Many nontraditional students specifically enroll in online degree programs for the scheduling flexibility they afford, given that these students are often balancing work, family, and other obligations. Nevertheless, obligations beyond the classroom are often prioritized when compared to traditional students. Lack of resources and a general…

In this article, Staci Phelan interviews the following enrollment management team members from Idaho State University: James Martin, Director of Financial; Debbie Green, Director of Scholarships; Nicole Joseph, Director of Admissions; and Brooke Barber, Director of New Student Orientation. The following questions are addressed in this interview:…

For many higher education institutions, certifying degree completion is both challenging and time consuming. Depending on the size of the institution, graduation processing can take multiple staff days to complete. In an age of limited staffing, registrars must leverage technology to handle these increasing workloads. Such was the case with a…

As the Millennial generation matures and commentary about it fades from public discussion, a new generation of students is taking center stage on campuses: Generation Z. Sometimes referred to as iGen, Centennials, or the Recession Generation, this new generation has officially been named Generation Z (or Gen Z) by the Pew Research Center (Dimock…

The rapidly changing higher education landscape offers transfer students more choices for achieving their educational goals. In order to be competitive in this environment, four-year institutions must be prepared to respond to the needs of transfer students (Montgomery 2015). In the Online and Professional Studies Division (OPS) of California…

In their goal to reverse decreases in student enrollment, many U.S. higher education institutions lower, subsidize, or discount tuition. Some invest vast amounts of talent and money in revamping their branding and marketing or building new student centers, recreational facilities, and more. They compete with one another by employing increased…

Professional development is important to any organization, and sometimes quickly overlooked. The importance of professional development magnifies in institutions of higher education and the AACRAO professions, all of which are in the business of teaching and learning. This article examines how colleges and universities may improve professional…

Servicing online degree-seeking students using a one-stop student service advising model that is both individualized and relevant contributes significantly to students' positive experience with the university and supports overall student success. Through its development of a new advising dimension, the Division of Online and Professional Studies…

In this article, author Wendy Kilgore reports that 2016 was a productive year for AACRAO Research thanks to the active and ongoing participation of the members. Eleven research projects were completed in 2016 including 60-Second surveys and three comprehensive projects. The intent of the 60-Second surveys remains the same since its inception. They…

Going to college is not for everyone, but for those who do choose to enroll, the education received should be framed within a system that values students and deliberately seeks to be of the highest quality. Educators must recognize the ubiquitous nature of technology and the advantages it offers for learning. Providing financial support for…

Using a quantitative survey method with an online questionnaire as the data collection tool, the author surveyed 189 social media managers working at American Higher Education institutions to identify forms of social media in use, along with the most popular strategies that colleges and universities use with Facebook.

In a relatively short time, technology applications have become an essential feature of the admissions business. They make the jobs of international admissions professionals easier in many ways, allowing for more robust communication with applicants and counselors, a streamlined application process, and quicker access to information about…

Significant responsibility for the transition from paper to online can be traced to the college admissions office. By instituting online applications, admissions offices fundamentally altered the way in which college admissions works. Always on the forefront of developing and implementing new technology for the benefit of faculty and students,…

The stone age of college and university admissions was characterized by paper, snail mail, large file rooms, and cumbersome admission processes. Even more frightening to recall is that only fourteen short years ago, approximately 36,000 applications for admission to Michigan State University arrived hand printed on paper in sealed envelopes. Mere…

Mobile technology is one of several currents that upset the relatively placid world of admitting, enrolling, advising, serving, and graduating students. The authors have been involved with technology since they began in the profession. Technology is not really new to them. But with mobile technology, "so much" is new--indeed, foreign--to many…