How to best connect with prospective students

Writing for Inside Higher Ed, Catherine Sloan of InsideTrack, a student-coaching service, says "the key to turning prospective students into enrolled students is to form early and meaningful connections with students that let them know you have their best outcomes in mind, and are working to help them get off to a strong start in college that will lead to long-term success and satisfaction." Sloan offers some best practices and bits of conventional wisdom that are easily overlooked or forgotten: leverage the student's own momentum; engage early applicants before winter break; understand that students really are busy; be "decidedly non-parental" but respect the parental units; realize students are probably only going to get busier as the year progresses; strong customer service, starting immediately, is critical; treat students like adults; assume nothing; uncover major obstacles early and get a plan in place to overcome them; understand the student's unique objectives; recognize the potential for "à la carte" education, understand the student's underlying motivation; and articulate value in a way that makes sense to students. Inside Higher Ed