Frequently Asked Questions

Throughout the project you will find constant give and take between Scannell & Kurz and your institution.  First we work with you to determine the scope of the work, an appropriate interview schedule, and accompanying documentation for those interviews. Then, during the site visit, an introductory meeting with the client ensures that everyone is comfortable and clear regarding the nature of the project and the deliverables.  At the conclusion of the site visit, an exit interview allows Scannell & Kurz to share its observations and findings to date and to provide a sense of direction regarding the areas on which the report is likely to focus.  The report is first submitted in draft form so that comments, reactions, further explanation, and clarification can be taken into consideration before finalizing.  Finally, a campus presentation of the findings provides an opportunity for additional interaction.  During the entire process Scannell & Kurz is available to the client for consultation by phone, fax, and e-mail.  From start to finish, these multiple checks and balances guarantee that the recommended solutions fit the client’s expectations and fit within the client’s capabilities. 

The client institution is responsible for providing off-the-shelf materials such as historical statistics, policy and procedures manuals, organizational charts, etc.  For many projects a data file containing individual admissions and financial aid records from the student system will also be necessary.  In addition, the client institution is responsible for setting up the site visit schedule of individual interviews, group meetings, focus groups, etc. with senior officers, faculty, staff, and students.

All projects are led by either one of the partners or by the senior consultant.

Most projects can be completed within three months of a signed contract, depending of course on data availability on the client’s part and scheduling availability on Scannell & Kurz’s part.  Assuming both are on track, it typically can take a month to six weeks to collect and provide the data to Scannell & Kurz as well as set up the site visit.  A draft report is issued within six to eight weeks after the site visit.  Finalization of the report is contingent upon receiving client feedback, and client preferences and availability will determine the timing of a return visit to present the findings, conduct a workshop, work on implementation with the project team, etc.  Scannell & Kurz conducts enrollment management and financial aid reviews throughout the entire calendar year.

Price sensitivity analysis (i.e., understanding the probability of enrollment based on a set of criteria that includes quality, need, and gift assistance) cannot be undertaken in a vacuum.  Students and families, just like any other consumers, pay for what they value.  In addition, the timing and delivery of communications about value and price can be almost as important as the messages themselves.  Consequently, it is critical that Scannell & Kurz understand as best as possible an institution’s value proposition and enrollment management operations so that the data analysis can be viewed in that context.

Scannell & Kurz can accept data from most student systems through flat files with a common ID.  Data is needed from both admissions and financial aid for those who were accepted, ideally for a three-year period.  The one significant impediment that could prevent an effective financial aid review would be the lack of institutional information on aid offered to non-matriculants.  Even then, Scannell & Kurz works with the institution to help those involved understand what data need to be collected and maintained in a historical file.

Scannell & Kurz prides itself in taking a client institution from any point on the data collection and analysis continuum--from institutions that have never merged admissions and financial aid files to institutions that have conducted their own sophisticated econometric analysis and simulations--and, working with the client institution, advancing its staff toward new knowledge, new business practices, and new strategies.  Since Jim and Kathy have managed offices of admissions and financial aid themselves, you can be sure the recommendations will be detailed and practical.