Enrollment challenges rarely start in the admission office. They start when institutions think of enrollment as a technical function to be delegated rather than a core institutional strategy to be led.
I learned this across four decades as VP of Enrollment at nationally recognized institutions—and I’ve built CVET Enrollment Strategies to help presidents, boards, and enrollment leaders navigate exactly these challenges. And while admission and financial aid have been the common thread across my career, I’ve also led institutional strategic plans, athletics and recreation, career services, institutional research, and institutional communications. Aligning resources and functions for maximal impact has been core to my work.
Whether you’re a president wondering if your enrollment strategy is positioned for success, or a VP who needs objective assessment and peer support, the work is the same: enrollment planning, enrollment health assessments, retreat facilitation, and helping institutions align resources with strategy.
As founder of CVET Enrollment Strategies and Senior Advisor with the Council of Independent Colleges, I partner with presidents, boards, and senior cabinet members who see that enrollment strategy is the foundation of institutional health. My approach focuses on principles that integrate data-informed strategy with authentic institutional identity.
Why Choose CVET Enrollment Strategies?
I’ve been in the chair. I understand cabinet-level pressure, presidential expectations, and board dynamics because I’ve navigated them at multiple institutions.
I’ve delivered results. 48–90% application growth, record classes, and retention increases. Consistent net tuition revenue gains, even in declining markets. Not through generic playbooks, but through strategies aligned with institutional mission and market reality.
I understand the current landscape. The demographic cliff is real. Generation Alpha is coming. Public skepticism of higher education is real. The institutions that succeed will adapt, not wait for conditions to improve. I help colleges face reality and build strategies accordingly.
I think institutionally, not transactionally. Every recommendation is grounded in your mission, your financial reality, and your competitive context—not cookie-cutter approaches imported from institutions that don’t look like yours.
Ready to discuss your enrollment challenges? Schedule a conversation to discuss how CVET can help your institution develop sustainable enrollment strategies.
Contact: jcthompson@cvetconsulting.com | 859-583-6132