Octane—Why Smart Presidents Are Choosing Interim VPs Over Quick, Internal Fixes

Octane—Why Smart Presidents Are Choosing Interim VPs Over Quick, Internal Fixes

When your enrollment VP departs unexpectedly, your first instinct might be to promote from within or rush the search process. But what if the best move is actually bringing in an experienced interim leader? Here’s why the most strategic presidents are embracing this approach—and how it’s transforming enrollment outcomes.

In the fast-changing landscape of higher education, where demographic shifts and financial pressures require smart and creative thinking, presidents face a critical decision when their enrollment leadership transitions. The conventional wisdom suggests finding a quick, internal solution or fast-tracking a permanent hire. But Terry Cowdrey, who has served as interim VP at 8 institutions and consulted with 28 campuses, offers a compelling alternative perspective: interim leadership isn’t a “compromise” solution, but a real competitive advantage. 

BREAKING THROUGH INSTITUTIONAL INERTIA

The most immediate benefit of interim leadership might surprise you: people tell the truth to someone who won’t be their permanent boss. 

“One of the real advantages of being an interim is that people communicate differently with you,” Cowdrey explains. “They tell you the truth.” This psychological distance creates an environment where staff feel safe sharing long-suppressed concerns, and senior leadership listens with fresh ears. 

For presidents, this means faster, clearer assessments of what’s actually happening in enrollment—something that internal politics or institutional inertia might otherwise obscure. Instead of spending months uncovering problems, interim leaders can surface critical issues within just weeks. 

Cowdrey recalls one assignment where a college was chronically underfunding its recruitment efforts. They weren’t even purchasing junior names due to budget constraints. The previous VP had tried repeatedly to address this, but the proposals never gained traction. 

“Sometimes it just takes someone external to pound the fist harder—or differently,” she notes. Her solution? A completely restructured, multi-year operating budget that doubled previous allocations, backed by clear ROI metrics. It passed at the board level and transformed how other departments approached financial planning. 

The lesson for presidents: Sometimes the problem isn’t the idea; it’s who’s presenting it and how. 

STRATEGIC EVOLUTION, NOT REVOLUTION

A common presidential concern about interim leadership is the fear of too much disruption. But experienced interim leaders understand the delicate balance required. 

“I make strategic tweaks. Evolutionary, not revolutionary change,” Cowdrey emphasizes. “I don’t want to commit the next person to a course of action they didn’t choose. But I also don’t want to leave them a mess.” 

This approach includes creating contracts with built-in flexibility, documenting informal policies, and preparing comprehensive onboarding materials for the incoming VP. Think of it as strategic renovation rather than demolition. 

Many presidents default to appointing an internal leader as “acting VP” during their search process. This might seem cost-effective, but it frequently backfires. 

“It often results in that internal person unfairly doing two jobs,” Cowdrey warns. “Or the institution places someone in enrollment who doesn’t understand the profession. You lose institutional momentum and miss the opportunity to gain an outside perspective.” 

When this happens, your search actually takes longer because you’re managing crisis instead of building on stability, and your internal person becomes burned out or resentful. 

SETTING UP YOUR NEXT VP FOR SUCCESS

Perhaps the most underappreciated benefit of interim leadership is how it positions your permanent hire for success. Cowdrey has often worked behind the scenes to help onboard new VPs, mapping stakeholder priorities, establishing productive meeting cadences, and preparing board presentation materials. 

“I help determine what meetings need to happen in the first 30 days versus what can wait,” she explains. “That pacing matters. Without it, the new VP is just reacting instead of leading.” This strategic onboarding support can mean the difference between a VP who thrives from day one and one who spends their first year putting out fires. 

Too many institutions often yearn for the yield rates, class sizes, or net revenue of years past. Interim leaders, unburdened by institutional history, can provide the objective perspective needed to move forward. 

“We can’t afford to be nostalgic,” Cowdrey cautions. “Instead, we need to focus on what future students need, how high schools have changed, and what trends are shaping tomorrow’s enrollment realities.” 

She recounts a faculty member lamenting the lack of classics majors, not understanding that fewer high schools even offer Latin anymore. “It’s not about admissions underperforming; it’s about understanding the full educational pipeline.”

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN AN INTERIM VP

For presidents considering interim leadership, think of it as a strategic investment rather than a temporary expense. The right interim can: 

• Accelerate problem identification through objective assessments; 
• Break through institutional resistance to necessary changes without bringing personal, emotional investment; 
• Maintain enrollment momentum during leadership transitions; 
• Prepare the foundation for long-term success; 
• Provide market intelligence from diverse institutional experience.

For presidents considering interim leadership, think of it as a strategic investment rather than a temporary expense. The right interim can: 

• Deep, varied experience across different institutional types and challenges; 
• Diplomatic truth-telling ability to surface hard realities without damaging relationships; 
• Financial acumen to make data-driven budget and strategy recommendations; 
• Strategic thinking balanced with immediate execution capabilities; 
• Succession planning mindset that prioritizes the next leader’s success.

It’s a simple truth we all understand: enrollment challenges can make or break institutional futures. Interim leadership offers a unique combination of expertise, objectivity, and agility. Reframe the thinking away from “filling a gap” and toward the idea of leveraging a critical transition period to move your institution forward strategically.

As Cowdrey puts it, “We’re in an environment where we can’t afford to be idle.” The question isn’t whether you can afford to bring in interim leadership; it’s whether you can afford not to.

Interim doesn’t mean temporary impact. It means timely transformation done thoughtfully.

About the Author
Lisa Branson, MEd, is enrollmentFUEL’s Senior Vice President of Client Development and is currently enrolled in a doctoral program. She is an expert in recruiting, financial aid, and all aspects of Student Search, including adult and online learners. Lisa has worked with many schools to develop comprehensive strategies to grow in their market, and she is happy to share her experience with you. Feel free to contact Lisa at Lisa.Branson@enrollmentFUEL.com and start a conversation.

Terry Cowdrey has 40 years of experience in enrollment, including 17 years as the Vice President and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at St. Lawrence University and Colby College. For the past decade she has worked as a self-employed enrollment management consultant, assisting nearly 30 colleges and universities in making their admissions and financial aid operations more efficient and effective. This work has included interim leadership assignments at 8 institutions. Cowdrey earned her B.A. at Wesleyan University and an M.P.P.M. from the Yale School of Management. She currently lives in her home state of New Hampshire. Contact her at CowdreyConsulting@gmail.com. 

Octane—Strategic Enrollment Planning in an Era of Diminishing Resources

Octane—Strategic Enrollment Planning in an Era of Diminishing Resources

Enrollment leaders are navigating historic budget constraints, compounded by shifts in federal funding, increased scrutiny of student loan programs, and a steady drumbeat of concern from experts about the long-term erosion of resources in higher education. 

