June 10, 2019

Enrollment
Management
Plan
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
 CALL TO ACTION

2017-2023 Strategic Plan

The strategic plan calls for an enrollment plan and institutional marketing
plan in Years One and Two, respectively.

Conduct a demographic analysis to ascertain pertinent data for an

enrollment plan; translate the demographic data, enrollment histories, enrollment
trends, comparative tuition levels, factors in the local/regional/national economy, and
other pertinent data into an enrollment plan.

Create an institutional marketing plan equally applicable in enrollment

management and advancement/donor cultivation settings; consider inclusion of themes
that would address NDPMA features other than the strictly academic: e.g., performing
and visual arts, faith-based development, and athletics.

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 FACTORS IN ENROLLMENT

There’s No Root Cause

“Don’t assume your enrollment decline is solely the result of new sources of
K–12 competition. The real problem may be:

• confusion about your marketplace stance or mission;

• a challenged value proposition;
• a loss or decline in local area economic engines;
• a school culture that is low on predictability and supportiveness;
or
• a constituent relations culture that has failed to fulfill its customer
care expectations.”

Independent Schools Management, What to Do-and What Not to Do-in

an Era of Soft, Flat, or Declining Enrollment, Nov. 2018.
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 ANALYSIS

Enrollment Trending Downward

ISM Report, Fall 2018.

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 REPORTING AND GOALS

Measure What Matters Most

Use standardized report to track enrollment. See report.

Set measurable goals for new student recruitment and re-enrollment,

by division, to inform a revised strategic financial plan.

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 NEW STUDENT RECRUITMENT

Key Strategies
Adopt a constituent marketing model.

1. Identify most likely families to attend Notre Dame using demographic

study. MARKET POSITION 6

2. Determine factors families use when choosing a Catholic, independent

or competitive public school. MESSAGING 4, 5
3. Demonstrate relevance to what those families are looking for.
4. Develop messages and creative for both parents and children. MESSAGING 2

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Target Zone

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 NEW STUDENT RECRUITMENT

Key Strategies
Adopt a constituent marketing model.

1. Identify most likely families to attend Notre Dame using demographic

study. MARKET POSITION 6
2. Determine factors families use when choosing a Catholic, independent or
competitive public school. MESSAGING 4, 5
3. Demonstrate relevance to what those families are looking for.
4. Develop messages and creative for both parents and children. MESSAGING 2

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Listen to What They’re Looking For
NDPMA parents rated their Top 5 aspects:
1. school safety and security
2. campus setting/grounds
3. graduate placement record
4. reputation
5. campus facilities.

ISM Parent Survey, Fall 2018.

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Speak to Their Interests
Decision-making Factors among Prospect Parents during Admissions Process
LOWER SCHOOL MIDDLE SCHOOL NOTRE DAME PREP
Culture/”Fit” Most Important Most Important Important
Academics Important Very Important Most Important
Safety Very Important Very Important Very Important
Extracurricular Not a factor Somewhat Important Important
Religious Education Important Important Important
Financial Aid Not a factor Important Important
Athletics Not a factor Somewhat Important Very Important
Facilities Not a factor Important Very Important

As told by admissions team.

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 NEW STUDENT RECRUITMENT

Key Strategies
Adopt a constituent marketing model.

1. Identify most likely families to attend Notre Dame using demographic

study. MARKET POSITION 6
2. Determine factors families use when choosing a Catholic, independent
or competitive public school. MESSAGING 4, 5
3. Demonstrate relevance to what those families are looking for.
4. Develop messages and creative for both parents and children. MESSAGING 2

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 NEW STUDENT RECRUITMENT

Key Strategies
Adopt a constituent marketing model.

1. Identify most likely families to attend Notre Dame using demographic

study. MARKET POSITION 6
2. Determine factors families use when choosing a Catholic, independent
or competitive public school. MESSAGING 4, 5
3. Demonstrate relevance to what those families are looking for.
4. Develop messages and creative for both parents and children. MESSAGING 2

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Appeal to Students and Parents both
NDPMA’s marketing efforts appear focused on the recruitment of Upper
Division students but are targeted to adults. Specifically, the methods,
copy, styles, and photos used are more likely to appeal to Baby Boomers
(1946-1964) than they are to Gen Z (1995-2015).

70% of parents told us their child(ren) had at least equal

influence in deciding to where to attend school. Eighty-percent
(79.7%) of students in grades 5-12 stated the same.

Excerpted from ISM report and analysis of parent surveys, Fall 2018.

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 NEW STUDENT RECRUITMENT

Position us squarely in the Catholic school marketplace.

