You’re sitting in your office, staring at the enrollment numbers for the past few years. They’re not going up. In fact, they might be going down. You feel a knot in your stomach. “Can we increase enrollment on our current path?” you wonder.
Sound familiar? You’re not alone.
Many K-12 private schools find themselves in this predicament. The first year, you brush it off as an anomaly. By year four, it’s a full-blown crisis. Let’s dive into this enrollment conundrum and find a way out.
The Signs of Stagnation:
1. Employee salaries are stagnant or declining.
2. Deferred maintenance is piling up.
3. The school’s appearance is deteriorating.
4. There’s a nagging feeling that educational quality is slipping.
5. Satisfaction surveys are good, but not great for your tuition price.
6. Whispers about the admissions office’s performance are circulating.
7. The advancement office can’t raise enough to cover lost tuition revenue.
Does this sound like your school? If so, it’s time for a wake-up call.
The Financial Reality Check:
Pull out your budget from five years ago. Compare it to now. How much has your net tuition revenue changed? Hundreds of thousands? Millions? That’s money not going into your programs, your staff, or your students.
The Tactical Trap:
Maybe you’ve tried some quick fixes. A regional conference here, some merit funds there. But full-pay numbers keep declining, and now everyone wants a scholarship. It’s a vicious cycle.
Breaking Free:
Here’s the truth: You can’t let this stifle you. Your school has a mission to achieve. So how do you break free?
1. Ask the Right Questions:Start with your loyal full-pay parents. What are you doing right? Why is it worth the cost to them? These insights are gold.
2. Build from Strength:There are other parents out there like your loyal ones. Find them. Attract them. They’re the key to your growth.
3. Take Action, One Step at a Time: Stop asking, “Can we increase enrollment on our current path?” Start asking, “What’s our next move to make a difference?”
4. Embrace the Challenge: Yes, your tuition is outpacing cost-of-living increases. That’s your reality. Now, how can you provide value that matches?
5. You have to have resources. If you can’t get the resources, you are not going to make progress. Who needs to be convinced? Who can ally with you?
6. Start with this ebook to gain ideas and move ahead.
The Path Forward:
Remember, I’ve been through 29 admission seasons as a director. Every year, I ask myself the same question you’re asking now. But I refused to let it paralyze me. You shouldn’t either.
Your school’s future isn’t set in stone. It’s shaped by the actions you take today. So take that first step. Then the next. Before you know it, you’ll be blazing a new path to enrollment success.
Are you ready to break free from the enrollment conundrum? The only thing holding you back is the willingness to try something new. Your school’s mission is counting on you. Don’t let it down.
