The agenda of the December 2 meeting of the Enrollment and Admissions Committee focused primarily on two items: an update from Maria Laskaris ’84, dean of admissions and financial aid; and a committee project aimed at using alumni constituents to enhanceyield.
Dean Laskaris gave an update on Dartmouth’s early-decision pool, which continues to grow, with a 26-percent increase from the class of ’12 to the class of ’16. She also shared data regarding Dartmouth’s overlap institutions, which are increasingly national research universities as opposed to liberal arts colleges. Word clouds from the admitted student questionnaire were also shared, leading to a discussion of how applicants perceive Dartmouth and make decisions when accepted. Dean Laskaris also led a conversation re-capping the strategic plan discussion of the previous evening and how it connects with admissions.
Of particular interest to the committee was how the group could improve yield on admitted students. Members of the committee realized that significantly impacting the number of students we lose to our strongest competitors would be challenging, but a small, targeted pilot program could be effective. Some committee members who serve as district enrollment directors (DEDs) for alumni interviewing noted that this project would need to come from a distinct alumni group other than DEDs, given the interviewing demands on DEDs. An agreement was made to utilize committee members to reach out to targeted groups of admitted students. Communication from alumni does not simply need to be based on location, but also by constituency, interests, careers, etc. For the pilot program, the committee will focus on students who receive a likely letter, a yield communication that acknowledges prior to our notification date that Dartmouth is highly interested in the student. Committee Chair Tee Lotson ’82 will work with Joe Riley ’85 and Colleen Wearn ’06 to plan the next steps. Dan Parish ’89 and Isabel Bober ’04 will be the contacts in the admission office, and can provide student contact information beginning in mid-February.