Insights from Admitted Student Research

1. Insights from Admitted Student Research NACCAP 2010 Bethel College Tim Fuller Senior Consultant tfuller@PerformaHE.com

2. Who We Are We are an enthusiastic, interdisciplinary team of higher education professionals, campus planners, and designers who have a passion for working with small, private colleges and universities. We understand the unique challenges private institutions face when attempting to make positive changes because we’ve lived life on your side of the desk. With that insight, and your input, we chart courses to effect desired campus experiences. Our team includes current and former: • Presidents • Enrollment Management Vice Presidents • Institutional Advancement vice Presidents • Business & Finance Officers • Student Affairs Professionals • Academic Vice Presidents • Licensed Architects • Campus Planners

3. Introduction Tim Fuller, Senior Consultant & Director of Strategic Solutions • Joined Performa Higher Education in 2007 after a 27 year career in admission at Houghton College (NY) • VP for Enrollment Management from1991-2007 • Former NACCAP President and Vice President • Served as Senior Research Fellow with CCCU for cost to recruit a student/admission funnel study • Now leading NACCAP’s enrollment research projects • Leading strategic planning, search assistance, research and enrollment projects for Performa Higher Education • Father of a very bright rising junior son (who is on many of your mailing lists)

4. Why Research Admitted Students? • Knowing • Why did they make the choice they did? • What factors influenced that choice? • Did we mess up somehow or were they just drawn somewhere else? • Explaining • Comparing • Analyzing • Strategizing

5. Methodology and Timing • Methodology • E-survey • Survey both matriculants and non-matriculants • Incentives • Timing • Summer • Deadline/window • Reminders

6. Topics • Competition • Matrics – who finished second? • Non-matrics – to whom did you finish second? • Application priorities • How many other admission offers? • What choice were you at the time of application? • What factors influenced their decision? • Importance • Perception

7. Topics (continued) • Who influenced their decision? • Overall • On-campus • Visit impact • Expectations before the visit • Impact of visit on expectations and decision • Special topics • What role did finances play? • Communication preferences

8. Using the Data • Compile • Analyze • Compare • Report • Re-focus

9. Admitted Student Research • Web-based survey sent to all admitted students. • Total of 22,312 invitations sent for all institutions (13,932 non-matriculants and 8,380 matriculants) with 4,653 total responses (550 non-matriculants and 4,103 matriculants). • Participating colleges and universities of varying sizes, locations and character. • Undergraduate populations from 650 to over 6,000 (average size approx 1,800). • Locations in all regions (CA, FL, IA, ID, IL, IN, MI, MN, NC, NE, OH, PA, TN, TX, and VA). • Range from a strictly Christian-focus education to a more general, private liberal arts focus.

10. Example of Comparative Data: Importance Scores

11. Example of Comparative Data: Performance Scores

12. Example: Comparing Population Importance Ratings

13. Example Gap Chart: Non-Matriculants

14. Contact Information Tim Fuller Senior Consultant (336) 585-1044 tfuller@PerformaHE.com www.PerformaHE.com Performa Higher Education Offices in Burlington, NC and Green Bay, WI