Colleges and universities looking to maintain or grow enrollments often look first to new recruitment, new programs, or new amenities.
Many colleges, however, should look first to those students who took some classes but never graduated.
The Missing Link? Students With Some College But No Credential
Those former students with some college but no credential already chose the institution once and many still want to finish.
Nationwide, only about two-thirds of students graduate which means that many colleges have a great opportunity to re-enroll the same students who already enrolled. Re-enrollment means that 1) the student gets a credential, and 2) the college maintains enrollments without finding new markets.
It’s a compelling value proposition, but there are challenges. There are reasons that the over 40 million Americans with some college but no credentials are no longer enrolled.
Many of these stopped-out students did not meet academic standards on their first enrollment. Others had trouble paying tuition and other charges. Some experienced personal problems and simply took a new life path. Some have started new jobs, new families, or have moved away. Many have grown older than they were on their first enrollment.
This is why colleges need to have a plan for re-enrollment and support for students re-enrolling.
Understanding the Barriers Student Face When Re-Enrolling
First, colleges need to identify the various barriers to student re-enrollment and identify the true population of some college, no credential students. Institutions can look up former students through the National Student Clearinghouse to identify which former students have not enrolled elsewhere. Then, they can create an outreach funnel focusing on students who are most likely to return, such as those in good academic standing with just a few credits to graduate. Institutions should reach out, invite students to return, and devote special admissions and academic advisors to help them through the re-enrollment and class selection. To support these students, institutions should consider amenities that returning students may require: childcare, good transportation, and classes on the weekends, evenings, or online.
Institutions should also conduct analysis, through both surveys and data analysis, to understand the causes of student discontinuation. Trellis Strategies can conduct this analysis and help institutions improve retention and provide stronger support for re-enrolling students.
The checklist in the Trellis Strategies Some College No Credential Toolkit provides a valuable exercise for institutions to evaluate and enhance their processes for re-enrolling former students. By reviewing the recommendations in the toolkit, colleges can identify key areas for improvement. For further insights and support on better serving students with some college but no credential, contact Trellis Strategies for comprehensive assistance through surveys and data analysis.