The Magic Mix: How People, Programs, Data and
Technology Helped the University of South Carolina
Achieve Enrollment Success
AACRAO Strategic Enrollment Management Conference
November 6, 2012
Scott Verzyl
Kip Howard
Dr. Mary Wagner
Elizabeth Orehovec
About the University of South Carolina
 Flagship campus founded in 1801
 Located in the state capital – Columbia, SC
 Carnegie Foundation’s highest research designation
 Multi-campus system with decentralized administrative offices
 Total Columbia enrollment: 30,721
 Residency ratio: 65% in-state/35% out-of-state
Where We Were in 2004: Enrollment Management
 Kip Howard hired as Assistant Vice Provost for Enrollment Management
 Scott Verzyl hired as Director of Undergraduate Admissions
Undergraduate Admissions
Career Center
Student Financial Aid and Scholarships
Veterans Services
International Programs for Students
Visitor Center
Orientation and Testing
The mission of the department is to plan, implement and evaluate programs and
services which support student enrollment and success at the University of South
Carolina -Columbia. The department will also assume a campus-wide leadership
role in enrollment related matters.
Where We Were in 2004: Guiding Principles
 Supporting the mission and vision of USC
 Providing programs and services which strive for excellence in content and
delivery
 Recognizing and valuing the importance of communication, collaboration and
coordination within the department and with all university constituents
 Acquiring and maintaining professional expertise within each unit and sharing
this expertise with the university community
 Educating the university about enrollment management issues and their
relevance to student achievement
 Maintaining the highest standards of ethical conduct as defined by the
university and departmental professional associations.
Where We Were in 2004: 5-Year Enrollment Goals
 Increase overall undergraduate enrollment by 75 students per year
 Increase freshman class size by a total of 50 new students per year
 Increase the number of African American freshman by 15 students per year
 Increase the inner quartile SAT ranking of new freshmen incrementally by a
combined total of 60 points
 Develop a special residential program for high-ability students below Honors
College level, beginning at 300 new students and increasing to 425 by 2010
 Increase four year graduation rate from 39.8% to 47%
 Increase six year graduation rate from 63.6% to 67%
Eight Years Later, We Have Exceeded Enrollment Goals
Undergraduate Enrollment
23,500*
22,556
21,383
20,494
19,765
18,362
18,648
18,827
2006
2007
17,689
2004
2005
2008
2009
2010
2011
* tentative until final data is released
2012
Eight Years Later, We Have Exceeded Enrollment Goals
Freshmen Enrollment
4569
4562
2011
2012
4403
3803
3659
3644
3655
2005
2006
2007
3867
3356
2004
2008
2009
2010
Eight Years Later, We Have Exceeded Enrollment Goals
Average SAT
1198
1194
1192
1189
1187
1184
1201
1184
1179
1174
1171
1164
1169
1164
1159
1154
1149
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Actual Avg. SAT
2009
Avg. SAT Goal
2010
2011
2012
Eight Years Later, We Have Exceeded Enrollment Goals
High-Ability Recruitment
608
597
552
487
308
312
265
2004
2005
537
518
2006
288
2007
483
310
2008
Capstone Scholars
481
321
2009
Honors
337
2010
349
2011
349
2012
Eight Years Later, We Have Exceeded Enrollment Goals
Freshman to Sophomore Return Rate
90%
88%
86.9%
86%
87.2%
86.8%
86.7%
85.9%
85.8%
84.9%
84%
84.2%
83.1%
82%
81.7%
80%
80.6%
78%
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Eight Years Later, We Have Exceeded Enrollment Goals
Graduation Rates
75%
70%
65%
66.8%
62.4%
69.0%
70.3%
67.5%
62.8%
60%
55%
51.2%
50%
45%
39.8%
40.2%
2000
2001
44.9%
45.8%
45.7%
2002
2003
2004
