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Revamped UM Student Recruitment
- Thread starter PlayerRep
- Start date
wbtfg said:
So each had about a 10% decline? MSU was at 3300+ prior year and UM just over 1k.
BozAngelesGriz
Well-known member
wbtfg said:
That’s abysmal. Can it actually get worse?
wbtfg said:
I found 2 separate articles that had MSU 2019 fall freshman enrollment over 3300 and UM jut over 1K. I was comparing fall freshman enrollment at both campuses from 2019 to 2020. Those numbers represent a 10% decline for each.
wbtfg
Well-known member
HookedonGriz said:
It could be a matter of what data set was reported in the articles. I pulled the 4 year campus numbers directly from the Montana University system dashboard.
Certainly the news articles could have also included the 2-year Gallatin and Missoula colleges.
Edit: gallatin college had a 2019 freshman enrollment of 130 which would have put it over 3300 when combined with the main campus numbers. So that’s probably the discrepancy.
So when looking at only the 4-year freshman enrollment MSU down 3%, UM down 14%.
CatGrad-UMGradStu
Well-known member
This article from the Sac Bee about Sac State's enrollment is kind of a surprise to me. Online coursework at the collegiate level and programmed instruction such as the various Pearson and Acellus platforms at the middle school and secondary levels are bound to speed up the educational process in America.
https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/education/article246269960.html
https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/education/article246269960.html
I wish I had some good news to pass on, but the attached account of my granddaughter's recruitment is not that. It appears nothing has been fixed; they just don't get it. It will be interesting to see whether I even get a response.
Mr. President and Ms. Kreta,
Our live-in granddaughter, Brianna Getz, a senior at Columbus High School, began the process of selecting an undergraduate program this fall. She is interested in Psychology/Counseling and since she is a Griz fan and frequently attends games with us, UM seemed a natural fit. I’m a local GSA member; wife Barbara and I are both alumni, are consistent donors and have had four season football tickets for many years. She is very familiar with the campus and the community that she explores while we are tailgating before games. Her expectations of the visit were to learn more about her programs of interest.
I was very pleased with the changes at the top of UM, recognizing that more than academics would be necessary to reshape the serious decline in enrollment. There were some obvious flaws in UM’s marketing efforts and capabilities, as well as resistance to re-tune offerings to changing workplace demands. A degree today is very costly; it needs to produce opportunity. The value of a UM degree was coming very much into question. So along with satisfaction in the selection of a President with business acumen, I was anticipating change, optimistic that it would be in evidence by now, at least on the front end where it must start. As Barbara, who accompanied Brianna, reports below, at least in this anecdotal case, my expectations have not been realized. We are very disappointed that UM did not show well.
Brianna had her first college visit at the University of Montana on Monday, September 21st, 2020.
We met a lady from the Admissions office for a campus tour. The only building we were able to enter was the bookstore building that we’ve been into many times. There we got information about the various places to eat on campus. We’ve taken Bri to the campus many times over the years as we attend all Griz football games. We were given a little information about dorms, but basically knew the campus pretty well. We also received some information about the admissions process, which Brianna knew already. Bri did get a few handouts in a folder, but no information on her preferred interests and had no meetings with any professors, even remotely.
MSU tour, Tuesday September 22nd, 2020.
Before our tour started, Brianna had two 30 minute Zoom calls; one with a psychology professor and one with a sociology professor. They were quite effective and very helpful for her. We went to the student union building where there was a welcome to campus video with the MSU President welcoming students to campus. The video gave an overview of MSU and the Bozeman area. Very good and useful, since we avoid stopping in Bozeman on our trips to Missoula. Three students took our group of 12 to 15 prospective students and parents around campus. We were able to go into FOUR different buildings to observe classes.
Back at the student union, we saw a slide show about all campus housing by a three-year RA that included different options, costs and things available at each dorm. Very good and informative. The last video we saw was from an admissions person giving lots of information about cost/loans/grants/scholarships. The students were then given a nice water bottle and more handouts for their folders.
MSUB tour Wednesday, September 30th, 2020.
When we entered Admissions, there was a wooden sign and a digital sign welcoming Brianna to the campus. We met with an Admissions officer who gave us an overview of the campus. We were then taken on a tour to the library, food service building, several classrooms and into a dorm to see how most are set up. Great information. We then went back to Admissions where we were given information about the cost of tuition, books, room/board, scholarships and grants. At the end, Bri got lots of handouts for her folder and received a backpack and an MSUB t-shirt.
