Give a student, the school and yourself a present.
If you believe that students get a great education at your school, better than elsewhere. you should do all you can to keep students at your school. You don’t wish them an inferior education do you?
To really give students a present, give the school the population it needs for next term and to make yourself feel as if you really have accomplished something, start by getting a list of every student who has indicated he or she may or is leaving. Call every one of them personally but as if you do not know they are dropping out. A personal call is often all they need to change their mind.
Here’s a script that works. Change it to your tastes.
“Hi _________, this is ___________, president, dean, professor at _________________. Just calling to wish you a happy holiday and thank you for the honor of having you as a student at ____________. If it weren’t for you, we would not have meaning and value as a college/school. We exist for you students. So I look forward to seeing you next term/semester. Oh by the way, if I can help make next term/semester better, just email me at ______________ or call at _______________. Look forward to hearing from you and seeing you on campus .”
Call every one on the list and sit back. Wait for replies. You’ll get some and every one you get is an opportunity to retain a student in the college where they will get the best education any where.
Yes you can send a similar automated message to every student that is coming back But for the drops, a personal call is needed.
Oh by the way, if you feel that personally calling students I not for you or below your position, you really don’t care about students or the school. Get over yourself and call. If you don’t believe students get the best education at your school, you better be doing everything you can to change that. If you don’t think it will happen, why in the heck are you staying there?
If students and their education are not important enough for you to take the time to personally call them, you’re in the wrong job.
1 comment:
Neal,
I just found your blog by reading your C-Lot entry via University Business' Daily links. I laughed when I read your entry about calling students because I have had this very conversation with our faculty who don't believe their calls make a difference to students.
I have been working in retention at a private university since 1994 and we have seen great strides but our retention percentages have slipped the last couple years. I believe we are not responding to our changing student population as you mentioned in the Starbucks entry.
You are now one of my bookmarks.
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