what materials students need to receive about available services on campus such as financial aid, distance learning, weekend college, disability services, career services, etc

• Make recommendations as to when and how students should receive this info.

Three distinct Welcome Letters should be designed

A letter to Health Science students placed into AGE

A letter for University Transfer students

Generic letter for all other students

Eventually a 4th track for Business Division students was added

Three tracks were set up to include the 3 types of welcome letters

Admissions workflow chart currently in use by Admissions Counseling should be re-designed and included in initial mailing

Advisor contact information should be incorporated into each welcome letter to eliminate need for separate contact sheet

Transcript Request forms should be included in 1st mailing

Mailings in each track should correspond with the steps outlined in the Admissions flowchart.

14 days after welcome letter

Personalized welcome letter with advisor info, admissions flowchart

Upon receipt of admissions application

Financial aid step-by-step

Placement testing info

7 days after welcome letter

2nd Letter

1st Letter

3rd Letter

60 days after welcome letter

Campus Cruiser mailing

21 days after welcome letter

President’s letter

Advising letter (separate letters for AGE, University Transfer, Business)

45 days after welcome letter

5th Letter

4th Letter

6th Letter

Registration information

2 weeks before Priority Registration

Services Piece

90 days after welcome

8th Letter

Final Letter

7th Letter

Enrollment has increased every term since CM has been implemented

— Fall 2008 showed a 9.48% increase in headcount from Fall 2007

The number of no-show students has decreased by 2% from Fall 2007 to Fall 2008

Smoother admissions & registration processes

Change of major notification

Letter to prospective graduates

Instructions to Learn & Earn applicants

Letter to Dual Enrolled students who have graduated

Address changes (out-of-state students)

Awarding of articulated credit

Registrar’s Office

Personalized follow-up letters from Admissions Counselors & Recruiters

Letter to prospects when SAT or placement test scores are received without an application

Congratulatory letter to GED/AHS grads with info about curriculum programs

Recruitment

Build a Recruitment track incorporating communication with parents for high school students

Incorporate email communications into existing tracks to reduce postage costs

Do more data mining of historical files to build forecast models

Thank You.

Joanne T. Ceres

[email protected]

252-493-7208