Strategic Recruitment Planning
February 2026
Overview
Strategic planning is how colleges and schools set a clear direction, focus limited resources and build a shared sense of purpose across faculty, staff, students, alumni and partners.
An effective strategic plan lays the groundwork for meaningful, sustained progress over the next three to five years.
How Strategic & Operational Planning Connect
A strategic plan defines where a college is headed.
The Strategic Recruitment Plan is the annual, operational counterpart that translates that direction into coordinated, data-informed decisions, covering enrollment goals, student success initiatives and budget requests, among other things
Strategic Recruitment Planning
Freshmen
Transfer
On-campus
Quad Cities
This is a very simple game.
Throw the Ball.
Hit the Ball.
Catch the Ball.
Admissions & Recruitment is simple.
The opportunity for greatness is in HOW you choose to perform the seemingly simple tasks
Enrollment funnel management refers to the strategic process of guiding prospective students through various stages of their enrollment journey, from initial interest to final enrollment
It’s imperative to optimize activities so that the most time intensive and effective are used on the students most likely to enroll.
Four Key Enrollment Levers
Applicant Generation
What tactics or strategies should the university focus on to increase the number of students applying to Western Illinois University?
What tactics or strategies should the university focus on to increase the number of admitted students who end up enrolling at Western Illinois University?
Yield Enhancement
Recruitment Priorities
Discussion
Thank you for sharing your insights and perspectives!