Planning vs. Reacting – What are you doing?
It is that magic time of year, that time when the May 1st deposits are counted for the traditional residential student population and the panic (or celebration) ensues. This year is no different, and in many ways is more unnerving as I hear time and again from traditional student admissions counselors that many typical benchmarks have not held true. So what is your institution doing with its May 1 revelation?
It seems to me that two paths are most often followed. Each impacts enrollment requirements for adult student programs but one somehow feels more complimentary and less desperate, while the other feels demanding and even somewhat demeaning.
This year I have watched a few wise institutions who actually established plans early for the enrollment numbers they would be expecting from their adult student programs, and have actually stuck to them. These institutions began to study their position in the marketplace early, and have tried to prepare themselves for what might be a difficult year. As part of that plan they established the goal of increasing their adult student enrollment and actually supported that request with the investment of solid conversation with adult student program heads regarding realistic increases.
Unfortunately the majority of intuitions in the country will be reactionary to what is happening with their traditional enrollment. They will see a decline in the number of deposits that they have to date and rather than have planned ahead, they will panic at this last minute and turn, demandingly, to their last best hope—their adult student programs.
The thing that is so odd to me in both of these scenarios is that the same request is made in each one—more students! But when the adult student program was part of the plan all along, when they were invited to the table to engage in the discussion about how to make this happen over the year (not in a last-minute panic) the idea of being part of the success in a difficult year begins to appeal, and the attitude with which one tackles this challenge is entirely different. Having been brought to the table as an equal seems to have so much better of an outcome than being called in to a breathless meeting where shortcomings are discussed and the pressure is applied to make up the difference.
In many ways, it is all in the approach. When given the option, I would pick good planning over reacting any day. If you are fortunate enough to work for an institution that has planned well, set clear goals for you, and outlined a blueprint that will help you accomplish the goals—congratulations! You are among the lucky ones.
Photo by David Boyle in DC