Unfunded mandates to grow without resources create natural conflicts for enrollment leaders who face pressure to achieve strategic goals with an unrealistic expectation to do so. Even more disconcerting, there is often an expectation to grow even while staffing reductions and cuts to operational budgets concurrently undermine enrollment planning. When budget reductions are applied as blanket percentage cuts or dollar targets, rather than informed by strategic priorities, institutions risk expecting meaningful outcomes from functions that no longer have the resources to deliver them. 

In the face of these demands, enrollment leaders face a few important considerations when balancing how to reinvest, reallocate, reduce, or request funds to support a Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) plan. Here are 6 areas to focus on as you shape your planning. 

CONTEXT MATTERS

The most effective approach to create context for enrollment management funding is to leverage data. Particularly, it requires the right mix of historical analysis and current trend data, an effective way to counter the anecdotal information that often drives the narrative. 

Importantly, gathering and analyzing this data should not be a rare occurrence. Establish ongoing, timely, automated systems for reviewing and sharing trend data for the best results. These systems should be accessible to all stakeholders and consistently discussed and reviewed. 

Look for ways to connect such data with budget history and projections. Even in the face of sunsetting or eliminating academic programs or ending unsuccessful initiatives or services, timely data review and assessment can create opportunities to fund new initiatives without seeking more dollars. Using that data can help make the case for investing in more efficient strategy levers or additional capacity to complement a SEM plan. 

CONSIDER STUDENT BEHAVIOR

When making decisions about new investments, requesting new funding, or defunding strategic initiatives, one of the most critical factors is understanding how our students behave. Student interest can be demonstrated in various ways: applications, yield, transferring in or out of a program, retention and completion trends, survey data, or academic performance. 

Whether your institution uses credit hours or headcount to measure budget impact, student subscription and interest are essential to demonstrating the value of curricular and co-curricular programs, student services, and enrollment strategy levers. No matter how committed university leaders or faculty may be to a program or initiative, student demand always reveals whether to sustain, suspend, or sunset an initiative. 

COLLABORATE WITH FACULTY TO SET PRIORITIES

I recently edited and co-authored a chapter in the book Prioritizing Enrollment Management: Effective Practices and Strategies for Student Success and Completion. In my chapter, I emphasize the critical role of academic collaboration in building and sustaining a successful enrollment management enterprise. A central takeaway: enrollment leaders achieve far greater impact when they engage institutional stakeholders as partners rather than obstacles. Collaboration isn’t optional. It’s essential. 

This is where enrollment data becomes especially powerful. When shared effectively, it can inform academic decision-making, supporting the development of new programs to generate revenue, building the case for new funding, or guiding the reallocation of existing resources. Data, when contextualized, becomes more than numbers; it becomes strategy. 

It fuels marketing, messaging, recruitment, and ultimately supports academic innovation. 

Regular, proactive collaboration with faculty allows us to set shared goals and anticipate program needs. Goals don’t always have to focus on growth but should align with broader strategic enrollment plans. By providing insights into which courses are likely to thrive—or struggle—we help faculty avoid last-minute disruptions that can impact students’ ability to stay on track. 

When managed thoughtfully, these partnerships enhance student satisfaction, persistence, and most importantly, degree completion. 

CAPTURE RELEVANT MARKET FACTORS

When budget planning, enrollment leaders should also consider market factors. Are there local, regional, state, or federal job protections in play? Which markets produce more (or fewer) high school graduates, transfer students, non-traditional students, online students, or international students? Understanding these factors is important for enrollment leaders as they decide about funding recruitment, retention, persistence initiatives, and market saturation strategies, including digital targeting.

Enrollment leaders also possess the unique ability to share their data and outcomes as market influencers in messaging about recruitment, retention, or re-recruitment of students for graduate programs. Leveraging this market data also creates unique opportunities to partner with vice presidents for advancement or development to seek critical scholarship funds to bolster student perpetuity in these key areas.

COMPETITOR DATA MATTERS

Understanding competitor resources and data can help persuade or dissuade actions in marketing, recruitment, or messaging. While leveraging benchmark data is often necessary when it’s time to propose or set tuition or housing rates, there is far greater opportunity to capitalize on this information. Consistent attention over time to degree production data, enrollment data, demographic data, and available budget and resource data is a helpful mainstay in enrollment management planning. 

Keeping track of institutional program closures or declines can create opportunities to forecast changes in our market or compel adaptation before the negative trend reaches us. In other words, it helps us stay relevant and ahead of the curve. Supporting faculty leaders by providing competitor data allows enrollment leaders to serve as a needed resource and ensure program development is bolstered with pertinent data. 

COMMIT TO RETENTION & PERSISTENCE AS BUDGET PRIORITIES

Over the years, many of us enrollment leaders have experienced the frustrating situation when enrollment management is only perceived as recruitment in the eyes of some of our colleagues. Using context and data on retention and persistence investments amid budget cuts allows enrollment leaders to demonstrate their broader value. This also affords an opportunity to collaborate with student affairs leaders to impact student success, allowing us to demonstrate the importance of such partnerships. 

A recent Institute for Higher Education Policy study encourages university leaders to prioritize 3 core elements: retention, belonging, and persistence.1 It’s a good reminder that investment in retention is also an investment in enrollment management, which can improve commitment to allocating funds to support our SEM plans. 

Setting targets to grow persistence in key areas, sustain it in others, or expand successful initiatives to maximize retention for more students is vital to reshape that narrative and demonstrate the economic impact of student success and perpetuity as functions of enrollment management. 

Some of the best advice my parents ever gave me was to remember that if I don’t provide the right information to get myself to the table, I will always be on the menu. My parents’ wisdom is relevant for enrollment leaders, too. 

We can reshape the resource allocation conversation and results on our campuses by expressing our work in outcomes, clearly defining ourselves as tools of persistence and retention, as well as recruitment, and harnessing our experience and talents to be the best collaborators in our campus communities. Enrollment leaders are well-prepared to drive conversations and ensure that budgeting and resource allocation are done with us instead of done to us.

About the Author
Jason L. Meriwether, PhD, is an experienced higher education leader who has led Enrollment Management, Student Affairs, TRIO Programs, and NCAA & NAIA Athletics at public and private institutions. Jason has led collaborative and team-driven initiatives that have improved recruitment, retention, persistence, and graduation trends. He is the editor of Prioritizing Enrollment Management: Effective Practices and Strategies for Student Success and Completion, published by Routledge in 2024. A native of Guthrie, Kentucky, Jason earned his PhD in Educational Administration with a specialization in Higher Education Leadership at Indiana State University. Jason currently serves as Vice President of Enrollment Management at Sam Houston State University.

“How Student Experience and Belonging Interventions Can Support Strong Postsecondary Outcomes.” Institute for Higher Education Policy. 2024. https://www.ihep.org/publication/student-experience-and-belonging-strong-outcomes/.

