Enrollment Growth Strategies: Recruiting Non-Athlete Students

Introduction

In our latest webinar, we discussed strategies for recruiting non-athlete students at small private colleges. Two of our enrollment consulting leaders, Bob Stewart and Hannah Malowitz, who bring their expertise from working with hundreds of colleges through past roles at RNL and EAB as well as on campus enrollment experience, share valuable insights into the enrollment impact of athletics on small campuses and how to improve the recruitment of non-athlete students. Let's dive into the key takeaways from their discussion.

Watch the recording - Enrollment Growth Strategies: Recruiting Non-Athletes to Small Colleges.

The State of Athletics on Small Campuses

Athletics play a huge role at many small private colleges:

• 30-50% of students are typically varsity athletes
• At Division III and NAIA schools, it can reach 60-70%
• Athlete enrollments have increased up to 30% since 2002 at smaller schools
• Non-athlete enrollment has grown by 5% or less

While athletics are important, an over-reliance on athletes can impact retention, campus culture, and sustainability. A more balanced approach is needed.

Developing a Strategic Enrollment Plan

The first step is understanding your current athletic rosters and setting sustainable goals. Bob shared an example of mapping roster sizes against conference averages to right-size teams. From there, you can build your non-athlete recruitment plan.

It's critical to intentionally track non-athlete metrics. Create dedicated dashboards to monitor non-athlete conversion rates, yield, retention, etc. Share these campus-wide to create shared responsibility for non-athlete enrollment.

Creating Non-Athlete Personas

Understand the academic interests, extracurriculars, and motivations of your current successful non-athletes. Use surveys and behavioral data to develop detailed personas like "Career-Focused Claire." This allows you to create targeted messaging and recruitment strategies.

Personalized and Programmatic Content

Non-athletes are highly motivated by academic reputation and outcomes. Develop content focused on:

• Career outcomes and internship success stories
• Faculty research and practical learning experiences
• Alumni spotlights in relevant fields

Use your CRM to deliver personalized messaging at different funnel stages. Rise can help develop program-specific content to complement your existing communications.

Faculty Involvement in Recruitment

70% of students say faculty interaction significantly influences their college decision. Involve faculty through:

• Virtual info sessions and open house presentations
• Personal outreach via email and/or phone
• Meeting with students during campus visits

This personalized touch helps non-athletes envision themselves as part of your academic community.

Building Community for Non-Athletes

Intentionally foster community through:

• Pre-arrival engagement via social apps like Zeemee or Abuzz
• Major-specific virtual events
• Highlighting student clubs and organizations
• Incorporating student leaders in yield events

Non-athletes tend to engage more deeply in extracurriculars, so emphasize these opportunities throughout recruitment.

Conclusion

Recruiting non-athletes requires a multi-faceted approach focused on academic programs, student support, and community engagement. Download our free enrollment playbook entitled, "Recruiting Non-Athletes to Small Liberal Arts Colleges" to dive deeper into the growth strategies covered in this post. By implementing these strategies and leveraging Rize's enrollment support, you can create a more balanced and sustainable enrollment model.

Ready to take your non-athlete recruitment to the next level for your Rize programs? Reach out to your Enrollment Consulting Lead to get started.

Not yet a Rize partner? Request a call with our Academic Partnerships team below.