Small schools can be just as effective in their educational mission as larger schools. However, it is not always easy to appeal to small school applicants for all the reasons that large school applicants don’t want to come to smaller places: fewer extracurricular activities, fewer opportunities for leadership roles, etc. Choosing events throughout the year to raise your school’s profile can attract students who enjoy getting involved, particularly with opportunities to form new clubs! Small school admissions and enrollment is critical to discuss.
3 Reasons Why It is Hard for Your Small School to Get More Students
If you are having trouble getting students into your school, these three reasons may be why!
#1: Your Small School is Not Well-Known
It is hard to attract students if your school isn’t well known. If you were a student, you wouldn’t want to go to a school that no one has heard of and doesn’t have an established reputation for excellence. There is also a problem with fewer students who know about your school and want to come, which means you have fewer applicants.
#2: Your School Has Not Been Publicized
If you are trying to get more students in your school, but it is hard to say why they should come, then the media will not write about it either. For example, what is so special about your school that would make students want to attend? You don’t have a winning sports team; you’re in a small town, you lack science classes, etc.
#3: Your School Has Poor Policies
If there are policies your students don’t like at your school, they won’t come. For example, if you have a strict dress code or go on field trips to places out of the way, students may not want to enroll in your school. Is there anything about your school that is holding you back?
Keep these three reasons in mind if you have trouble getting more students into your school. There may be some things that need to change!
5 School Events That Will Help You Gain More Students
Now that you looked at the potential reasons why your small school may not be getting more students, it is time to look at some school events that can help you with your enrollment!
#1: Host an Open House
Open houses are a great way to get students in your school to see what it is really like. They can talk to teachers, meet other students and ask lots of questions about the ins and outs of your school. If you do this during the application stage, it can help them decide if your school is right for them!
#2: Put on a School Fair
Getting involved in this type of event is a way for your small school to stand out. You can do all sorts of fun activities and show what clubs exist at your school as well as what they do. You can even hold an essay contest about why students should come to your school! The more you can let parents and students get to know your school, the better!
#3: Participate in a Sports Event
Do you have a sports team for parents and students at your school? If so, this is a great time to show how active you are. You can put on an event where everyone from parents to students can come out and cheer on their team! This allows the students to show off their school, make it fun for everyone and even raise money!
#4: Organize a Fundraiser
If you are trying to get more students in your school but need funds to do so, then you should organize a fundraiser. Think about what will motivate parents and students to donate money and then put on a great event. This will help students feel more involved and allow them to raise funds for their school!
#5: Throw an Educational Event
Do you have any teachers in your school who do interesting things? You can organize an event where they teach parents and students about their best subject. This may even help students decide what classes they want to take and show that their school has amazing faculty!
The next time you look at your small school and wonder, “Why is it so hard for my school to get more students?” think about these five events and how they can be put on by your school. These are just a few school event ideas that can be done. The more fun and interesting you can make them, the better!
By offering a variety of school events for prospective students to join, you will increase the likelihood that they will aim to attend your school. These can be cost-friendly and even involve other faculty members. Hopefully, these ideas will help show you how to increase admissions in schools. By implementing these tips in your small school, you’ll see increased student enrollment!
SchoolCues is an all-in-one school management system for small schools with limited budgets and resources. Our solutions include admissions and enrollment, online payments, student information system, gradebook, communications, parent engagement, donations and fundraising, alumni management, and more. Schedule a demo with us today.