PS&L Blog

One of the things I love about admissions work is the predictability of the “seasons”. So as September looms just around the corner, my thoughts turn to “travel season” and my many years of high school visits, college fairs, and travel receptions. I always enjoyed travel and seeing colleagues from other schools as well as meeting with students, families and guidance counselors.

As I’ve talked with admissions offices across the country, I’ve heard that many schools and enrollment offices are faced with budget adjustments. Travel is a large item in many budgets, so I wonder, how will these adjustments affect travel and recruiting?

Any successful travel season starts with proper planning (yes, this should have happened in June and July.) I’ve always been one to make data-driven decisions. In this economy, evaluating past activities has never been more important. It is important to review and evaluate past travel behavior and outcomes before hitting the road again this year. Consider the cost/benefit for your high school visits, college fairs and even receptions. Looking at the historical data of where your past applications originated and yield rates should be a consideration to responsibly use your resources. I’m always amazed when I hear the phrase, “we’ve always done it this way.” If the way you’ve always done things is cost prohibitive or not yielding the results you want, it’s time to consider other opportunities.

I believe that all recruiting plans should have a variety of outreach components. If you don’t already, consider. . .
• Using alumni at college fairs and school visits – This is a way for alums, especially young alums, to give back to the college. Prospective students also relate well to the experiences of a recent graduate.
• Asking faculty members who are traveling to conferences or speaking engagements to meet with prospective students – the college is already incurring the travel costs.
• Hiring regional representatives — although this may be an additional investment in personnel, it can be cost effective in the long run, especially in an area where you need to build awareness and have a year-round presence.
• Traveling with other universities — group travel can draw a larger group of potential students to a program.

So even if your travel budget is smaller than last year, using your resources wisely can still yield a class that meets your enrollment goals. Evaluate everything you do and be open to changes.

Happy Travels!