53.0%
53.9%
2006
2007
40%
35%
4 Year
6 Year
2005
How We Got Here: Overview
 Organizational Change
 Institutional Support
 Innovative Programmatic Changes
 Enhanced Recruitment and Marketing
 Advancements in Technology and Infrastructure
 Utilization of Data, Market Research, and Measuring ROI
How We Got Here: Organizational Change
2004
2012
Process Oriented
Entrepreneurial Oriented
Centrally Controlled
Collaborative Approach
Staff Turnover
Staff Growth and Advancement
Approximately 35 FTEs
Approximately 75 FTEs
$$
$$$$
How We Got Here: Programmatic Changes/Enhanced Marketing
2005
2006
2007
2008
Enhanced
Communication
Plan
Strategic
Scholarship
Awarding
Modified File
Review
Minority
Recruitment (MOST,
Summer Seniors)
Capstone Scholars
Telecounseling
Early Action
Scholarship Dinners
Increased Out-ofState Recruitment
Improved OnCampus Special
Events
Partnerships with
Academic Units
South Carolina
Bridge Program
(Transfers)
How We Got Here: Programmatic Changes/Enhanced Marketing
2009
2010
2011
2012
GARNET Alumni
Recruitment
Network
Regional
Recruitment
Initiative
Guidance
Counselor Advisory
Board
Residential Bridge
Program
More Effective
Search Strategy
Managing Our Increase
Freshmen Applicants
23,098
20,984
18,212
12,261
Fall 2004
12,887
Fall 2005
13,804
Fall 2006
16,790
17,424
Fall 2008
Fall 2009
14,769
Fall 2007
Fall 2010
Fall 2011
Fall 2012
How We Got Here: Technology and Infrastructure
Hardware
and Software
Upgrades
EMAS – CRM
Mass Email
Ability
100% Online
Applications
Online Status
Check
Document
Imaging
In-House IT
Staff
Banner
Virtual
Advisor
Recruitment
Database
Enhanced
Social Media
Presence
Online Chat
Sessions
Data
Warehouse
Website
Redesign 1.0
Office
Intranet
Website
Redesign 2.0
Utilization of Data, Market Research, and Measuring ROI
 Historical data
 Past enrollment numbers
 Historical SAT/ACT data
 Descriptor Plus – Geodemographic tagging
 Future market outlook
 Predictive modeling
 High school graduation rates
 Population Data
 Competitor analysis
 EPS/EIS
 National Clearinghouse
 Secret shopping
Utilization of Data, Market Research, and Measuring ROI
 Market research projects
 Web survey with juniors and seniors
 Print publication survey and focus groups
 Guidance Counselor survey
 Measuring return on investment
 Event evaluations
 Recruitment travel assessment
 Blueprint for Performance Excellence
Big Picture Analysis
Market Segmentation and Return on Investment
Data-Driven Decision Making
Enrollment Summary: 2004 to 2012
2004
2012
Freshman Applications
12,261
23,098
+ 88%
Freshman Class
3,356
4,562
+ 36%
Undergraduate Enrollment
17,689
23,500
+ 33%
Average SAT
1149
1201
+ 52 points
Freshman Honors Enrollment
265
349
+ 32 %
0
608
First to Second Year Retention Rate
83.1%
86.8%
+ 3.7%
4 - Year Graduation Rate
39.8%
53.9%
+ 14.1%
6 - Year Graduation Rate
63.6%
70.3%
+ 6.7%
Freshman Capstone Enrollment
Change
More Than Just Admissions
 Registrar
 Joined Enrollment Management in 2006
 Policy Review / Probation
 GPS – Graduation Planning Service
 Visitor Center
 Visitor center traffic has doubled
 Personalization of the visit experience
 Career Center
 Student development model
 Focus on internships
 Assessing where our students go after graduation
 Building relationships with companies worldwide
More Than Just Admissions
 Financial Aid
 Manage increased demand while complying with federal mandates
 Leverage scholarships for maximum net tuition revenue
 Focus on Retention
 Hired Director of Retention
 On-going collaboration with academic departments
 Identifying ways to improve student retention and graduation
 Student Success Center
 Collaboration to ensure student success
 Cross-campus advising
 Tutoring, Supplemental Instruction (SI), and academic coaching
Final Thoughts and Questions