Octane—Building an Internal Student Search Team: What It Really Takes

Octane—Building an Internal Student Search Team: What It Really Takes

When I founded enrollmentFUEL in 2015, I did it with a belief that there were better ways to recruit students and a desire to help enrollment leaders discover them. Over the years, I’ve talked with dozens of campuses that wanted to bring some or all of their Student Search functions in-house. That ambition makes sense. In a noisy, fast-changing landscape, owning more of the process is appealing. 

But like starting any new business, bringing Student Search in-house takes more than just desire. It takes structure. It takes strategy. And it takes the right mix of people, tools, and partners. 

If you’re considering this path, I encourage you, but also want to offer a word of caution. This is a bold undertaking, and the schools that succeed with it do so not by going at it alone, but by knowing what to build internally and where to lean on partners who can fill in the gaps. 

CORE ROLES YOU’LL NEED & HOW TO FILL THEM WISELY

No matter how your team is structured, a successful Student Search program depends on a full range of skills. Whether you handle these roles in-house, collaborate across departments, or partner with outside experts, here are the key functions every strategy should cover and the personas who bring them to life:

• Decoder Dan: Turns raw data into insight. From segmentation to list hygiene and campaign performance analytics, Dan ensures your strategy is always data-informed. 
• Message Master Mary: Crafts communications that connect. She brings together campaign planning, message design, copywriting, and sequencing to guide students from awareness to action. 
• Conductor Carl: Leads the charge and keeps the train moving. Enrollment success is experienced most when this person is the Vice President of Enrollment Management or at least the number two person on the enrollment team. 
• Digital Darla: Builds the tech backbone. Darla connects platforms, sets up automations, and shapes your digital strategy to ensure seamless, scalable engagement. 
• Manny the Mail Maestro: Masters the mailbox. From USPS regulations to postal discounts and timing, Manny ensures your print campaigns are efficient, timely, and compliant. 
• Naomi the Name Buyer: Knows where your best prospects are. She selects sources, handles deduplication, ensures compliance, and builds a name acquisition strategy rooted in precision. 

Let me pause on that last one, because it’s becoming more critical than ever. 

Buying names used to be a more straightforward process. Today, it’s a much more strategic (and fragile) process. We’re seeing long-time list sources dry up, audience segments become more nuanced, and the rise of look-alike modeling and stealth visitor tracking. Schools often underestimate the complexity of this process—and how easy it is to overspend or underperform. At enrollmentFUEL, we’re not just list purchasers; we’ve developed a deeper capability around Target Market Analysis, helping institutions match message to market more precisely. It’s one of the fastest-evolving areas of Search, and one where we’re growing rapidly. 

WHY DIGITAL INTEGRATION (& MAIL EXPERTISE) BOTH MATTER MORE THAN EVER

As digital tools become more sophisticated, your internal team must be able to connect the dots. That’s where a strong technical integrator—or a partner like FUEL—can be invaluable. We work at the intersection of CRM logic, platform connectivity, and digital media, ensuring your message gets to the right student at the right time. In the future, look-alike modeling, behavioral signals, and omnichannel targeting will be the new norm. Teams that can’t manage these digital handoffs risk wasting valuable impressions—or worse, confusing their audience. 

But amid all that digital noise, let me say something that may surprise you: mail still matters. In fact, when done well, it can be your most powerful channel. 

Yes, it’s expensive. But it’s also tangible, less crowded, and proven to drive action. What we’ve found is that schools need a mail expert who knows how to work within USPS regulations, leverage incentives, time mail drops strategically, and integrate direct mail seamlessly with digital outreach. This is an area where we’ve helped schools avoid major mistakes, reduce costs, and boost impact. 

DESIGN & COPY MATTER MORE THAN EVER

A good designer doesn’t just make your materials pretty—they make them effective. They help students know what to do next. 

Years ago, the New York City subway system faced a challenge that might sound familiar to anyone working in higher ed marketing: a complex, vital system that needed to be communicated clearly to thousands of people every day—most of whom were overwhelmed, in a hurry, and just trying to find the right path forward. 

In 1972, acclaimed designer Massimo Vignelli created a sleek, modern map for the subway system.1 It was beautiful; full of clean lines and bold colors. It reduced chaos to order. But there was one problem: it didn’t reflect the real geography of New York. Rivers were distorted, stations were misplaced, and neighborhoods were abstracted. Riders got confused. Some even got lost. 

Despite the design world’s admiration, Vignelli’s map was quietly replaced a few years later by a more user-friendly version—one that wasn’t as elegant, but made it easier for real people to navigate real-world decisions. 

This same tension shows up in Student Search all the time. 

We can build beautiful materials. We can set up slick automation. But if the design and messaging don’t help students move through the process (if they can’t find the “station” they need next) we’ve missed the point. 

Design, like Search, is about movement. Helping someone go from unsure to informed, from passive to engaged. And that only happens when the strategy, copy, and creative work together to create clarity. 

That’s why we believe good designers and great copywriters aren’t luxuries, they’re essential roles. And if you’re building your internal team, this is one area that deserves real investment. A well-designed campaign isn’t just something that looks good, it’s something that works. 

As the NYC subway map taught us: it’s not just what you build. It’s how clearly you help people move through it. 

As more campaigns shift to high-stakes digital and direct mail environments, great design is no longer optional. It’s critical. 

So is copywriting. It’s easy to overlook the words in favor of the workflow, but the wrong message (or one that simply blends into the noise) won’t convert. Conversion-optimized writing, tone alignment, and strategic messaging sequencing are more important than ever. At enrollmentFUEL, we teach teams how to craft messages that drive results. That’s part of our growing role as a teaching partner, helping staff build internal strength while accelerating short-term results. 

WHAT MAKES FRACTIONAL STAFFING WORK

You don’t need a full-time employee in every role. But you do need ownership. That means identifying who is truly responsible for each function, ensuring clear boundaries, and avoiding the trap of “just help with this real quick” culture. 

We’ve seen 3 principles make a big difference: 

1. Designate a single point of accountability. Someone (ideally a director or dean) needs to own the Student Search initiative. Not just in title, but in strategic and operational authority. 
2. Define roles clearly. Be specific about who owns segmentation, messaging, delivery, and reporting. 
3. Lean into automation. Use your CRM and workflow tools to free up staff from repetitive tasks so they can focus on what only humans can do, like effective messaging, designing, and deciding. 

Fractional roles can work. So can internal/external hybrid teams. But only when they’re built with intention. 

A NOTE ON HIDDEN COSTS & SMART TRADE-OFFS

Sometimes internal initiatives seem more affordable, until the hidden costs show up. These might include: 

• Time spent on data prep, list wrangling, and deduplication; 
• Platform costs for email, ads, dashboards, and creative tools; 
• Creative fatigue: writing dozens of emails and print pieces without support; 
• Burnout and attrition; 
• Missed cycles or botched timing due to overextension. 

