GHC Enrollment Update

GHC ENROLLMENT UPDATE

Recruitment:

Our four full-time recruiters have been very busy this semester despite the various weather issues that impacted a number of recruitment events. Since January recruiters have participated in over 300 recruitment events on and off campus. These events include college and financial aid nights, dual enrollment fairs and visits to the high schools within our service area. In addition to off campus activities, recruiters have hosted several Open House events and individual and group tours that have included elementary, middle and high school students. These events include many late nights, weekends, and endless follow-up phone calls. Thank you Dalton, Jillian, Kristie and Rick for your continued and tireless efforts.

Summer Enrollment:

As you are aware, summer enrollment has been trending down over the last several years and continues to have a negative impact on our overall budget. Below are the summer enrollment figures for the last five years and our current enrollment for summer 2015. There is little doubt that changes in Federal Financial Aid polices and shifting the Compass test to an admissions test have had a negative impact on enrollment as seen in these declines. Despite these challenges our enrollment goal for summer 2015 is to reach 2,000 students. In order to reach this goal, we recognize that we must be more aggressive and innovative in our recruitment and retention efforts.
2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010
Total Enrollment: 1,357* 1,951 1,979 2,179 2,422 2,184

*As of 4/7/2015

New Recruitment and Retention Strategies:

This will be the first full recruitment cycle with our recruitment software in place. This is an automated online program that creates a personalized web page for each prospective student and sends up to 10 personalized emails. For example, if a student completes the inquiry form at go.highlands.edu and selects areas of math and baseball, they will receive content related to the math and baseball programs. Thus far, we have had 2,590 students apply to GHC for the 2015 academic year who began by completing the online inquiry form.

In mid-April, most of our local papers throughout Northwest Georgia will include an insert featuring the benefits of enrolling at GHC during the summer term. Special thanks to Shelia Jones in the PR & Marketing department for working on this project.

The financial aid staff prepared a report that identified over 1,000 currently enrolled students with some PELL funds available for the summer term. Enrollment staff at each location identified at least one faculty member for each student. A letter detailing the benefits of summer classes and the student’s availability of funding was then delivered to the faculty to distribute in class. Special thanks to Tammy Nicholson who managed much of the logistics for this project.

A series of Open House events were scheduled earlier than we normally do in order to include invitations to both summer and fall prospects and applicants. At each of these events, we mentioned the benefits of enrolling during the summer and have had several students who were considering enrolling in the fall change to the summer term. In addition, we have been able to move many of these students from the incomplete list to the complete list based upon documents we received at the open house. We plan to hold another round of Open House events at each location in the coming months.

In addition to our New Student Orientation format, we are providing new students with another enrollment option currently referred to as Advanced Registration. This option allows new students to schedule a personal appointment with one of Professional Advisors through the e-Scheduler system. They meet one-on-one with the advisor and enrollment staff to finalize their enrollment status. This process has become very popular with adult students and enables them to register as their schedule permits. Professional Advisors are using the e-scheduler system used for Early Bird Advising to schedule these appointments.

There are approximately 130 high school seniors enrolled at GHC this term as dual enrollment students. Each of these students will receive an orange and blue cord to wear at their high school graduation. Recruiters are currently contacting high schools seeking permission to list this cord in the high school graduation programs as a way to promote GHC and dual enrollment throughout high school graduations in Northwest Georgia.

Each recruiter was assigned a GHC Student Ambassador through the work study program this year. These ambassadors have assisted with our recruitment events by participating in local college fairs, making phone calls, and providing personal campus tours at each location.

The financial aid office has enhanced communication efforts and is sending targeted messages to students who need to provide verification documents or who are in jeopardy of not meeting Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements each semester. FA has also developed a Check My Aid Status link that combines all of a student’s financial information into a one page snapshot. You may be interested to know that they are already downloading, notifying and processing verification documents for Fall 2015 applicants.

You will begin seeing the Highlander magazine not only at your campus but in high schools, doctor’s offices, and other sitting areas throughout our communities. This is great way to share the GHC story. Way to go Advancement Office!

How You Can Help:

You have heard Don say on multiple occasions that we are all recruiters and retention specialists. Many of you have long embraced these roles and continue to encourage your neighbors, friends, and even strangers to consider GHC as a college of choice. Let’s all keep in mind that everyone we come into contact with is a prospective student or can refer a prospective student to us.

Here are a couple other ways you can help:

• Direct prospective students directly to the go.highlands.edu link that contains our online inquiry form. Individuals who complete this form will receive a personal GHC postcard and up to ten emails highlighting the benefits of enrolling at GHC. Not to mention they begin to appear on our call list.

• Encourage individuals to schedule an appointment with one of our recruiters. This is a great way to get students on campus where we can provide them with personal attention and information specific to their situation. Appointments can be made through the GHC 411 link or by email at admitme@highlands.edu .

• Recruiters are planning Congrats Call Nights at each campus location over the next few months. We welcome faculty and staff to assist our recruiters with congratulating new admits. Please contact your Campus Dean or Recruiter if you would like to participate.

Floyd – Kristie Birdsong: kbirdsong@highlands.edu
Cartersville – Jillian Fleming Petro: jfleming@highlands.edu
Douglasville/Paulding – Dalton Lemelle: dlemelle@highlands.edu
Marietta – Rick Watters: riwatter@highlands.edu

• As we plan more Open House events at each campus location over the next few months, let your Academic Dean know if you would like to participate. You can refer any interested students to the “Attend an Open House” registration link found on the Admissions page or use the GHC search box for “open house.”

• A college’s website is its most frequently used resource where individuals go to get information about the institution. We can all contribute towards improving the quality of GHC’s content. Review your department’s website and pages to see what may need updating. Share your recommendations and ideas with your manager. The most common mistake we make is assuming someone else either has or will see it. Be proactive – Charge ahead!

• In regards to academic web pages, visiting parents and students are typically interested to learn more about career path opportunities, earning potential, and most popular transfer institutions. Let your Academic Dean know what can be done to enhance your division’s web page.

Thank you all for your ongoing efforts to attract and retain students at GHC! If you have ideas or strategies that you think would make an impact, please let me or your campus recruiter know.

Todd G. Jones, Ed.D.
Vice President for Student Affairs
Georgia Highlands College
3175 Cedartown Highway
Rome, GA 30161
706.295.6335 (phone)
706.295.6341 (fax)
tjones@highlands.edu