default rate
How can the admissions dept help lower the default rate of the school?
The admissions department is the best choice for collecting and verifying student and reference information because it is perceived as part of the enrollment process.
The admissions department can also display posters that show the importance of paying student loans, like the ones provided by Champion College Solutions to its clients.
I worked in Admissions for many years and at one school they had a very low default rates because they put more emphasis on us being responsible for retention and counceling students after starting school then they did on "enrollment numbers". They wanted only "qualified and committed" students. When someone dropped we were responsible along with the education department. Financial Literacy topics always come up when you build good relationships with your students.
I think you make an excellent point. A student who is comitted to their education will most liekly be responsible to their financial obligations upon leaving school. Building a good relationship with students is the key to success!
Since our admissions department has the most contact with studnets of our administration, they are perfect to gently and continuously remind students of their debt and personal responsibility to repay.
You just need to be sure Admissions is not directly discussing financial aid with the students. That must be done through the Financial Aid office. Reminders such as posters and literature in the admission office can be a quiet reminder but actual questions must be referred to Financial Aid.
Honestly I believe part of the default rate is going to reflect how qualified your students are to attend your school. Sometimes I feel like we admit students we truly know are unqualified for a college education but since we both do not want to block access for anyone AND we need the enrollment numbers, we enroll many unqualified students. I think the increased access to online college for previously unqualified college candidates has both opened up opportunities for advancement that were not there before BUT it has also flooded our school with students who are not only unqualified to be college students but who are also unwilling to pay back loans for unsuccessfully completed programs.
Elysia,
You are absolutely right--I agree completely that college presents the conflict for all of us administrators between promoting access for students and success for our schools AND enrolling qualified students who are likely to succeed and repay their loans. I also agree that there is an inevitable connection between qualification and successful completion, which is the key to a greater guarantee of positive student loan repayment. You have great insights! Diana
Obain good reference and address/phone/e-mail information upfront. Instruct students that if they receive financial aid in Direct Loans that they will have to start paying those back six months after they graduate.
Admissions is definitely a great place to obtain contact information upfront. This is especially true for references, since students are more likely to give complete and valid references when they are first entering school. The Admissions office can help make gathering this information a standard part of the registration and enrollment process, so that students cannot consider it optional (as some unfortunately tend to view exit interviews).
While Admissions cannot counsel students on loans and financial aid information, they can introduce students to the Financial Aid office and FA staff so that students see a smooth partnership between the two departments, and know where to go when they have questions.
Kellee Gunderson
I would maximize the potential of Admissions departments to help in this process in any way possible. It's the first point of contact between the school and students in most cases and is an ideal time to acquire references and begin to educate them on their financial responsibilities.
I can say from my own experience as a university student that I wish my school had been more proactive in this regard- there was really no attempt on their part to make me aware of my student loan obligations save for a brief exit interview conducted in a large group setting that no one seemed to get much out of.
Greg,
Thank you for sharing your own experience. Large group settings can be time savers but students may not get all the information they need. I think having the option of group or one-on-one is more effective since everyone has a different comfort level when it comes to learning.
Cheryl Kesson
I agree - Admissions would be walking a very thin line in gently reminding students about their financial responsibility. Nine times out of ten, it then opens a flood gate of questions and sometimes, and I have seen this happen, admissions representatives try to answer these specific questions, which further confuses the student. I do believe that a "midway" group check in with students would be beneficial because it keeps us visible to the students and therefore keeps the students aware of having a financial commitment to repaying their debt.
Ashley,
I believe that the goal is to ensure that all departments are shepherding students to FA when they have questions. The worst outcome, as you and Cheryl suggest, would be for admissions or other departments to answer loan questions. The second worst outcome would be for a student to be shut down – in large or understaffed schools in particular, a danger exists that someone in another department will give a vague or unfriendly “we can’t help you, go to FA†response. Instead, they can walk the student to FA, provide the direct line phone number to a FA rep, or at least make sure that the student knows the location and hours of the FA office. If a student feels ignored or intimidated, he might not ask a second time.
Kellee Gunderson