That’s why the most successful institutions we work with use a hybrid model: owning strategy and brand voice in-house while outsourcing intensive execution (like digital ads, list purchases, or creative production) to partners who specialize in it. 

When you share dashboards, review cadences, and coordinate campaigns, you get the best of both worlds: internal control and external power, all while being a good steward of the budget you have. 

SO, CAN IT WORK? ABSOLUTELY—IF IT’S BUILT RIGHT.

Building your own Student Search team isn’t about replicating what vendors do. It’s about building a system that works for your goals, your resources, and your team. The key question isn’t “who does it?” It’s “who owns it?” 

If you’re considering this move, we’ve put together a Readiness Survey to help you think through the elements you’ll need, from team structure to tools to strategy. And we’re happy to share what we’ve learned from helping others walk this same path. 

Because at the end of the day, that’s what we’re here for: not just to execute, but to educate, advise, and empower. If you’re bold enough to build something new, we want to be the partner who helps you do it smarter. 

About the Author
Mike Wesner, MEd, is the CEO and Founder of enrollmentFUEL and a passionate student of recruiting strategies. In his role as CEO, he works with the team to develop new products to help enrollment leaders bring in their class and set enrollment records. Reach out to Mike at Mike.Wesner@enrollmentFUEL.com to share ideas on where strategic enrollment management is headed in the year ahead. 

New York Transit Museum, “Vignelli Transit Maps.” May 30, 2025. https://www. nytransitmuseum.org/vignelli/.

Octane—Listening, Adapting, Succeeding: Insights from 3 Enrollment Leaders

Octane—Listening, Adapting, Succeeding: Insights from 3 Enrollment Leaders

In a time when higher education faces seismic shifts, from demographic declines and political uncertainty to a rising demand for workforce alignment, enrollment leaders are rethinking what it takes to thrive. To gain perspective on how institutions are adapting, we spoke with three experienced enrollment vice presidents (and enrollmentFUEL clients): Kevin Windholz, MA, of Oklahoma City University, Iris P. Godes, MEd, of Framingham State University, and Eric R. Young, PhD, of Malone University. Their insights offer valuable guidance for peers navigating similar terrain. 

FROM ADMISSIONS TO INSTITUTION-WIDE STRATEGY

For many, enrollment management began as a calling to serve students. But as Kevin Windholz, Vice President for Enrollment Management and University Communications at Oklahoma City University, explains, the role has evolved dramatically. “Even when I started here 13 years ago, the job of the VP for Enrollment was to bring in the first-year class and shape it,” he says. “Today, it’s all about survival. The freshman class is just one piece of a much larger puzzle.” 

At this top liberal arts and sciences university with over a century of history, Windholz credits his Oklahoma City University president for reframing the institution’s strategy. “We were trying to make the market want what we had. Our president taught me we have to listen to the market and change who we are to meet its demand.” 

Dr. Eric R. Young, Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing at Malone University—a private Christian university in Ohio—echoes that shift. “The number one enrollment challenge we see is the shifting demographics,” he says. But it’s not just about numbers. “Government policy and public perception around cost and value have created new hurdles.” It’s up to enrollment leaders to bridge these gaps, communicate value, and dovetail with the institution’s larger strategy and messaging.  

VALUE, PERCEPTION, & THE POLICY LANDSCAPE

Nowhere are those external pressures felt more acutely than in Massachusetts, where the public Framingham State University has operated just outside Boston since 1839. Iris P. Godes, Vice President of Enrollment Management, emphasizes the unprecedented difficulty of planning amid political unpredictability. “Should changes to Pell or the loss of subsidized loans happen, that will be devastating,” she says. “And because of how things are working in Washington, we can’t even assume that won’t happen. We have to plan as if it will.” 

Godes, who began her career in financial aid, brings a rare, dual lens to enrollment and funding strategy. That perspective can be invaluable as enrollment leaders balance the different meanings of the concept of value. 

“Having that background has been a massive benefit. I can speak both languages—compliance and recruitment. And when financial aid directors push back, I understand exactly where they’re coming from.” 

She’s also focused on countering the growing skepticism around higher education. “Everyone doesn’t belong in college, but the message shouldn’t be ‘you don’t need college’ in exclusion of all else. There are many pathways, and we need to communicate that nuance.” 

THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY & PERSONALIZATION

In a landscape flooded with communication channels and constant digital evolution, all three leaders stress the importance of personalization in enrollment communications. 

“We don’t want cookie-cutter solutions,” Godes asserts. “Students should hear from their counselor, build that relationship from the beginning. And partners must be able to support that one-to-one feel.” 

Technology is also critical for meeting a landscape where challenges and expectations change faster than they ever have. Personalization used to be “nice to have,” but now it’s pretty much essential; so too have other technologies and expectations skyrocketed to prominence or vanished as fast as they appeared. 

“When I was new to enrollment in 2002, things weren’t really that much different than they were 5 years earlier,” Windholz recalls. “But now here in 2025, it’s already a lot different than it was in 2020. Not only does the landscape change in terms of views and politics and such, but technology also changes so fast now compared to how it used to. What can be ‘in’ at one moment becomes outdated so quickly, sometimes just a year or two later.” 

For enrollment partners, being at the vanguard of these changes can be a key differentiator to maintain institutions’ trust and build a partnership that supports long-term success. 

THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIP

When we asked what enrollment leaders want from a partner, we saw a few common factors emerge: innovation, accountability, and a true partnership approach. 

“I’m looking for innovation. I’m looking for currency, and more than that, I’m looking for not cookie-cutter,” explains Godes, pointing to enrollmentFUEL as an example of a team that gets things right. “I need a partner who will understand my institution, what my needs are, how to communicate in our voice. A true partner will tell me when I’m wrong, but also listen to me when I’m right.” 

Windholz agrees, highlighting the operational excellence and responsiveness he values in partners like enrollmentFUEL. “We’ve worked with partners before who launch a campaign and then walk away. What I like about enrollmentFUEL is they adjust on the fly. They pause an email if it’s not working, change domains, and let us know why. We need that kind of ongoing engagement, and it makes a big difference to work with people who have walked in our shoes.” 

Dr. Young also values transparency and shared accountability. “When we look at potential partners, we consider whether they’ll just live in a silo or if they embrace truly being a partner. enrollmentFUEL continuously demonstrates a shared commitment to our success, and we can have honest, direct conversations.” 

ADAPTING FOR THE FUTURE

Looking ahead, all three leaders see both opportunity and challenge. 

“Malone has a distinct Christian mission,” says Dr. Young. “There are no other schools in our market with the same focus. Our opportunity is to communicate that clearly and meaningfully to prospective students and families.” 

