Subscribe

Forecasting

enrollment and tuition forecasting

What Programs Do We Even Offer?

Working in Institutional Research, I often was asked questions around “What programs do you offer?”, or “How many programs are there?”. You’d be surprised that answering these questions is not as easy as it sounds.

When is a New Scenario a New Scenario?

Scenario versions are based on user-controlled parameters, automatically updated parameters, and changes in your data model. Tracking the outputs of your scenarios allows you to go back and reflect on the results, seeing where there are opportunities for improvement.

Why Version Control Matters to Enrolment Forecasters

Enrolment forecasts are often large and complex models, involving information from databases, models, spreadsheets, and several other places. These models often involve thousands of lines of code and there are many opportunities for human error. I recommend using software to support versioning.

The Importance of Reflection in Enrolment Forecasting

You’re finished enrolment forecasting for the cycle. The targets you helped developed made it through Senate, and you can breathe a sigh of relief. Right…?

Using a Database for your Enrolment Forecast

Databases are great at storing the inputs and outputs of your enrolment forecast. Depending on your configuration, horsepower, and forecast design however, they may be very subpar for the steps that happen between input and output.

When historical averages let you down

When we’re forecasting student headcount and course enrolments, using historical averages for student retention is a common practice. There’s several different situations where using historical averages might let us down.

Tripling Your Tuition Revenue?

Poof – you’ve now tripled your revenue in only five years. All from growing student intakes by 10% and rates by 15% per year. I’m providing this tongue-in-cheek example as many people struggle with non-linear growth patterns, and overlooking those patterns at could result in erroneous conclusions.

Learning Together: Leveraging Paired Analysis to Make Your Enrolment Forecast Successful

Paired analysis is an excellent method to encourage stakeholders to work more collaboratively on an enrolment forecast. As an analyst, you can learn immensely from your colleagues working on the “business” side of the institution.

Having Multiple Professionals Build Your Enrolment Forecast

What happens when your primary enrolment forecaster gets sick? Or gets another job? Would your institution be left scrambling?

It's the most wonderful time of the year... for enrolment forecasters

It’s that time of year again. It’s when enrolment forecasters shift gears from “let’s figure out what the possibilities are” to “wow, the rubber is really hitting the road. We’ve got to have an enrolment plan in less than a month”.