HIED 860: Enrollment Management

Studies three stages of enrollment management: Pre-admission, initial student experience, and student success and completion.

The information contained on this page is designed to give students a representative example of material covered in the course. Any information related to course assignments, dates, or course materials is illustrative only. For a definitive list of materials, please check the online catalog 3-4 weeks before the course start date.

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Overview

This on-line asynchronous course is designed for higher education professionals who seek a fuller understanding of enrollment management processes and skills. Your on-line experiences in this course are designed to apply the readings to hands-on data analysis, as well as to develop your academic knowledge on the topic. Many lessons in this course list supplementary readings and weblinks where you can find additional information to explore the topic in greater depth. Those who have taken other IR courses in our Penn State series will recognize several connections to the other courses. For example, a few weeks of this HIED 860 course repeat and then build upon some of the readings and materials covered in the enrollment management units of the Foundations and Fundamentals of Institutional Research course (HIED 801). Many persistence theories and outcomes models discussed in Assessing Student Outcomes and Evaluating Academic Programs (HIED 840) and Studying Students and Student Affairs Programs (HIED 820) are relevant also to enrollment management and thus are presented in this course as well. HIED 830, Designing IR Studies, with its emphasis on measurement issues and survey research, provides an analytical foundation for all these other IR courses.

HIED 860 attempts to summarize the best of what we know about conducting enrollment management studies. Once viewed as a passive "gatekeepers" function, enrollment management has evolved into a proactive and important component of each higher education institution. Admitting too few students can threaten the organization's financial health, while enrolling too many students can stretch the institution's resources beyond capacity. Thus, at the most basic level enrollment management includes attracting, admitting, and enrolling students. Necessary tools at this first level include admissions marketing, predicting admissions yield, and modeling the impact of financial aid on student enrollment behavior. However, enrollment management is more than just attracting, admitting, and enrolling students, but also includes two other levels. At the second level lies those activities that surround the new student experience - orientation, advisement, curricular access, student support services, and remedial work where needed. These activities are designed to ensure the student's successful introduction and integration into the institution, as well as the student's retention through the first year. At the third level, enrollment management focuses on student success (persistence, academic achievement, graduation, and employment). At this third level, analytical studies of student retention, time to degree, graduation rates, and enrollment forecasting are central IR and enrollment management tasks.

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Course Objectives

This course provides students with a working knowledge of enrollment management processes and skills. The instructional material covers three stages of enrollment management. At the most basic level enrollment management includes attracting, admitting, and enrolling students. Necessary tools at this first level include admissions marketing, predicting admissions yield, and measuring the impact of financial aid on college student choice.  At the second level lies those activities that surround the new student experience – orientation, advisement, curricular access, student support services, and remedial work where needed. These activities are designed to ensure the student’s successful introduction and integration into the institution, as well as the student’s retention through the first year. At the third level, enrollment management focuses on student success (persistence, academic achievement, graduation, and employment). Analytical studies of student retention, time to degree, graduation rates, and enrollment forecasting are central IR tasks examined in the course.

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Required Course Materials

Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.

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Technical Requirements

Technical Requirements

Operating System	Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems.  To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications.
Browser	Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Please note that Canvas does not support the use of Internet Explorer. Students and instructors should choose a different browser to use.    To determine if your browser is supported, please review the list of Canvas Supported Browsers. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites.
Additional Canvas Requirements	For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications.
Additional Software	All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Students will need a PDF reader, such as Adobe Reader.
Hardware	Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution Audio: Microphone, Speakers Camera (optional, recommended): Standard webcam - many courses may require a webcam for assignments or exam proctoring software.
Mobile Device (optional)	The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements.

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Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)

During the semester you will receive information for completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.

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If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.

For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!

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Course Requirements and Grading

Grading

Lesson Assignments Table

Lesson	Assignment
Lesson 1: Introduction to the Course	Required Reading Profile, Email, DF & DB Exercises (3 points)
Lesson 2: Enrollment Management Model	Required Reading DB: Evaluating your enrollment management (10 points) DF: Sharing Evaluation Impressions (4 points)
Lesson 3: Developing the Strategic Enrollment Management Plan	Required Reading DF: Considering the SEM plan's role (4 points)
Lesson 4: Harnessing the Technology	Required Reading DF: Considering technology’s role (4 points)
Lesson 5: Enrollment Management Statistics	Required reading DF: Considering the role of statistical analysis (4 points) Biology Course Attrition Model (10 points)
Lesson 6: Admissions - Attracting, Admitting, and Enrolling Students	Required reading DF:  Thinking About Stage 1 Strategies—Applications, Admissions, Yield Projections (4 points) Admissions Index Progress Report (15 points) Admissions Yield Projection (15 points) IR Surprise – Optional for Extra Credit (+10 points)
Lesson 7: Financial Aid	Required reading DF: Thinking About Stage 1 Strategies - Financial Aid (4 points)
Lesson 8: Orienting and Integrating New Students	Required reading DF: Thinking About Stage 2 Strategies—Orientation and Integration (4 points) DB: Writing Assignment-Integration (9 points) DB Writing Assignment- Instruments (9 points)
Lesson 9: Student Tracking, Retention, Persistence, Graduation & Enrollment Forecasting	Required reading DF: Thinking About Stage 3 Strategies—Retention and Student Success (4 points) Enrollment Projection Model – Cohort Survival analysis OR Logit Model (15 points) Optional for Extra Credit - Both Cohort Survival analysis AND Logit Model with Comparison. (+10 points)
Lesson 10: Responding to Enrollment Policy Problems, Conclusion, & Evaluation	DB:  EM Policy Dataset Analysis (15 points) DB:  EM Consultant’s Report (10 points) Course Evaluation Culminating  Plan/Reflection Paper (16 points)