At Framingham, Godes sees potential in the school’s diverse student body and small-campus environment, but acknowledges the difficulty of standing out in a crowded, prestigious region. “We’re 20 miles from some of the most widely recognized institutions in the world. 

We need to show that our value is just as high, even at a lower cost.” 

For Windholz, institutional agility is paramount. “We need to reassign the work forces at our institution to meet the changing demographic. Services for non-traditional learners—like transfer, graduate, international, and online students—will be just as important as those services for the incoming, traditional first-year students.” 

Each leader offers a different institutional context, yet their advice converges on one principle: listen and adapt. “We can make things so hard,” says Windholz. “But the solution is actually simple: If you’re trying to make the market want what you have, you won’t grow. If you change to meet what the market wants, you will.” 

It’s a powerful reminder in a time of uncertainty. As higher ed grapples with change, the best strategy may be the one that starts by listening—to students, to data, and to each other. 

About the Author
Aaron Porter, MA, is enrollmentFUEL’s Associate Vice President for Client Relations. He has spent his career devoted to enrollment management, with positions including the Director of Admission at Tusculum College, Director of Admission at Bryan College, and most recently, Vice President for Enrollment Management at Carson-Newman University. Over the past 18 years, Aaron has helped over 30,000 students gain access to transformational experiences at four-year private institutions. Connect with Aaron at Aaron.Porter@enrollmentFUEL.com. 

Octane—A New Era for Federal Student Aid: What the One Big Beautiful Bill Act Means to You

Octane—A New Era for Federal Student Aid: What the One Big Beautiful Bill Act Means to You

The Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) has not been formally reauthorized since the passing of the Higher Education Opportunity Act in 2008. In a normal reauthorization process, there is ample time for the higher education community to contribute ideas to Congress and for Congress to showcase potential changes to the community. Changes to the HEA since 2008 have been implemented through other pieces of legislation and budget actions in Congress. Legislation such as the FUTURE Act (2019), the CARES Act (2020), the American Rescue Plan Act (2021), and the Consolidated Appropriations Act (2021) have been viewed in relatively favorable terms by the higher education community. 

Fast-forward to July 2025, when the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) was enacted through the budget reconciliation process—a legislative pathway that allows Congress to pass specific tax, spending, and debt-limit legislation with a simple majority vote in the Senate, thereby bypassing the filibuster. Initially introduced as a broad, fiscal, and education reform package, OBBBA underwent several iterations that included controversial proposals, such as eliminating subsidized loans, changing the definition of full-time enrollment, and restricting aid to certain non-citizens, which were ultimately removed from the final version. 

The bill was signed into law in July 2025, marking the most significant federal student aid reform since the 2008 reauthorization of the HEA. Although the OBBBA did not formally reauthorize the HEA, it introduced wide-ranging changes to Pell Grants, student loan programs, repayment plans, and institutional accountability, effectively reshaping the federal financial aid landscape through a fiscal lens. 

Below is an overview of the most significant changes in the OBBBA and the potential impact on institutions in the near future. 

PELL GRANT PROGRAM: EXPANSION & INNOVATION

To address a projected funding shortfall, OBBBA allocates $10 billion in mandatory funding to stabilize the Pell Grant program. It also creates the Workforce Pell Grant, targeting short-term, career-aligned credentials that range from 150 to 599 clock hours or 8 to 15 weeks. Eligible programs must demonstrate strong completion and job placement outcomes and be recognized as “stackable” by multiple employers. 

Importantly, students cannot receive both regular and Workforce Pell grants simultaneously, and the use of Workforce Pell grants counts toward the student’s overall lifetime Pell limit. 

FEDERAL LOAN PROGRAMS: NEW CAPS & ELIMINATIONS

• Graduate PLUS Loans will be eliminated starting July 1 2026, with legacy provisions for existing borrowers.
• Parent PLUS Loans face new caps: $20,000 annually per student and a $65,000 aggregate per student.
• Graduate and professional loan borrowing is now limited to $20,500 and $50,000 annually and $100,000 and $200,000 aggregate respectively, excluding undergraduate loans.
• An overarching lifetime borrowing cap of $257,500 is now in place.
• Schools may now set lower institutional loan limits on a program-wide basis. Schools will be required to prorate annual loan amounts for students enrolled less than full-time. 

REPAYMENT REFORM: FEWER PLANS, MORE STRUCTURE

A new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) becomes the centerpiece for borrowers taking out loans after July 1, 2026. RAP features include: 

• Monthly payments ranging from 1–10% of adjusted gross income (AGI); 
• Elimination of negative amortization and a $10 minimum payment;
• A 30-year repayment term with no cap on payment amounts.

Borrowers who file taxes separately will not include their spouse’s income in payment calculations, and dependents lower payments by $50 each. 

A streamlined, standard repayment plan offers 4 term options (10, 15, 20, or 25 years), and all loans must be paid under one plan. Existing repayment plans, such as ICR, PAYE, and SAVE, will sunset by July 2028, and borrowers must transition or be moved into RAP. 

NEED ANALYSIS & FAFSA ADJUSTMENTS

Several critical need analysis changes take effect beginning with the 2026–27 award year: 

• Reinstates asset exemptions for family farms, small businesses, and commercial fisheries
• Requires inclusion of foreign income in Pell eligibility calculations
• Disqualifies students from Pell if non-federal grants/ scholarships fully cover the cost of attendance, or if Student Aid Index exceeds double the maximum Pell award  

INSTITUTIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY & RISK

OBBBA introduces a low earnings outcomes test that ties Direct Loan eligibility to program-level graduate earnings. Programs failing the benchmark for two out of three years will lose access to loan funds. Institutions must notify students if a program is underperforming. 

OTHER NOTABLE PROVISIONS

• Loan Rehabilitation: Borrowers may now rehabilitate a defaulted loan twice.
• Deferment and Forbearance: Economic hardship and unemployment deferments will sunset for loans issued after July 1, 2027. Forbearance will be limited to 9 months within any two-year period. 
• Endowment Tax: A progressive excise tax ranging from 1.4% to 8% will apply to private institutions with large, per-student endowments—exempting those with fewer than 3,000 tuition-paying students. 
• Borrower Defense and Closed School Discharge: The implementation of 2022 rules is delayed until July 1, 2035, reverting to older standards in the interim. 

INSTITUTIONAL IMPACT

Among all these technicalities, the bigger question is: what do these changes mean for your institution and community? 

The changes introduced by OBBBA will require colleges and universities to significantly adjust their financial aid operations, compliance infrastructure, and academic program planning. Institutions will need to reconfigure systems to support the new Workforce Pell Grant, which introduces strict eligibility requirements and performance benchmarks for short-term, non-degree programs. Colleges offering these programs must ensure high completion and job placement rates, gain state approval, and demonstrate earnings outcomes. All of this will demand new levels of data tracking and reporting, and collaboration with workforce partners and state agencies. 