Brianna will be committing to MSU even against our efforts to express that Psychology has a far higher emphasis at UM than at MSU; she did not sense the energy there that she did at MSU. Of course, 17-year-olds do not always use the best components to make decisions, but this is where we are. Facts like distance from home, friends also committing there, etc. also enter, but I’m passing this information along to you because the biggest part of her decision is that UM flat laid an egg on her visit. She felt more wanted and comfortable at both MSU and MSU-B. This process must improve to become competitive. Breaks our hearts.
Dr. Kenneth and Barbara Kem
Mr. President and Ms. Kreta,
Our live-in granddaughter, Brianna Getz, a senior at Columbus High School, began the process of selecting an undergraduate program this fall. She is interested in Psychology/Counseling and since she is a Griz fan and frequently attends games with us, UM seemed a natural fit. I’m a local GSA member; wife Barbara and I are both alumni, are consistent donors and have had four season football tickets for many years. She is very familiar with the campus and the community that she explores while we are tailgating before games. Her expectations of the visit were to learn more about her programs of interest.
I was very pleased with the changes at the top of UM, recognizing that more than academics would be necessary to reshape the serious decline in enrollment. There were some obvious flaws in UM’s marketing efforts and capabilities, as well as resistance to re-tune offerings to changing workplace demands. A degree today is very costly; it needs to produce opportunity. The value of a UM degree was coming very much into question. So along with satisfaction in the selection of a President with business acumen, I was anticipating change, optimistic that it would be in evidence by now, at least on the front end where it must start. As Barbara, who accompanied Brianna, reports below, at least in this anecdotal case, my expectations have not been realized. We are very disappointed that UM did not show well.
Brianna had her first college visit at the University of Montana on Monday, September 21st, 2020.
We met a lady from the Admissions office for a campus tour. The only building we were able to enter was the bookstore building that we’ve been into many times. There we got information about the various places to eat on campus. We’ve taken Bri to the campus many times over the years as we attend all Griz football games. We were given a little information about dorms, but basically knew the campus pretty well. We also received some information about the admissions process, which Brianna knew already. Bri did get a few handouts in a folder, but no information on her preferred interests and had no meetings with any professors, even remotely.
MSU tour, Tuesday September 22nd, 2020.
Before our tour started, Brianna had two 30 minute Zoom calls; one with a psychology professor and one with a sociology professor. They were quite effective and very helpful for her. We went to the student union building where there was a welcome to campus video with the MSU President welcoming students to campus. The video gave an overview of MSU and the Bozeman area. Very good and useful, since we avoid stopping in Bozeman on our trips to Missoula. Three students took our group of 12 to 15 prospective students and parents around campus. We were able to go into FOUR different buildings to observe classes.
Back at the student union, we saw a slide show about all campus housing by a three-year RA that included different options, costs and things available at each dorm. Very good and informative. The last video we saw was from an admissions person giving lots of information about cost/loans/grants/scholarships. The students were then given a nice water bottle and more handouts for their folders.
MSUB tour Wednesday, September 30th, 2020.
When we entered Admissions, there was a wooden sign and a digital sign welcoming Brianna to the campus. We met with an Admissions officer who gave us an overview of the campus. We were then taken on a tour to the library, food service building, several classrooms and into a dorm to see how most are set up. Great information. We then went back to Admissions where we were given information about the cost of tuition, books, room/board, scholarships and grants. At the end, Bri got lots of handouts for her folder and received a backpack and an MSUB t-shirt.
Brianna will be committing to MSU even against our efforts to express that Psychology has a far higher emphasis at UM than at MSU; she did not sense the energy there that she did at MSU. Of course, 17-year-olds do not always use the best components to make decisions, but this is where we are. Facts like distance from home, friends also committing there, etc. also enter, but I’m passing this information along to you because the biggest part of her decision is that UM flat laid an egg on her visit. She felt more wanted and comfortable at both MSU and MSU-B. This process must improve to become competitive. Breaks our hearts.
Dr. Kenneth and Barbara Kem
kemajic said:
Great summary and thanks for sharing. Thank you for reaching out to some folks as well to inform them where they fell on their faces. UM has to do better, they just have to. This has gone on far too long and seems like a phenomenal campus tour would be an easy fix. Sorry to hear of all this Kem.
CDAGRIZ said:
that fire should have been lit long ago. when does the guy at the top get held accountable? he's been there long enough to realize recruitment needs to be drastically improved, like the first month he was there, since that seems to be one of the reasons he was hired.
I know of many examples to the contrary. We have kids of friends and relatives stay with us frequently when looking at UM, and they all report very good tours and experiences at UM. A couple of my kids' friends did tours for years, we went on a few of them with kids staying with us, and they were terrrific. I'm sure Kem's relative had a weak experience, but I just don't believe, and never did, that UM's recruiting experiences are bad and MSU's are good.
