The Magic Bullet?

Try This Instead — 

A Strategic Plan for Enrollment Woes

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Dear Presidents, Independent School Heads, CFOs and Enrollment Leaders,

Let’s talk about The Magic Bullet.

No, not the blender (though who among us hasn’t pureed a strategic plan at some point?). I mean the elusive, mythical fix-all for enrollment—a silver sparkling solution that’s supposed to stabilize your numbers, motivate your team, and solve budget gaps. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t exist.

But here’s what does work: daily focus, clear-eyed reflection, courageous leadership, and a healthy dose of humor as we navigate the reality of what Harvard Business Review called in May 2025 a “perpetual state of VUCA”—Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity—in higher ed and independent schooling.

“Post-pandemic educational models have permanently shifted. Institutions that proactively address change in real time, rather than retroactively, are the ones outperforming.”

— Harvard Business Review, May 2025, “Reframing Strategic Planning in Higher Education”

So where do we go from here?

It Starts with June.

You’re not too late, but you are almost out of runway if you want to fly into fall with more than just crossed fingers and stale talking points. Right now, your scholarship allocations are measured. Your recruitment campaigns are mostly complete; except for transfer engagement and minimizing melt.  You know what worked—and more importantly—what didn’t.

Instead of a post-mortem in September, how about a July Retreat with an Enrollment Coach who helps leadership:

• Review real data: application yield, scholarship ROI, melt trends, communication gaps.

• Reflect on what surprised you this cycle (be honest—it wasn’t all great).

• Align your cabinet on a revised Strategic Enrollment Plan—for the next 18 months.

• Establish new KPIs for your enrollment team and academic partners.

• Build internal motivation through authentic appreciation—not pizza parties, but purpose-driven conversations about impact, student transformation, and mission alignment.

(Okay, maybe also pizza. We’re not monsters.)

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The Summer Sprint Timeline (Yes, You Still Have Time):

By June 20

• Schedule a leadership retreat or strategic workshop  for July (with or without pizza).

• Gather your enrollment, financial aid, and marketing teams and outcome data.

By June 30

• Reflect with your leadership coach/facilitator.

• Audit your current enrollment strategy: What’s outdated? What’s reactive? What’s mission-aligned? What’s student-centered?  

By July 20

• Set new recruitment targets and messaging for fall.

• Assign cross-department accountability for follow-through.

By August 1

• Launch your internal communications campaign to re-energize your teams.

• Update the board with a clear 6-month execution plan.

By August 15

• Go live with new messaging, training, visit experiences, counselor outreach, and scholarship positioning.

• Monitor engagement and adjust in real-time with your strategic team.

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One Final Thought

You don’t need a magic bullet.

You need leadership that’s brave enough to act in June instead of lamenting in September; waiting on a budget.

Your enrollment people are tired. They’ve been sprinting marathons. What they need now is your clarity, presence, and appreciation. They need to be seen and supported.

If you don’t have a coach to lead your team through this? Get one. Because the smartest leaders know they don’t have to go it alone.  And, you have too much to do to uplift every individual on your team and drive strategy.

“The ability to learn faster than competitors may be the only sustainable competitive advantage. “  — Arie de Geus

Jack Welch took the quote one step further by adding “and to be able to act on what you have learned.”

And remember: It’s never too late to rewrite the ending… but it is too late to fix the beginning. Let’s get started now.

With optimism and strategy,

Rebecca Eckstein

Enrollment Strategist & Coach for Higher Ed and Independent Schools

Ecksteinexecutivecoaching@gmail.com

DM for Consultation

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