The Challenge
To understand more about why a potential student rejects an offer from the college. Enhance the knowledge in this area to assist in developing mitigations against factors they may be controllable. Also, to allow the college to predict potential ‘students at risk of rejecting’ based upon common traits of past rejecters.
The Solution
Quantitative interviews with parents of non-joiners/rejecters (willing to take part) to establish the decision process, considerations, other schools considered, reasons for rejection.
Inception workshop to understand the current challenges, the marketplace, existing knowledge, and an understanding of how insight can be applied.
Quantitative telephone interviews with a mix of quantitative and qualitative elements to elicit underlying drivers of rejection or acceptance.
The Outcome
The research revealed four areas that were barriers to acceptance, giving the college a prioritised roadmap of things they could implement easily and without significant investment.
Key insight
One area identified required greater consideration and investment. The college needed to consider expanding it’s Performing Arts portfolio. In 2021, Dance was introduced to the college’s golden triangle of Performing Arts alongside Music and Drama. Since then the department has grown rapidly, with over 150 students now participating in a dynamic programme that combines both academic and co-curricular opportunities.
