While we are focused on serving students, faculty and staff during these unusual circumstances, we must also anticipate possible longer term impacts to fall 2020 enrollment. To that end, each graduate program should consider how to appropriately and nimbly respond now to mitigate decreases in enrollment to the extent possible.
Please keep us informed of your plan to respond to the possibility of a substantial reduction in new student enrollment for fall 2020, whether international or domestic or both, by April 1st. You should update your program’s Graduate Enrollment Management Plan in GPDNet, and also communicate with Johnna Watson at jwwatson@uncc.edu.
Some of the issues that will impact new domestic and international enrollment are:
- The U.S. State Department has closed consular visa processing through at least June in most countries, so visa backlogs and delays are inevitable.
- Travel restrictions both to and within the U.S. may persist.
- The Educational Testing Service (ETS) has suspended test administrations in most countries, including the U.S., so it is impossible for many prospective students to submit GRE, GMAT and TOEFL scores.
- IELTS (English language proficiency) testing has been suspended in many countries.
Economic and political challenges due to COVID-19 may preclude individuals from enrolling; this includes military service, employment loss, lack of employer-subsidized tuition, caregiver to sick family, et al. - If the University continues to (only) offer remote learning courses in the near term, some individuals that prefer face to face delivery may delay pursuing a post-baccalaureate education.
What Graduate Admissions and Funding (and ETS) is Doing to Help Recruit the New Class
1. A Google form is being developed for applicants to request their application for admission be updated/deferred from summer or fall 2020 to a term in 2021 without the applicant incurring an additional cost.
Note: Applications for individuals already offered admission will be (re)referred to Graduate Program Directors for admissions consideration and recommendation. Toward this end, if a program does not currently consider spring and/or summer applicants but wishes to do so for 2021, please contact Kathy Giddings at kathygiddings@uncc.edu to open the term(s) in the application portal as soon as possible.
2. We will temporarily accept official scores from the Duolingo English Test in support of English language proficiency. Prospective students can take the test anytime, anywhere and get results in less than two days, at a cost of $49. A minimum score of 105 is required, and we expect to be able to receive certified test scores within a week.
3. We are offering GPDs maximum flexibility to waive GRE, GMAT, and MAT requirements for summer/fall 2020 applicants, and continue to encourage holistic review of admissions applications to determine applicant “fit” with graduate programs.
4. ETS is offering a solution for students impacted by the coronavirus to take the TOEFL iBT and the GRE General Test at home until test centers can reopen. TOEFL testing will begin on March 26th, and GRE testing on March 27th, in select countries (including the U.S. and China). These test administrations will include live proctors and utilize artificial intelligence technology. Details will be available soon on the ETS website.
5. GradConnect is our program by which enrolled graduate students and staff “connect” with prospective students to help move them along the enrollment funnel, from suspect > prospect > applicant > admitted student > enrolled student, and we continue to connect with as many individuals as possible. (Your help goes a long way towards this effort!)
6. Admissions counselors offer virtual Information Sessions for prospective applicants to learn more about graduate programs, admission requirements, and the application process, in addition to Now That You’re Admitted Sessions for individuals offered admission.
7. Prospective students who have applied or been admitted to the summer or fall 2020 semesters are invited to join our admissions counselors for a live question/answer session. The counselors will address any questions or concerns brought about by the coronavirus COVID-19 crisis.
8. We actively post to the Graduate Admissions social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn) to promote graduate programs and encourage people to attend a virtual Information Session and Apply Now.
9. Graduate Admissions partnered with University Communications to debut a Made in Charlotte ad campaign that launches this week. Paid social and digital ads will be strategically placed in the Charlotte, Triad, and Triangle regions to promote graduate programs.
Challenges and Opportunities for Graduate Programs: What You Can Do to Help Enroll New Students
- If a program opts to defer students offered summer/fall 2020 admission to spring 2021, the faculty may need to alter course schedules to accommodate the change; this may also necessitate an orientation for new spring admits.
- Programs that offer new students TA or RA appointments for fall 2020 need to anticipate how those assignments will be impacted if students cannot begin their enrollment. Reminder: New students must be physically present to sign I-9’s in order to be compensated for graduate assistantship appointments.
- Nominate newly admitted students for graduate assistantships and funding via eGA and eGPS. Consider “over-booking” newly funded students in anticipation that individuals from some countries may not be able to obtain their visas or travel in time for the fall semester start date. Contact Julie Goodliffe at jmgoodli@uncc.edu for assistance.
- To help currently enrolled students continue their education in the fall, nominate them for funding via eGPS.
- If your program has the capacity to enroll additional students in fall 2020, please contact Johnna Watson at jwwatson@uncc.edu as soon as possible.
- Admissions counselors are available to help you offer virtual Information Sessions for prospective and/or admitted students. Reach out to Maryanne Maree-Sams at mmareesa@uncc.edu for more information or to schedule your virtual sessions.
- Graduate Admissions can also help promote your programs via social media. Email Ellie Ivey at efeely@uncc.edu any social media-ready artwork and she will propagate our Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn accounts with your program info.
- Engage your faculty to help connect with prospective and admitted students to encourage them to apply for admission and enroll. Personalizing recruitment is vital to students choosing UNC Charlotte for their graduate education.
- Update your program’s Graduate Enrollment Management Plan in GPDNet in light of any enrollment opportunities or challenges, and utilize recruitment resources in the system to help effectively recruit the new class.
Important Dates and Deadlines:
April 1
- Priority deadline to nominate students for funding
- Graduate School Summer Fellowship (GSSF) application deadline
- Proposal Development Summer Fellowship (PDSF) application deadline
- Application Information Session (online)
April 10
- Admitted Student Session (online)
April 14
- Application Information Session (online)
April 15
- National Signing Day (for students offered funding to confirm fall enrollment)
April 22
- Application Information Session (online)
April 30th
● Admitted Student Session (online)
