The Enrollment Roadmap

The Student Journey from Preview Day to Welcome Week

1. HOSTING A PREVIEW EVENT

GOAL: Informing students and inspiring them to apply!

  •  Invitation & RSVP
  • Food
  • Welcome
  • Tour
  • Q&A
  • Pastor Intro
  • Raffle or Giveaway
  • Call to Action — Apply

Site:

  • Promote and execute the event
  • Collect leads
  • Enter leads into Salesforce

SEU:

  • Create Promotional Items
  • Swag

Site:

SEU:

How are students feeling?

  • Excited, interested

How are parents feeling?

  • Curious, questioning (“is this a real college education?”)
  • Follow up with attendees with “thank you” notes.
  • Follow up with your leads in Salesforce to answer questions and generate further interest, if they
    haven’t applied.
  • Invite prospective students to campus events to meet current students and experience what life is like as a student at your campus.

2. APPLICATION PROCESS

GOAL: Keeping students engaged until all application pieces are submitted.

  • Initial application in Salesforce
  • Christian Character Reference
  • Essay
  • Transcripts

Site:

  • Check Salesforce often to track applicant status
  • Communicate relationally with applicants
  • Contact Enrollment Counselors with questions or needs

SEU

  • SEU Network Enrollment counselors receive and process applications from assigned sites.
  • Follow up occurs regularly to students. (Bi-weekly or more often as needed)
  • SEU Admits students and continues follow up on next steps through orientation
  • SEU Counselors communicate with Site Directors as needed about student questions, concerns, training, etc.  Notes are left in Salesforce by counselors and students throughout application process

Site:

SEU:

How are students feeling?

  • Excited, inquisitive, anxious

How are parents feeling?

  • Anxious, inquisitive, excited, apprehensive

The average timeline for a student to submit all application materials is varied (1 week – 2 months). Once all materials are received an admission decision is made within two weeks or less

3. ACCEPTANCE

GOAL: Getting students eager to enroll at your campus.

  • Congratulatory email from SEU
  • Personal note from the Site Director

Site:

  • Send a personal communication (email, text, phone call) to accepted students.
  • Add accepted students to your communication list and schedule touch points to keep the personal connection strong.
  • Advise them to check their SEU email often to finish up the financial clearance steps and get registered for classes.

SEU:

  • SEU sends communications to newly-accepted students. The first communication is an auto-generated email to congratulate students and guide them on how to set up their SEU account. Several groups are cc’d on this email, including the Site Director, SFS, and Academic Advising. 
  • The SEU Enrollment team also follows-up personally with each student (call, personal email, text). 
  • SFS sends an email to begin the student on the financial clearance process.

Site:

SEU:

How are students feeling?

  • Excited and relieved that they have been accepted.

How are parents feeling?

  • Excited, anxious about finances, inquisitive about next steps

Conversion rates of accepted students are generally strong at extension site campuses and average 70%. The more you can engage your accepted students in campus life prior to the start of the school yeas, the more likely those students are to enroll. So hype it up!

4. FINANCIAL CLEARANCE

GOAL: Students feel confident that they can afford to enroll at your campus and are financially cleared prior to the start of the semester so they do not have to focus on their finances while they’re studying and serving at the church.

  • Forms: FAFSA & Financial Clearance Form
  • Financial Aid Documents
  • Payment Plan Setup (if needed)
  • NOTE: Each student’s financial clearance process depends on their plan.

Site:

  • Be relational with incoming students who are going through the financial clearance process. 
  • Help students remain focused on completing the steps while providing encouragement for them along the way.
  • Redirect student questions to SFS
  • Advise students to check their SEU email often
  • Partnering with SFS in reaching out to students who have unresolved balances

SEU:

Send communications (emails, texts, calls) to accepted students regarding awards and next steps:

SFS sends regular communication:

  • Monthly statement to students with balances
  • Call/email campaigns to students 
  • Emails to students in Spring/Summer to get students financially cleared for Fall
  • List of students with balances to Site Directors

Site:

SEU:

How are students feeling?

  • Overwhelmed, confused, apathetic

How are parents feeling?

  • Confused, concerned
  • Payment due dates for what is not covered by financial aid or a payment plan are on the first day of the semester.
  • Ensure that students have a plan and means to cover their charges for the school year prior to the semester starting.

5. REGISTRATION

GOAL: Get students eager to start their educational journey at your campus.

  • Transfer credits determined from official transcripts (students must send official transcripts from each individual institution they have attended in order to receive credit)
  • Class schedule visible in JICS
  • Correct course sections selected (Face-to-face classes (FX) vs Online classes (ON))

Site:

  • Maintain student momentum by following up personally with each student to find out which classes they’ve registered for. 
  • If students haven’t registered for classes, offer to help them log into JICS and walk them through the steps.
  • Connect students with their Academic Advisor for specific questions about course selection.
  •  

SEU:

SEU:

How are students feeling?

  • Anxious, confused, lost: registered correctly, by deadline, learning our system (JICS, MyFire – important!, etc.), textbooks, starting on time; Excited: feels real, possibly moving

How are parents feeling?

  • Student usually takes over here.
  • Registration makes it real for students. Get your incoming students to register for classes as soon as possible. It will increase their commitment to attending your campus and will help them feel a sense of belonging and readiness.

6. ORIENTATION & WELCOME WEEK

GOAL: Getting students to a place where they are overwhelmingly confident that your campus is THE
place for them.

  • Student Connections
  • Staff Connections
  • Campus life overview
  • Set expectations
  • Class preparation

Site:

  • Make an unforgettable first impression by creating a very welcoming, red-carpet experience for new students.
  • Set a clear success roadmap for new students so they know where to go, when to go and how to get where they need to go.
  • Facilitate events and opportunities for students and staff to develop friendships

SEU:

  • Handle last-minute student issues

Site:

SEU:

How are students feeling?

  • Excited, anxious

How are parents feeling?

  • Melancholy (excited, sad, anxious, relieved)
  • Student connections are paramount to helping incoming students feel comfortable and confident in their decision to attend at your campus. Help your students make friends!
  • Student connections with church staff will increase their affinity to your campus. Include key staff members, as appropriate, within your orientation process.
SEU Partner Site Resources