Graduate Recruitment

Anyone employed in graduate recruitment was probably not astonished because of the latest yearly registration report from the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS). For the second successive year, CGS reported a decline in brand new graduate students last year after nearly a decade of steady development. Despite having programs up, many graduate programs find that prospective students are not enrolling as predictably as in the recent past.

But you will find differences in the details—even very good news for a few programs. More to the point, we now know which recruitment methods yield best outcomes for enough time and cash spent, based on research and a recently available study of graduate recruitment professionals.

Initially, here you will find the information on brand new graduate student registration. The field of Education happens to be strike the toughest regarding new graduate student recruitment. Within consultations with graduate programs in the united states, we at Noel-Levitz tend to be seeing big dips in brand new pupil desire for degrees leading to teacher official certification, and also the CGS reports bear this out with news that brand-new student enrollment in Education programs declined by 8.8 % in 2011 after an 8.1 per cent decrease the year before.

Education programs were a mainstay of graduate enrollment for decades. Without a doubt, even with these declines, knowledge registration nevertheless represents about one-fifth of graduate registration, in line with the CGS report. Therefore decreases of this type struck establishments hard. Arts and Humanities programs have seen decreases, and master’s programs in operation happen flat or down for the previous two years, according to the CGS reports.

There's good news, also. In accordance with CGS, there has been development in programs in wellness Sciences and Computer Science. Brand new worldwide student enrollments also always been strong with a 7.8 percent increase in 2011.

Full time graduate enrollment dipped last year, however it declined only one per cent compared to a 2.9 per cent decline in part-time registration. It was the second right 12 months for a decline in part-time enrollment, based on information in the CGS reports. Part-time registration decreases are pertaining to the decrease in Education programs.

Five suggestions for activity
In light regarding the changing landscape, listed here are five actions it is possible to decide to try assist improve your graduate recruitment system based on our consulting experience and analysis at Noel-Levitz:

1. Develop approaches for the complete recruitment funnel. Numerous establishments still hold back until the applying stage to start recruiting graduate pupils. By purchasing efforts to entice questions and grow and profile the applicant pool, graduate programs can better manage their particular enrollment. Give consideration to old-fashioned methods eg fairs, feeder institution travel, and GRE/GMAT name buys. Make sure to are also using e-recruitment methods such website pages, pay-per-click marketing, and even social media. Vital is develop a sustained interaction circulation to your inquiry, applicant, and acknowledge swimming pools.
2. Address graduate students’ priorities in recruitment materials. Our studies of potential graduate students regularly show three key priorities—the top-notch this system, the cost/affordability, together with pathway or job readily available. Recruitment products, including webpages, should address these motivators and communicate concerning the talents and advantages of the amount.
3. Invest commitment in techniques that really work. Noel-Levitz, together with NAGAP (the nationwide Association of Graduate Admissions experts), surveyed graduate admissions specialists early in the day this year on a variety of recruitment methods. You will find clear “best practices”—from campus visits for potential pupils to website pages for international prospects to telephone calls put to accepted students—that donate to enrollment success. We created these conclusions into the 2012 advertising and scholar Recruitment techniques Report for Master’s-Level scholar products.
4. Make funding a part of the recruitment picture. Anecdotal reports suggest pupils are far more apprehensive about investing in graduate programs, or are only also strapped economically to take into account graduate study. Recruitment materials must be obvious about system expense, but must also concentrate on the return on investment in terms of another job/career. Besides, scholarships and assistantship resources, if offered, must be leveraged to hire new pupils, which could imply working more closely with professors committees.
5. Be strategic also tactical. Recognize that factors beyond the control of your college are causing the decline in interest in specific industries right now. Adjust targets and spending plans appropriately, while focusing recruitment efforts on programs with possible to grow in today’s economy and market. Additionally, it can be helpful to make use of faculty to ensure system offerings fit emerging student demand.