Additionally, the overhaul of federal student loan programs—especially the elimination of Grad PLUS Loans and the introduction of new annual and aggregate loan caps—will alter how graduate and professional students finance their education. Institutions that rely heavily on tuition revenue from graduate programs may face enrollment pressure if students hit borrowing limits or are deterred by reduced federal loan availability. Financial aid offices will also face increased loan counseling demands as they implement the new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) and prepare for the phasing out of multiple legacy repayment plans by 2028. 

Finally, OBBBA’s institutional accountability measures, particularly the low earnings outcomes test tied to Direct Loan eligibility, will place additional scrutiny on the return on investment of academic programs. Colleges will need to monitor graduate earnings outcomes proactively and may be compelled to issue warnings to students or phase out underperforming programs. 

These provisions, alongside expanded FAFSA asset exemptions and new limits on Pell Grant eligibility, will push institutions to modernize their aid packaging strategies, reassess program viability, and invest more heavily in student success and career readiness initiatives. 

Although several provisions in the OBBBA draw on ideas that have been in place for several years, the rapid legislative process did not provide the same opportunity for community engagement and planning as a traditional reauthorization. As a result, there is increased pressure on institutions (and financial aid professionals) to quickly assess the impact of the OBBBA and implement plans to ensure timely and compliant financial aid delivery, while effectively communicating with current and prospective students. 

The last five years have seen an exodus of experienced financial aid professionals. As a result, many institutions are left with aid leaders who have never experienced reauthorization, a sweeping budget bill, or the significant regulatory changes that usually follow. 

Institutional leaders need to ensure that they are doing everything they can to best prepare for these changes and support effective financial aid delivery, including: 

• Providing funding for training issued by state, regional, and national professional associations or by external consulting partners; 
• Investing in quality consulting with an external partner to first determine institutional readiness and then create and execute an action plan;
• Creating cross-functional teams to address policy, systems, communication, and process needs;
• Engaging internally or with an external partner to assess current financial aid strategy and delivery to look for opportunities for efficiency and improvement. 

The pressure to help guide institutions through these sweeping changes comes at a time when financial aid administrators still face numerous challenges. When we fully understand the implications of recent shifts and work together as a team, we’re best positioned to support our institutions and our students alike. If you’d like to discuss the implications of these changes for your institution, please get in touch. The enrollmentFUEL team is here to help you navigate the path forward. 

About the Author
Tony Erwin, BA, is enrollmentFUEL’s Vice President of Financial Aid Partnerships. With nearly 30 years of experience in enrollment management and student services, Tony brings extensive expertise in financial aid, student billing, veteran affairs, immigration, and student employment. He has held senior leadership positions at Northeastern University and Merrimack College and spent over a decade as a school trainer for the U.S. Department of Education. A recognized leader in the field, Tony has served on the NASFAA Board of Directors and held key roles in regional and state financial aid associations. He is a Certified Financial Aid Administrator and has earned all 17 NASFAA professional credentials. Connect with Tony at Tony.Erwin@enrollmentFUEL.com to start a conversation. 

This information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and is subject to change. Please get in touch with our team for the most up-to-date guidance.

Octane—Adapting to Change: How OCU Revitalized Its Enrollment Strategy

Octane—Adapting to Change: How OCU Revitalized Its Enrollment Strategy

University enrollment growth: For nearly a quarter of a century, my life has centered on attempting to achieve it. When I recall all the prospect communication plans written and tweaked, high schools visited, recruitment events hosted, digital ads displayed, and discount strategies calculated, I could write volumes. 

As a chief enrollment officer, the responsibility for achieving growth rests squarely on our shoulders. It’s a role that is constantly under scrutiny, with success or failure often determining our professional fate. I’ve attended countless seminars and read many articles covering potential tactics used to raise the incoming class number. Rarely is any other position or topic at the university watched as closely, celebrated as much in good times, or judged as harshly in bad times. 

THE HISTORY

I have been in enrollment management for 23 years and a chief enrollment officer for the past 12. My experience relates to a high school physics class I took three decades ago. In the class, I spent a lot of time agonizing over problems with a calculator and scratch paper, trying every method to figure problems out. One day, the right tutor came along and showed me a method that clicked. I moved forward from there and got an “A” in the class. 

The same thing happened in my current position. Initially, I approached achieving enrollment growth as a complex problem where the sole burden of fixing it fell on me. And that “method” would never fix the problem. Then, I finally met the right tutor who showed me what I was missing—and that lesson lies in this reality: If a university charges enrollment management to make the market want what it offers, it will not grow. On the other hand, if a university listens to the market and adapts to market demand, it will grow. 

THE SITUATION

To illustrate how I made this discovery, I should probably take you back to the beginning. As mentioned, for 12 years I have been the Vice President for Enrollment Management at Oklahoma City University (OCU). This is a smaller, private, urban, Methodist-affiliated institution located in the heart of Oklahoma City. While this experience has been the most transformative and positively impactful of my career, I have learned that it takes more stamina and courage to stay in a chief enrollment role than to leave it. 

When I started at OCU in 2012, the university had around 3,200 students, but that number was already declining. There were several best practices I had learned along the way that I was able to bring to the role that made enrollment management better. The discount rate had been growing before my arrival, and I was able to stabilize it. We enhanced our financial aid education and improved our enrollment tracking reporting methods. Our communication plan became more multi-layered. I was able to slow the decline in total headcount, but I couldn’t completely stop the slide. For the next nine years, I observed each fall census drop until it reached a low point of around 2,500 students in 2021. 

Yes, the pandemic played a role, but not a pivotal one because the declines were in motion long before COVID was a common word in conversation. In the summer of 2021, I would have never guessed that in 2022, the slide would reverse, and our new student counts would have risen by 13%. I would not have imagined that by August 2023, OCU would be back up to 2,750 students and on a realistic track to enroll more than 3,000 students by 2025. 

What changed? Our university mindset. We began to adapt ourselves to meet the market demand. 

THE SOLUTION

President Ken Evans took the helm at OCU in 2021. He was the ‘tutor’ I needed to solve the enrollment problem. Before the arrival of President Evans, I always assumed—and was often told—the enrollment declines resulted from a strategy that I needed to tweak. President Evans helped me recognize that I had indeed learned my trade, my strategies were sound, and my practices were up to date. 

The problem was that OCU was trapped in a cycle of trying to force the market to desire what we offered. We were attempting to recruit students with outdated university programs and learning methods that had been effective 15 years ago but were no longer driving growth. 

Under OCU’s new leadership, we embraced change and recognized the need to diversify our recruitment strategies—put more eggs in more baskets, you could say—to stay relevant through the 2020s and beyond. We acknowledged that international, transfer, and graduate students were as crucial to our growth as incoming first-year students. Relevant academic programming became the cornerstone of our university strategy. By January 2024, OCU’s total enrollment had increased by 8% compared to August 2021, with over 20% of that growth coming from new programs launched since 2020. 

