EdTek Services, Inc.

This blog entry by my colleague, Dr. Keith Hampson, talks about the very wary feelings that U.K. Professor Emeritus Gillian Evans has for education consultants. My response: OUCH!

I don't know what kind of experience Dr. Evans has had with education consultants. My own has been quite positive. I guess it depends on who the consultant is, right? I tend to bring in former academic management types to help us and our clients.

We currently call upon a fomer college president, a former VP Academic, a fomer departmental chair and a currently serving Assistant Dean of CE to help us .... depending on the work that needs to be done. This particular group have their PhD's from highly regarded universities in the U.S. and have served in various academic management positions in well-ranked and top-ranked colleges and universities in the U.S. I trust from their CV's that they know what they are talking about. Otherwise, I wouldn't put my name on it and let them represent my company. Likewise, they wouldn't work with us if they thought the project would damage their hard-earned reputations.

Maybe the lesson is thus: Get good people to help you as education consultants. I know I have and the experience has been both educational for me and successful for our clients.

Labels: accreditation accreditation consulting education consultants education consulting higher education

Enrollment Marketing and Admissions

2/22/2010
Dominick Miciotta
Comments (1)

Measures of Accountability in Higher Education

Establishing universal measures in education is no small task. Middle managers in institutions may lack training and skills to embark on this journey. Further lacking may be the ability to recognize and act on their professional shortcomings. Transitioning from a low or no measurement culture to an organizational culture with performance indicators and measurements for success require a collaborative approach and 100% engagement from the community in order to ensure broad adoption. This type of transformation requires leadership adopt an authentic, open and collaborative approach with staff provided with direction, that are empowered to act to achieve the goals of transformation.

Labels: academic affairs academic standards accountability accreditation consulting admissions consulting assessment degree completion Department of Education elearning software graduation rates higher education its learning LMS costs negotiated rulemaking Online learning marketing SAT Scores teaching online courses

1/13/2010
Dominick Miciotta
Comments (0)

Literacy, Teaching, Technology and the Impact on Women and Children

What is the role of Women's Literacy on their children's health and education attainment? How can technology specifically eLearning software impact the racial achievement gap? How can technology influence pedagogy and ultimately customize education for individuals on a global scale?

Labels: accreditation accreditation consulting beverly daniel tatum blackboard college board ecollege Education elearning software its learning women's literacy

4/7/2009
Dominick Miciotta
Comments (3)

Do Flashy Acceptance Letters Result in More, Quality Enrollments?

From text messages to videos, games, and confetti filled game tubes, America’s colleges and universities are increasingly creative when sending out acceptance letters. This trend of creativity with informing prospective students of their acceptance is apparently coming at the expense of denials.

Is this “creative renaissance” on the part of enrollment leaders, an expression of creative freedom, or the sign of true innovation meeting its ceiling? In order to attract college qualified students in a shrinking demographic and a troubled economy does spending money on flashy ways to inform a prospective student of their acceptance really secure the class the institution desires? Or is it a way that allows institutional leaders to feel like they are innovating enrollment when really they are just adding another expense line to their budget.

Here are some ways for non-profit institutions to improve their acceptance to start ratio without paying for games, prizes, videos and customized merchandise:

Focus on your target demographic and employ a communications strategy that speaks directly to them
Personalize communications by having professional admissions personnel interact with them throughout the enrollment process
Avoid delegating communications to your student volunteer “Admissions Ambassadors”
Develop an enrollment process flow and write scripts for your admissions staff on what conversation to have, with whom, and when (in the process)
1. Telling your staff to just make phone calls without providing a written guideline for what should be covered is asking for inefficiency
Establish conversion metrics for each member of your staff and if they cannot make calls in the fall and spring because they are on the college tour circuit… stop participating in the college tour circuit, you will find a tremendous improvement in your conversions by freeing up this valuable time (and it will save you A LOT of money)

For more ideas about how to improve enrollment conversions without adding to your expenses contact: dominick@edtekservices.com .

Labels: accreditation accreditation consulting Admissions criteria college board EdTek education consultants higher education Online learning marketing