An Overview of Strategic Enrollment Planning
Definition
There are many definitions of strategic enrollment planning in the literature. Noel-Levitz has developed the following definition.
Strategic enrollment planning is an information-based and ongoing process that identifies, evaluates, and modifies strategies and enrollment goals that effectively address the following elements:
- How the institution serves students, both currently and in the future;
- The institution’s mission, goals, and capabilities; and
- A changing marketplace and environment.
Strategic enrollment planning is either an integral part of the institution’s strategic plan or it is subordinate to the institution’s plan.
Difference from Traditional Planning
Traditional planning permits the setting of goals, either short-term or long-term, and then the development of steps to achieve those goals.
Strategic planning aligns the organization with its environment in order to help ensure stability and survival.
Characteristics of a Successful Strategic Enrollment Plan
Most successful strategic enrollment plans have the following characteristics:
- Information and data-based strategies, goals, and objectives;
- A solid resource/fiscal plan to support each strategy, goal, and objective;
- Accountability (e.g., scorecards, dashboards, position responsibility) to monitor progress;
- The planning process and the results are more important the plan itself;
- Well-written summaries of the plan are more important than long, detailed, boring plans; and
- Continuous evaluation and modification of the plan.
Noel-Levitz Approach to Strategic Enrollment Planning
Noel-Levitz suggests six phases that are interactive and have feedback loops:
- Preparation;
- Key performance indicators identification;
- Situation analysis and assessment;
- Strategy development and quantifiable goal identification;
- Action and support plan development; and
- Plan evaluation and modification.
During the visit we discussed the components of the first phase. The following outlines the suggested components of all six phases.
Phase 1 – Preparation
- Identify primary contact and initial participants.
- Identify key stakeholders and develop a plan for communication and buy-in.
- Educate participants on suggested SEP definition, principles, and phases.
- Conduct in-depth self-assessment.
- Determine who will participate in the remaining phases.
Phase 2 – Key Performance Indicators Identification Phase
- Align enrollment planning with mission and vision.
- Establish enrollment-related key performance indicators (KPI) that will drive the SEP.
- There may be two levels of KPI:
- Institutional enrollment and fiscal indicators that are key to institutional mission and health; and
- Important supporting indicators such as the number of inquiries, completed applications, etc.
Phase 3 – Situation Analysis and Assessment Phase
- Identify the current and long-range projected SWOT related to the KPI.
- Assess current supporting data and management reports and their use.
- Identify and conduct appropriate external institutional research and analyses to support the SEP KPI and subsequent strategy development. Examples include:
- Perception/image studies of prospective students, parents, counselors, and employers;
- Price-sensitivity studies of prospective students and parents;
- Competition analyses;
- Market share and trend analysis of college-bound target populations using College Board’s EPS and ACT EIS;
- Demographic projection analyses of high school graduates and other target populations;
- New and expanded market development analyses; and
- Analyses of prospective student, parent, counselor, and employer wants and needs, including academic programs.
- Identify and conduct appropriate internal institutional research and analyses to support the SEP KPI and subsequent strategy development. Examples include:
- Assessment of the relationship of enrollment and institutional fiscal health;
- Enrollment and fiscal projection scenarios;
- Analyses of student flows into academic majors and courses;
- Academic program capacity and demand analyses;
- Assessment of student satisfaction, engagement, and what is important;
- Incoming characteristic profile of students who succeed and those who don’t succeed;
- Price discount sensitivity studies of admitted students; and
- Graduating student outcome analyses.
Phase 4 – Strategy Development and Quantifiable Goal Identification
- Identify strategies that have the greatest potential for optimizing the KPI.
- Then establish quantifiable goals based on the strengths of the strategies.
Phase 5 – Action and Support Plan Development
- Identify the actions, responsibilities, and timelines required to execute the plan.
- Identify the resources required to execute the plan.
- Craft a strategy to fund the SEP.
- Develop and revise internal policies.
- Address internal and external political implications.
- Communicate the SEP to internal and external publics.
- Provide and monitor appropriate support for all elements of the plan.
Phase 6 – Plan Evaluation and Modification
- Develop procedures and acceptable metrics for evaluating the execution quality, funding, and timeliness.
- Develop monitoring procedures for these metrics.
- Establish scorecards to measure KPI.
- Develop monitoring procedures for scorecards.
- Establish procedures for modifying the plan.