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Course Schedule

Lesson 1: Welcome, Introduction, & Overview

Lesson 1

Readings:	Textbook Readings: On the brink of a profession Conceptual and theoretical thinking about enrollment management Ereserves: Managing College Enrollments The evolution of strategic management: A historical perspective Enrollment management, Chapter 5
Assignments:	E-mail exercise Discussion Forum exercise Drop Box exercise User Profile Editor exercise (optional) What is AIR? (optional)

Lesson 2: Enrollment Management Process and Organization

Lesson 2

Readings:	Textbook Readings: Building the enrollment organizational model SEM as a driver for institutional change Ereserves: Methods and Techniques of Enrollment Forecasting. Chapter 5 Enrollment management and student affairs. Chapter 1 Enrollment Forecasting and Revenue Implications for Private Colleges & Universities. Chapter 4
Assignments:	Evaluating Your Institution's Enrollment Management

Lesson 3: Developing the Strategic Enrollment Management Plan

Lesson 3

Readings:	Textbook Readings: Garnering resources and building infrastructure Developing a SEM plan Ereserves: Integrating information technology planning and funding at the institutional level Chapter 1
Assignments:	Considering the S.E.M. Plan's Role

Lesson 4: Harnessing the Technology

Lesson 4

Readings:	Textbook Readings: Implementing a student information system Ereserves: Institution-wide information management and its assessment. Chapter 5 Working over time: The evolution of longitudinal student tracking data bases. Chapter 1
Assignments:	Considering Technology's Role

Lesson 5: Using Statistics for Enrollment Management

Lesson 5

Readings:

Textbook Readings: None Ereserves: Logistic regression analysis in higher education: An applied perspective Applying Data Mining to Predict College Admissions Yield.  Chapter 4 Methods and Techniques of Enrollment Forecasting. Chapter 2 Data mining: Going beyond traditional statistics. Chapter 1 Using logistic regression to guide enrollment management at a public regional university Increasing admitted student yield using a political targeting model and discriminant analysis: An institutional research admissions partnership

Assignments:

Considering the Role of Statistical Analysis Biology Course Attrition Model Collaborate on Statistics (ongoing)

Lesson 6: Admissions - Attracting, Admitting, and Enrolling Students

Lesson 6

Readings:	Textbook Readings: Students in the dot-com world Ereserves: Understanding the college-choice process Applications of GIS in admissions and targeting recruiting efforts. Chapter 2 Reputation ratings in higher education: Double, double, toil and trouble Enrollment Forecasting and Revenue Implications Using predictive modeling to target student recruitment: Theory and practice
Assignments:	Thinking About Stage 1 Strategies Analyzing Admissions Databases and Predicting Yield (Multi-Part Project) Admissions Index Admissions Yield Projection IR SURPRISE

Lesson 7: Financial Aid

Lesson 7

Readings:	Textbook Readings: None Ereserves: Enrollment Forecasting and Revenue Implications for Private Colleges & Universities Using economic concepts to inform enrollment management Student price response in higher education: An update The role of financial aid in enrollment management The impact of student aid on recruitment and retention: What the research indicates
Assignments:	Thinking About Stage 1 Strategies - Financial Aid

Lesson 8: Orienting and Integrating New Students

Lesson 8

Readings:

Textbook Readings: None Ereserves: Developing social and personal competence in the first year of college First things first: Developing academic competence in the first year of college Predictors of student commitment at two-year and four-year institutions Parsing the first-year of college: A conceptual framework for studying college impacts Undergraduate socialization: A conceptual approach National collegiate retention and persistence to degree rates

Assignments:

Thinking About Stage 2 Strategies: for Orientation and Integration Article Analysis Instrument Analysis

Lesson 9: Student Retention, Persistence, and Graduation

Lesson 9

Readings:

Textbook Readings: None Ereserves: Dropout and turnover: The synthesis and test of a causal model of student attrition A conceptual model of nontraditional undergraduate student attrition Appraising Tinto’s theory of college student departure Methods and Techniques of Enrollment Forecasting The convergence between two theories of college persistence The evolution of longitudinal student tracking data bases Student tracking: New techniques, new demands Estimating the Influence of Financial Aid on Student Retention Enrollment management and student affairs Measures of campus climate National collegiate retention and persistence to degree rates

Assignments:

Thinking About Stage 3 Strategies for Retention, Persistence, and Student Success Projecting enrollments for continuing students Submit Culminating Final Paper (due by 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) on Friday)

Lesson 10: Conclusion and Evaluation

Lesson 10

Readings:	Ereserves: Developing a SEM plan
Assignments:	Submit Dataset Analysis Assignment Complete End of Course Survey

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Academic Integrity

According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.

Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.

How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and others, as well as a civil community.

In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.

All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .

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Accommodating Disabilities

Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has resources for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources (SDR) website provides contacts for disability services at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the SDR website.

In order to apply for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability resources office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation based on the documentation guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability resources office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.

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Additional Policies

For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.

Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or dependents with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.