After years of stagnant or declining enrollment, Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) is in its second year of enrollment growth due to an ongoing partnership with the student enrollment and success coaching company InsideTrack.
Building on a 72 percent increase in student enrollment last year, this year’s enrollment increase of 20 percent stems from the historically Black university and InsideTrack’s efforts to engage with students from the point that they establish an interest in the university to the time that they make it to campus and beyond. In addition to helping coach students, the company also works with ECSU leaders and staff to help them understand students’ decision-making behavior and communication preferences, officials said.
“When a school is coming to us, they’re looking at a way of differentiating themselves from the competition of the schools in the area, as well as getting insights and making sure that students aren’t getting lost in the process of enrollment,” said Jess Hector, associate vice president of client partnerships at InsideTrack. “There are lots of steps that have to be [covered] whether it’s related to enrollment or verification for FAFSA, making sure that that FAFSA is completed — sometimes there’s back and forth between parents and students and the school.”
InsideTrack and ECSU have been partnering for enrollment and student success coaching since February 2017. After a four to six week implementation period, outreach and coaching focused on prospective students with incomplete applications, those with deferred applications and students who were admitted to the university, Hector said.
Coaches work with students to identify degree programs that match their academic and career interests. They also help students identify support or academic resources on campus, navigate steps in the enrollment process on securing financial aid or housing in a timely manner and get students excited about available student experiences so that they have a “strong start” once they get to campus.
Student success organizations have advocated for more comprehensive student onboarding experiences to ensure they understand the connections between their academics and career pursuits and interests.
Student-coach interactions revolve around InsideTrack’s themes of knowledge, skills, attitude and belief.
