How to Identify Triggers to Drops in Admissions

Tom KarteliasWalt Wilfong

Jonathan JonesBob Elmore

Tom Kartelias

Admissions Responsibility

The Questions We Ask Ourselves

Is Admissions qualified to determine at-risk prospects?

Can we quantify student retention by initial contact?

Do we have an accurate list of risk factors?

Is there a way to identify enrollments likely to drop based on risk factors?

How does Admissions communicate risk factors? And to whom?

Risk Factors This is used to pre-identify the most lethal risk

factors for drops, enabling Admissions to improve qualifications.

• Applicant has attended but not completed one or more previous postsecondary educational institutions.

• Applicant is a single female with children, under the age of 21, not living at home with parents.

• Applicant’s enrollment is not supported by most significant others.

• Applicant shows no visible means of financial support. • Applicant intends to work full-time while attending

school full-time. • Applicant lives more than 10 miles from school.

Specific Questions We Ask in Admissions

Because attendance is so important, tell me about your plans for:

• Transportation• Child care• Putting time aside for homework• Employment while attending school

Other probing questions we ask:• How much money have you put aside for your education?• How do you plan on paying for school?• Are you willing to work or work more hours to pay for your education?• Do you have the ability to work in your chosen profession? (i.e.:

physical ability, background check, etc.)

In addition, give me two reasons that would prevent you from starting and completing school.

Admissions Goal ...

To identify non-enrollment, non-start, non-completion factor and engage prospect in the solution.

We ask the tough questions!• How will you work a full-time job, care for a child, attend

school, and study in order to be successful?• You dropped out of two other schools; why will this be

different?• Your grades were poor in high school; what will you do

differently?• What will completing your education do for you, your

lifestyle and your family?• Why a Medical Assistant?• Why should you be accepted for training?

The DOA is responsible to second interview all prospects; communicate with the admissions rep to understand

the non-enrollment, non-start, non-completion factors; and confirm the

prospect’s commitment to work toward solving the factors identified in

the admissions interview.

DOA’s Responsibility

Our Challenge

We know we have reps who are afraid to

address the issues for fear that applicants will be scared away!

Presentation by Walt Wilfong

There IS a Correct Way

We also have reps who confront the issues and engage the prospect in solving the issues.

Presentation by Tom Kartelias

There is a wrong way and a right way.

Presentation by Walt Wilfong and Tom Kartelias

DOA’s Involvement is Critical

Jonathan Jones

The New Student Questionnaire

Student Assistance Questionnaire

PurposeProvides a formalized communication

mechanism acquainting/alerting educators regarding circumstances which may:

(1) Provide insights that optimize the school’s success in delivering a quality education

(2) Foster more effective “early intervention” efforts

(3) Most importantly, reduce the likelihood of drop

Communication is Key

How can we effectively communicate the info gathered

in the initial admissions interview to other departments?

Student Assistance Questionnaire

Policy

The Student Assistance Questionnaire, other than being generated during the admissions

process, plays neither a part in the qualification of students for acceptance,

nor in any way as a deterrent to enrollment.

Admissions representatives’ responsibility is solely to ensure that the Questionnaire is completed.

Student Assistance Questionnaire

Procedure

Step 1: Questionnaire becomes a standard part of the document completion process, but it is given to the applicant only after the Enrollment Contract has been finalized. (This is important so that there be no inference that the information would be used in any way to deny acceptance.)

Step 2: Shortly before start, after final scrub meeting, the Director of Admissions pulls Questionnaires from enrollee files, staples as a packet and delivers packet to Director of Education.

Step 3: Director of Education reviews the Questionnaires, highlighting areas of risk/concern. (In most cases, there will only be a small percentage of enrollees with significant issues.)

Student Assistance Questionnaire

Procedure (cont’d)

Step 4: Director of Education meets with respective instructors and discusses areas of risk/concern, with the sole intent being to alert the instructors and to explore possible operational and pedagogical techniques. (It is hoped that Directors of Education will follow up with individual instructors, particularly in the first few weeks of training, to assess risk/concern circumstances.)

Step 5: At some point, the Director of Education should return the Questionnaires to the respective student files. (It is suggested that during Post Drop Review investigations Questionnaires be examined to determine whether initial risk/concern factors did or did not play a part in precipitating the drop.)

Walt Wilfong

Orientation is the Bridge to Successfully Transitioning the Student

Orientation Purpose

New student orientation is critical to retention as conducting one properly will …

Make the student feel welcome and that he/she belongs. Allow the student to clarify any misconceptions …

By gaining additional information. By being encouraged and allowed to freely ask questions at any

time. By mentally processing all the information and putting the pieces

of the puzzle together .

Reinforce what the student was told by admissions and financial aid (reaffirming what they were told is true and their buying decision is a good one)!

… and MORE!!!

Orientation Purpose

Continued … Provide the student with additional resources and success

strategies that may give the at-risk student a solution to an existing concern …

Assistance in getting a bus pass A handout about good study habits Career assistance for obtaining part-time employment while

attending school FWS program

Motivate the student and paint the picture further by stressing their future GRADUATION and their future careers and successes.

Aid staff in further recognizing at-risk students and often providing the opportunity to solve student problems before they even start classes.

Allow school policies and procedures to be explained and understood so students know what is expected of them.

Orientation Purpose

A plug here for Sonya and Bohecker … Great PowerPoint presentation for a good orientation was given during the recent DOE meeting earlier this month.

Help students meet and identify staff and faculty members they may go to for proper assistance when coping with life or academic issues.

All departments should be represented and focus on future student success.Admissions – Welcome, sign-in, and passing out agendas, checklists, and handouts, etc.School Director – Welcome, motivational speech, open-door policy, etc.Financial Aid – Brief rehash of FA borrowers’ responsibilities, completion of any outstanding forms, Q&A, etc.Student/Career Services – Introduction to services available and Q&AAcademics – DOE – Academic policies and procedures, intro of faculty members who may be present, attendance policies, dress codes, class times, parking, snow days, completion of paperwork, etc. (Breakout sessions by program with faculty members are often a good idea.)

All speakers should be sending the same message: We Care!

Bob Elmore

How Do We Communicate the Information to Administration and Education?

How Do We Communicate the Information to Administration and Education?

Conduct the post-enrollment survey.

DOA collects the survey and reviews for triggers.

After orientation, DOA meets with DOE and School Director to discuss individual enrollees prone to have retention issues.

School Director meets with DOE monthly to review academic performance of identified students.

Intervention plan is developed by a member of the school education team to address concerns and minimize dropouts for those identified students who are struggling.

Does Admissions have responsibility beyond the start?

Open Discussion