The applicant experience strategy – SPA’s work
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Transcript of The applicant experience strategy – SPA’s work
The role of the applicant experience in improving retention
SPA Seminar Northern Ireland - 12 April 2011
Annie Doyle, Senior Project Officer, SPA
The applicant experience strategy – SPA’s work
“I cannot recommend highly enough the excellent work that SPA have produced around Applicant Experience Strategy.
It is thoughtful, insightful and gives institutions a clear steer on where efforts need to be focussed to enshrine student success
within strategic planning and delivery.”
Liam Owens –UK HELOA Chair
The applicant experience strategy – what is it?
Summary Definition
The applicant experience encompasses all the opportunities or points of interaction between higher education and a potential student. Such experience affects whether individual chooses to apply to higher education, whether they then become a higher education student and, crucially, whether they are retained as a higher education student.
Discussion – reasons for 1st year drop-out
Each group to consider reasons for 1st year drop-out (why students are not retained)
Feedback two or three key points.
Feedback – reasons for 1st year drop-out
Each group to consider reasons for 1st year drop-out (why students are not retained) and feedback two or
three key points.
The applicant experience: quality IAG
“The only thing to do with good advice is pass it on. It is never any use to oneself.”
Oscar Wilde
The applicant experience funnel
Pre-applicationenquirerspotential applicants
Applicationstudy choices
Post-applicationselection; offersaccepted applicants unsuccessful applicants
Transitionconfirmationinductionenrolment
Retention and graduation
?
Student Services
Teaching & Learning
Admissions
Schools’ and Colleges’ Liaison
WP/Outreach
Marketing
AC
AD
EMIC
PR
OV
ISIO
N
The applicant experience: definitions
Built under four broad stages
Adopted a behavioural view of ‘experience’
Interactive participation and engagement, not a passive journey
Accepted that marketing and market forces play a determining role
Effective IAG must link and underpin interactive engagement through all pre-entry stages and beyond
pre-application application post-application transition
The applicant experience: definitions
A good applicant experience is mutually beneficial to both the
applicant and the higher education provider
prepares, informs and provides equality of opportunity to enter higher education
should accurately match the student’s aims, abilities and aspirations with the character of the institution.
therefore improves student retention and enhances the strategic mission of the institution
A poor applicant experience is inherently detrimental to both the
applicant and the higher education provider – both lose out
perpetuates barriers to entry disengages potential applicants and
their advisors risks incongruence between student
expectations and institutional character
therefore embeds an enrolment strategy leading to unfulfilled potential and increased drop-out
Discussion – aspects of policy and process
Each group to consider which aspects of admissions policy and process impact upon a good applicant experience and feedback two or three key points.
Discussion – aspects of policy and process
Each group to consider which aspects of admissions policy and process impact upon a good applicant experience and feedback two or three key points.
The Applicant Experience: collaborative strategy
monitor
mea
sure
institution mission and values
strategic aims policies
pre-application stage processes
application stage processes
post-application stage processes
transition stage processes
key interactions
linking interactions
IPG integrated practitioner
groups / communities
key interactions
key interactions
key interactions
linking interactions
linking interactions
IPG integrated practitioner
groups / communities
IPG integrated practitioner
groups / communities
IPG integrated practitioner
groups / communities
IPG integrated practitioner
groups / communities
IPG integrated practitioner
groups / communities
IPG integrated practitioner
groups / communities
enablers (staff; systems; funds)
Professionalism and the Applicant Experience
Strategic leadership in admissions is an integral part of an institution’s learning and teaching strategy, management and planning.
SPA’s view is that an applicant experience strategy supports the management and processes of both academic and professional staff.
The benefits for the institution could be more integrated ways of working, with possible efficiency gains enhanced staff professionalism and understanding of strategy improved quality practices and procedures which may give
competitive advantage and enhance reputation ability to take advantage of external changes quickly
The benefits for the applicant: transparency and a better experience
The applicant experience: definitions
The 1994 Group’s report in 2007, entitled Enhancing the Student Experience, noted that:
“A student’s experience of university does not begin at the moment they step onto campus at the beginning of October, and it does not end when they are shaking
the hand of the Vice-Chancellor at graduation. The early relationship between student and university is important during the applications
and admissions process, in preparing students for university life,
and to initiate their engagement with and attitudes towards their university in the best way possible. A student’s experience of university can stretch back even further through effective HE engagement with schools and colleges.”
Thank youYour feedback is welcomed
More information from: [email protected] or 01242 544891www.spa.ac.uk
The Applicant Experience: collaborative strategy
define objectives / outcomes
defin
e tim
esca
les
/ cyc
ledefine budget / resources
ensure achievability
The Applicant Experience: collaborative strategy
pre-application stage processes
application stage processes
post-application stage processes
transition stage processesWHAT
The Applicant Experience: collaborative strategy
institution mission and values
strategic aims policies
pre-application stage processes
application stage processes
post-application stage processes
transition stage processes
WHY
The Applicant Experience: collaborative strategy
institution mission and values
strategic aims policies
pre-application stage processes
application stage processes
post-application stage processes
transition stage processes
key interactions
linking interactions
key interactions
key interactions
key interactions
linking interactions
linking interactionsHOW
The Applicant Experience: collaborative strategy
institution mission and values
strategic aims policies
pre-application stage processes
application stage processes
post-application stage processes
transition stage processes
key interactions
linking interactions
IPG integrated practitioner
groups / communities
key interactions
key interactions
key interactions
linking interactions
linking interactions
IPG integrated practitioner
groups / communities
IPG integrated practitioner
groups / communities
IPG integrated practitioner
groups / communities
IPG integrated practitioner
groups / communities
IPG integrated practitioner
groups / communities
IPG integrated practitioner
groups / communities
WHO
The Applicant Experience: collaborative strategy
institution mission and values
strategic aims policies
pre-application stage processes
application stage processes
post-application stage processes
transition stage processes
key interactions
linking interactions
IPG integrated practitioner
groups / communities
key interactions
key interactions
key interactions
linking interactions
linking interactions
IPG integrated practitioner
groups / communities
IPG integrated practitioner
groups / communities
IPG integrated practitioner
groups / communities
IPG integrated practitioner
groups / communities
IPG integrated practitioner
groups / communities
IPG integrated practitioner
groups / communities
enablers (staff; systems; funds)
The Applicant Experience: collaborative strategy
monitor
mea
sure
institution mission and values
strategic aims policies
pre-application stage processes
application stage processes
post-application stage processes
transition stage processes
key interactions
linking interactions
IPG integrated practitioner
groups / communities
key interactions
key interactions
key interactions
linking interactions
linking interactions
IPG integrated practitioner
groups / communities
IPG integrated practitioner
groups / communities
IPG integrated practitioner
groups / communities
IPG integrated practitioner
groups / communities
IPG integrated practitioner
groups / communities
IPG integrated practitioner
groups / communities
enablers (staff; systems; funds)
SPA recommendations
Pre-application recommendations
1. Engage with learners well in advance of any potential application to initiate and support the applicant experience
2. Utilise experience gained through such engagement to continually inform and improve the applicant experience.
SPA recommendations
Application recommendations
1. Strive to ensure that learner engagement with the application process maximises the institution’s ability to identify the most suitable
2. Review the quality of applications to measure successful engagement
SPA recommendations
Post-application recommendations
in development, but considering …
different aspects of direct vs indirect engagement
non-engagement
conversion
What recommendations do you have for application decision-makers?