Understanding and honing your enrollment pipeline is the first step to delivering a culture change that helps transform the institution into a more student-centric environment.
Students are consumers, and they choose a postsecondary institution using the same decision-making process they use to make any other major purchase. Given the competitive environment non-credit, online, continuing and adult education divisions exist within, understanding the motivations of non-traditional students is especially important. Adult learners in particular tend to follow an “enrollment pipeline” that leads them to a final decision for their education, and the pipeline goes beyond their decision to register. So how should institutions build and maintain their enrollment pipeline?
In this interview, Michael Patton discusses the experience of different stages in this pipeline, reflects on the points where schools tend to lose their students and where leaders can make the most impact.
The EvoLLLution (Evo): Why is it important for adult and continuing ed leaders to be aware of enrollment pipeline stages?
Michael Patton (MP): One of the biggest reasons for leaders to be aware of the enrollment pipeline stages is because we see different types of needs and concerns arising at different stages within the pipeline. I consider that enrollment pipeline to be anything from the initial shopping around phase of deciding (if, what, when, and how much), all the way through to the first day of class and finding out in real time what the experience is going to be.