International student enrollment first illustrates the importance of academic programming. Even before 2020, international enrollment at OCU had been on a consistent decade decline, and the pandemic took it even further. In August 2021, a little more than 30 total international students were enrolled. By January 2024, that enrollment shot up to a little more than 250 and shows continued signs of growth. The key: offering STEM-based graduate programming that came on board in 2022 and 2023. Without the investment in these new, revamped programs, OCU would not have seen any benefits in international enrollment once we reached the other side of the pandemic. Again, we listened to what the international market was telling us rather than forcing an unwanted product on uninterested non-U.S. students. 

The MBA program also showed a multi-year steep decline. It had traditionally been an in-person general curriculum degree that attracted students well through the mid-2010s before numbers began to erode. We could no longer keep up with the more flexible and detailed competitors coming into play in our market. In 2022, we expanded our online presence, adjusted pricing to be competitive, and expanded the program to include six tracks. This caught the attention of both prospective students in the market as well as potential corporate partners in the Oklahoma City area. Consequently, total MBA enrollment grew by more than 100 students between 2022 and 2023. 

While many institutions in recent years have seen a decline in their core colleges of Arts and Sciences, OCU saw a more than 200-student increase in this college between 2021 and 2023. For a school our size, that is significant. This was all about programming, from the onboarding of a health care doctorate degree to a revamped, STEM-based graduate program to Game Design and Animation studies attracting more traditional students. 

When I started at OCU in 2012, our School of Nursing was a powerhouse. There was no greater academic revenue generator on campus, not even our law school. While the school continued to maintain an outstanding reputation in our region, enrollment began to fade shortly before the onset of the pandemic and most especially immediately after. The learning preferences of our potential market began to change. We suddenly had a new generation of prospects not only comfortable with virtual learning but several who wanted to learn quickly. 

OCU took action. First, programs designed for students who already held a Registered Nursing license were moved completely online, saving headcounts in these areas. Also, an accelerated and market-affordable version of the on-campus BSN program for students new to the nursing profession was implemented. This became so successful that in the second semester, August 2024 cohort, there was so much interest that a waitlist had to be implemented. 

For many years, the Performing Arts programs have been the hallmark of traditional undergraduate study at OCU. During the decade of enrollment decline, these programs remained relatively stable until the pandemic. Then, numbers dropped to an unusual low in 2021. Instead of simply blaming the pandemic, our academic leaders took proactive steps to listen to the market and adapt accordingly. Options to audition virtually were permanently implemented. Timelines of auditions were moved up to catch the market earlier. Even a few long-standing but respected rules for current students were adjusted, reflecting methods that were successful in the past but no longer embraced in the current market. With all these adjustments, not only did the performing arts recover from the 2021 low, but the 2024 numbers are even stronger than immediately pre-pandemic. 

THE CONCLUSION

Another lesson I learned on this journey is that headcount recovery does not equate to immediate budget recovery. A prolonged enrollment decline is accompanied by a long-term budget decline that won’t fix itself overnight. As enrollment managers, we get the first taste of victory—one of the perks of the job—through initial headcount growth. However, the positive momentum from this growth is felt more universally two to three years later, when we begin to see the first signs of budget recovery. 

The last few years at my institution have been a gift I would never have expected to receive. I have been able to witness what happens when people work in their own lanes, maximizing their efforts in these individual areas and bringing the whole university forward piece by piece. I have seen plans on paper materialize and a ship turn to go in the right direction. I have had a role in modernizing a product designed for the 21^st-century learner. 

I wish this same opportunity for every enrollment manager reading this. You have earned it. 

About the Author

Kevin Windholz, MLS, has spent over 20 years working in the higher education sector and currently serves as the Vice President for Enrollment Management at Oklahoma City University, a role he has held since 2012. He has led domestic and international admissions, financial aid, student accounts, and university marketing and communications. Among his proudest achievements in this role have been discount rate management and developing a system to accurately predict net tuition revenue to be generated from future enrollment. Windholz has been a regular presenter at the American Association for Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) SEM Conferences, as well as several other prestigious conferences. His work has also been published in the AACRAO Strategic Management Quarterly Journal. 

Admissions Counselors vs. Territory Managers

Admissions Counselors vs. Territory Managers

Many admissions directors push themselves to identify the records their team should be reaching out to. While this can be effective for young staff it can result in more turnover, as staff get bored by just doing what is assigned to them. Additionally, it can limit creativity and put more on the shoulders of a director who is often already pulled in too many directions. To overcome this, admissions directors should look for ways to turn their admissions counselors into territory managers.

THE DIFFERENCE

What is the difference between an admissions counselor and a territory manager? An admissions counselor follows through with the lists and tasks they are provided. A territory manager is actively evaluating their data to identify new opportunities. They complete the lists and tasks provided, but seek new opportunities. They are strategic in their travel and outreach and bring new initiatives to their supervisor. They are your future leaders.

HOW CAN YOU ELEVATE YOUR ADMISSIONS COUNSELORS TO TERRITORY MANAGERS?

Provide Them Access to the Data They Need

If you are using Slate, the proper access to data includes reports, queries, and Voyager. Encourage them and teach them how to understand the data available to them. Ask what else they could be doing in their territory when they have downtime between already provided lists. Are there specific markets they could be targeting? Consider records with similar interests like records coming from certain geographical areas or other data associated with their records that might require a specific message.

Ensure your CRM is set up to make it as easy as possible for team members to pull queries and manipulate them to pull the data they need. In Slate, this may mean adding default queries and creating exports and filters in your query library that your team can use. Create documentation and provide training to help your team learn how to get the data they need.

Give Them a Budget for New Initiatives

You have an army of people working for you. Encourage them to understand their territory and identify new events, local spots they could grab donuts for the school, or even a gift idea for a specific population. Your “records” will feel loved and your territory manager will feel empowered! (Note that I said records, because gifts and outreach may also be helpful to influencers such as parents, guidance counselors, and CBO leaders.)

Provide Clear & Trackable Metrics with Calls to Action

Review which initiatives have worked in the past for you and your team. As you are putting together your metrics, be sure to include what calls to action are effective. If your purpose is relationship building, what helps you get there? If your purpose is getting your prospective students to take the next step, how might you phrase prompts? Dive into your data to discover what works and teach your team to do the same within their territory. You may notice differences in what’s effective based on the region, type of record, or other demographic data.

Use this data to create a process for adding specific interactions in your CRM to track these types of interactions. In Slate, this could mean that if visit or meeting pushes are impactful, you might have an interaction just for a “Visit Push Phone Call.” A better idea would be to use the Phone Call to Student Interaction with a pre-planned subject line of “Visit Push” to later pull and track the data.

