Estimate Next Year's Enrollment - NOW!

     I'm usually not one to push...I prefer to "strongly suggest."  But in light of economic conditions today, this is something that will not cost you anything, and help to prepare you for what you need for next year - students.

     To continue my propensity to compare Catholic schools to the automobile buying process, USA Today's headlines tell that car dealers are closing their doors at an alarming rate.  Of the nearly 20,000 new car dealers across the country, 600 of them have recently closed their doors - 61 in one weekend.  It's predicted that at least 2,000 more will follow suit in the next few months.  To make matters worse, GMAC is requiring buyers to have a credit score of at least 700 if they want to have a shot at new car financing of any kind.

     As people struggle to get through the difficult times, consider your school's tuition picture.  Are parents paying on time?  If not, NOW is the time to do something about it - perhaps by enlisting a Tuition Management Company like FACTS.

     But where most places tend to "pull back" in difficult economic times, we need to push forward.  We need to fill our classrooms with students, since doing so spreads the tuition burden out over more people.  If you have 10 students in a classroom with a teacher, there's room for 19 more - and you can charge less per pupil.

     Still just "hoping" to increase your enrollment?  Use SchoolAdvancement's Enrollment Estimator to see how many students you can expect to enroll based on previous years, and plan a target in order to increase your enrollment.  All you need to do is click this link in order to register for a password to unlock the tool for your school.  The sooner you start your enrollment efforts, the better you'll insulate your school against potential difficulties.

     When's the best time to start?  As the African proverb says, "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago...the second best time is now."

© Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement, 2008 (Original Publication Date: 20081020)

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