5. Maximize our brand by referring to each “division” as Notre Dame

Lower School, Notre Dame Middle School, and Notre Dame
Preparatory School.
6. Use Portrait of the Graduate to tell consistent stories about faith,
virtues, and learning—and fun! MESSAGING 6, 7
7. Address misperceptions about Catholic school—cost, academics, and
diversity. MARKET POSITION 8,9,10,11

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 NEW STUDENT RECRUITMENT

Position us squarely in the Catholic school marketplace.

5. Maximize our brand by referring to each “division” as Notre Dame

Lower School, Notre Dame Middle School, and Notre Dame
Preparatory School.
6. Use Portrait of the Graduate to tell consistent stories about faith,
virtues, and learning—and fun! MESSAGING 6, 7

7. Address misperceptions about Catholic school—cost, academics, and

diversity. MARKET POSITION 8,9,10,11

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Our Mission

“The duty of teachers toward students in school is threefold, namely:

above all else to train them to be faithful and active disciples of Christ;
to instruct them in all virtues so that they may grow to be upright
and decent citizens, profitable to society; and lastly,
to teach them letters and various branches of knowledge.”

–– Fr. Jean-Claude Colin, s.m.

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Portrait of the Graduate
With God, we form … Who …

Christian People Follow Jesus

… through prayer and action.

Upright Citizens Serve Others

… as leaders in the community.

Academic Scholars Seek Wisdom

… by embracing challenges for
intellectual growth.

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 NEW STUDENT RECRUITMENT

Position us squarely in the Catholic school marketplace.

5. Maximize our brand by referring to each “division” as Notre Dame

Lower School, Notre Dame Middle School, and Notre Dame
Preparatory School.
6. Use Portrait of the Graduate to tell consistent stories about faith,
virtues, and learning—and fun! MESSAGING 6, 7
7. Address misperceptions about Catholic school—cost, academics, and
diversity. MARKET POSITION 8,9,10,11

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Public Perceptions of Catholic Education
Catholic schools are viewed positively by most
parents but are not considered the right option for
their child.

Cost and misperceptions about what

Catholic schools offer are key barriers to
enrollment.

Parents believe that Catholic schools place a

greater emphasis on religious instruction
than high-quality academics.

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 Public Perceptions of Catholic Education

Academics and Diversity

Most parents believe Catholic schools lack a
strong, well-rounded academic curriculum
(one that puts an emphasis on science and
technology) as well as a diverse learning
environment—the same two elements parents
believe are most important for their child’s ability
to thrive and be successful in a global society.

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 Public Perceptions of Catholic Education

Tuition

Concerns about the affordability of Catholic

schools are prevalent. The affordability issue
is compounded by a lack of awareness of
tuition assistance programs nationwide.

When parents are made aware of tuition assistance

programs, they become significantly more willing
to consider a Catholic school for their child.

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 Public Perceptions of Catholic Education

Religious Instruction
A focus on religious instruction alone in external
communications and marketing materials will not
increase enrollment in Catholic schools. While
parents value the intrinsic benefits of children
learning about their faith, this is not considered a
top priority for their child’s K-12 education today.

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 NEW STUDENT RECRUITMENT

Harness word-of-mouth marketing.

8. Identify and mobilize volunteer Parent Ambassadors to feeder schools

and parishes in target market.
9. Provide Parent Ambassadors and current parents with social media
posts to increase our reach into their social and professional networks.

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 NEW STUDENT RECRUITMENT

Invest in digital marketing and communications.

10. Launch new NDPMA website in fall 2019.

11. Replace admissions database with new Blackbaud CRM.
12. Replace bi-monthly Blarney Stone publication with weekly e-newsletter
for current parents—one for each school.
13. Shift ratio of print to digital recruitment campaigns to 60/40 at
households in target market.

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 NEW STUDENT RECRUITMENT

Re-imagine Open Houses, shadow visits, and events.

14. Hold open house for NDP on October 20 to coincide with feeder
school schedules—with new format that showcases “the best of
Notre Dame” instead of “everything we have to offer.”
15. Create a dedicated event for the lower school during Catholic
Schools Week on January 26, 2020 because younger families begin
looking for elementary schools later in the school year.
16. Invite middle and high school shadow students on Tuesdays and
Fridays—and lower school students on pre-determined days—to
improve efficiency and create more time/opportunities to recruit
outside the school.
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 RE-ENROLLMENT

Increase value proposition for current parents.

17. Rolled out continuous enrollment policy in 2018-2019.

18. Hire a Communications Director after hiring freeze tasked with
improving parent satisfaction measured by ISM’s Net Promoter Score
(currently “good” lagging “excellent” and “best in class” ratings).
19. Adjust financial aid model to prioritize meeting demonstrated
financial need rather than tuition discounts.

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