CONCLUSION: TEACH, TEACH, TEACH

As you probably noticed from above, the idea of teaching your team methods that incite action and aid matriculation and how to analyze data is the key to helping them really understand what it means to be territory managers. While your one-on-ones will transition to individual tutoring sessions, it gives the team ownership of their territories. They will be prouder of the work they do. It will create synergy as new ideas that work (and some that don’t) emerge. It will energize your staff, help them become territory managers, and provide the extra lift that your office needs.

Graduate Program Recruitment: Beyond the Undergraduate Playbook

Graduate Program Recruitment: Beyond the Undergraduate Playbook

Here’s the reality: graduate program recruitment requires a completely different playbook than undergraduate recruitment. Undergraduate students are looking for the fun, on-campus experience with making new friends, lasting memories, and grand adventures. Graduate students are often career-oriented adults. Some are right out of their undergraduate program, some may have young families, and some may not have been in school for a very long time.

The strategies that fill your undergraduate programs will frustrate your graduate prospects and waste your recruitment budget. Here’s what actually works.

KNOW YOUR MARKET

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 52.8 million Americans hold bachelor’s degrees, but only 24.1 million have master’s degrees¹. That 28.7-million-person gap represents your market opportunity, but only if you understand why it exists.

Graduate prospects aren’t delaying enrollment because they’re unsure about their major. They’re weighing ROI against time commitment, current salary against future earning potential, and family obligations against career advancement. Your recruitment messaging needs to address these specific decision factors, not generic educational benefits.

ENGAGE WITH STUDENTS

Your graduate prospects span different generations with distinct communication preferences:

Generation X and older Millennials don’t mind minimal in-person contact, while some others demand it. Generation Z leans toward digital-first interactions and prefer to avoid in-person conversations.

The mistake many enrollment teams make is choosing one approach instead of reading their audience. Face-to-face conversation builds trust faster than any other method. You can read body language, adjust your approach in real time, and address concerns as they arise. But you need multiple touchpoints to reach different prospect segments effectively.

LEAD WITH EXPERIENCE

Your most effective recruitment tool is the authentic communication from someone who’s been through the experience. When you share your own graduate school journey it puts a student at ease and can give them a boost of confidence. Just being yourself and talking to people is the best approach. Yes, our goal as recruiters is to get applicants, but being relatable and helping students to feel comfortable will make a much better lasting impression of your school.

FOCUS ON CAREER OUTCOMES

Graduate students care about one thing above all: will this program help them achieve their career goals? Research shows that graduate degree holders earn significantly more than those with only bachelor’s degrees², but your prospects want specifics.

Lead with career outcomes: job placement rates, salary improvements, career advancement stories. Show prospects how your program connects to their specific goals, not just general professional development.

Your recruitment conversations should reflect this outcome focus. Instead of highlighting program features, demonstrate program value through alumni success stories and employer partnerships.

BENEFITS OF ONLINE PROGRAMS

Online program flexibility matters to working adults, but don’t oversell the convenience factor. According to Forbes, remote learning benefits include flexible scheduling, self-paced learning, and location independence³. But your prospects also know online programs require discipline and time management.

Be honest about what online learning requires while highlighting its benefits: coursework completion around work schedules, no commute time, and the ability to continue working full-time. Address the reality that online programs still have deadlines and requirements. This helps prospects self-select based on their readiness.

BE PREPARED TO DISCUSS TUITION

A high concern from potential students is often the tuition. Many have undergraduate loans that need repayment and most do not want to take out additional loans for yet another program. However, an important factor to remind these students is that most graduate programs finish in 1 to 2 years, not 4. The shorter loan repayment period often surprises prospects who assume graduate school means 4 more years of debt. Graduate programs can be taken at a fast pace, and most will be continued enrollment year-round. This allows the program to be completed quickly—a great point to remind potential students.  

Another factor to engage in the conversation is that many companies offer reimbursement programs⁴. Train your team to help prospects research their current employer’s policies and navigate the application process. This turns a cost barrier into a strategic career move.

You can also discuss graduate assistantship positions. These part-time jobs typically grant compensation in the form of a stipend for living expenses and a tuition waiver. Indeed provides a great in-depth explanation of this along with what a graduate assistant may do, benefits received, skills developed, networking, and more.

ENGAGING FACULTY

Your faculty members are your most underutilized recruitment resource. They can answer program-specific questions that admissions staff simply can’t address with the same authority.

Virtual Faculty Connections

Set up video sessions between your faculty and students at institutions without your program. For example, if you’re recruiting for a Master’s of Social Work (MSW) program at schools that only offer Bachelor’s of Social Work (BSW) degrees, have your faculty connect directly with those students to discuss career pathways and program expectations.

Workshop-Style Engagement

Host virtual workshops where multiple faculty members present their programs and answer questions. This approach scales your faculty’s time while giving prospects deeper program insight than any brochure can provide.

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

Your most productive recruitment conversations will happen with your current undergraduate students. They already know your institution and trust your brand. But don’t limit yourself to campus visits and recruitment fairs.

Digital marketing allows precise audience targeting and cost-effective reach⁵. Focus on platforms where your prospects spend time professionally: LinkedIn for career-focused content, Google Ads for search-driven discovery, and email campaigns for ongoing nurture.

The key is integrating these channels rather than treating them as separate tactics. Your digital presence should drive meaningful conversations, not replace them.

THE BOTTOM LINE

People always have reasons for not wanting to pursue something new. Maybe there isn’t enough time, or they’re lacking focus and energy. Perhaps they don’t have the financial resources or dedication, or they’re simply juggling too many other important responsibilities.

Graduate programs offer students access to the latest developments on critical issues that shape our world: global climate change, public health concerns, ongoing conflicts, economic challenges, and the expanding role of artificial intelligence in our daily lives. These developments are actively reshaping the American workforce, and students who earn graduate degrees are better prepared to navigate these changes and address emerging concerns. Ultimately, they become more effective leaders who can guide our nation’s future.

U.S. Census Bureau, Educational Attainment in the United States: 2022 (https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2022/educational-attainment.html)

U.S. News & World Report, MBA, Promotion: How a B-School Degree Can Help You Advance (https://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools/articles/mba-promotion-how-a-b-school-degree-can-help-you-advance)

Forbes, 3 Benefits of Remote Learning for Every Generation (https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesbusinesscouncil/2022/10/14/3-benefits-of-remote-learning-for-every-generation/) 

Best Colleges, Tuition Reimbursement and Assistance Programs (https://www.bestcolleges.com/resources/tuition-reimbursement-assistance/)

Higher Education Marketing Solutions, Get Results in 2025: Key Education Marketing Strategies for Success (https://www.higher-education-marketing.com/blog/get-results-in-2025-key-education-marketing-strategies-for-success)