The Cards Stack Up Against Us
This week I had an interesting chat with some of our "Admission Reps" that are responsible for soliciting the enrollment for our various curricular offerings. As we chatted away we found agreement that there was an inherent conflict between education (offering courses for the betterment of the individuals enrolling at our school) and using "sales quotas" for admissions. In fact, I learned from this discussion that several reps are on the hotseat this month because their particular numbers for various curricular offerings are down.
Now it is not the case that these reps have not made an effort to recruit and enroll students. It is often the case that their particular number of enrollees exceed the required quota in the overall sense, but not in particular programs. For instance, one rep shared that her numbers were high for the Medical Assisting program and other Allied Health offerings, but down for the technical offerings (PC Repair, Network Administration, etc.). She indicated that she was on the verge of being fired if the numbers for other programs do not rise.
As our conversation continued I learned that several students enroll but fail to pass the requirments for financial aid. Now our Financial Aid Department is run by a very competent individual (at least that is my take on the matter). She will not violate federal or state law to get a student enrolled, but she does everything that can be done for every student that comes through her door. But, despite her efforts, there are rules and sometimes the rules call for a student to pay out of pocket. Our programs are expensive. Our students, on the whole, are lower income people seeking a way to improve their lot in life. These two parameters do not coincide in such a manner as to create a means for paying out of pocket.
The fact that these students do not pass the financial aid certifcation is counted against the admissions (sales) rep that enrolled them in the first place. There is nothing within the scope of practice of the admissions rep that would allow them to change that potential student's status. It seems unfair that this is used to evaluate the rep's performance when there is nothing that can be done to change the issue.
Then I learned that the admission reps get a bonus of $15.00 whenever a student graduates from a program. In my mind it is the hard work of the faculty that gets these students through the program. It is the faculty that spends hours working with students that are enrolled without the ability to communicate effectely in English. It is the faculty that spend time and energy getting students prepared to learn, focused to learn, and learning. Somehow I think the folks at corporate don't seem to understand that it is the faculty that get the students to the procession line at graduation.
Now, faculty members have a bonus program. Not a single faculty member is sure of how it works, but we know that if a student sits in our classroom for 1 day or more, and then decides that the program is not for them--for whatever reason--then the bonus is lost. Now we have a lot of single mothers enrolled in our programs. Many do not have reliable transportation resources. Some are so poor that they are living hand-to-fist, and many times the hand and fist are empty. We have had students quit because their children are ill and their efforts to manage school, work and the medical needs of their family collapse upon them.
There is an inherent unfairness in the operation and conduct of proprietary career schools. The cost is outrageous and the quality is completely dependent upon the faculty member in the classroom. There are no appropriate accreditation standards or agencies. Students are told that the credits from our programs MIGHT transfer to other schools, but I have yet to find a local school that accepts our credits. Then, too, we advertise that we accept credit from other schools and allow testing out of our courses, but the practice is strongly discouraged.
I walk into my classroom with the message that success is a product of attitude, persistence and perspiration. I believe that message is true. However, I also recognize that the cards are stacked against the proposition.
Now it is not the case that these reps have not made an effort to recruit and enroll students. It is often the case that their particular number of enrollees exceed the required quota in the overall sense, but not in particular programs. For instance, one rep shared that her numbers were high for the Medical Assisting program and other Allied Health offerings, but down for the technical offerings (PC Repair, Network Administration, etc.). She indicated that she was on the verge of being fired if the numbers for other programs do not rise.
As our conversation continued I learned that several students enroll but fail to pass the requirments for financial aid. Now our Financial Aid Department is run by a very competent individual (at least that is my take on the matter). She will not violate federal or state law to get a student enrolled, but she does everything that can be done for every student that comes through her door. But, despite her efforts, there are rules and sometimes the rules call for a student to pay out of pocket. Our programs are expensive. Our students, on the whole, are lower income people seeking a way to improve their lot in life. These two parameters do not coincide in such a manner as to create a means for paying out of pocket.
The fact that these students do not pass the financial aid certifcation is counted against the admissions (sales) rep that enrolled them in the first place. There is nothing within the scope of practice of the admissions rep that would allow them to change that potential student's status. It seems unfair that this is used to evaluate the rep's performance when there is nothing that can be done to change the issue.
Then I learned that the admission reps get a bonus of $15.00 whenever a student graduates from a program. In my mind it is the hard work of the faculty that gets these students through the program. It is the faculty that spends hours working with students that are enrolled without the ability to communicate effectely in English. It is the faculty that spend time and energy getting students prepared to learn, focused to learn, and learning. Somehow I think the folks at corporate don't seem to understand that it is the faculty that get the students to the procession line at graduation.
Now, faculty members have a bonus program. Not a single faculty member is sure of how it works, but we know that if a student sits in our classroom for 1 day or more, and then decides that the program is not for them--for whatever reason--then the bonus is lost. Now we have a lot of single mothers enrolled in our programs. Many do not have reliable transportation resources. Some are so poor that they are living hand-to-fist, and many times the hand and fist are empty. We have had students quit because their children are ill and their efforts to manage school, work and the medical needs of their family collapse upon them.
There is an inherent unfairness in the operation and conduct of proprietary career schools. The cost is outrageous and the quality is completely dependent upon the faculty member in the classroom. There are no appropriate accreditation standards or agencies. Students are told that the credits from our programs MIGHT transfer to other schools, but I have yet to find a local school that accepts our credits. Then, too, we advertise that we accept credit from other schools and allow testing out of our courses, but the practice is strongly discouraged.
I walk into my classroom with the message that success is a product of attitude, persistence and perspiration. I believe that message is true. However, I also recognize that the cards are stacked against the proposition.
posted by Jim Downey at 8:23 PM
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