Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Cigar_Guy]

I haven't been watching the Jobs boards for too long, so maybe this is a topic that's been discussed already, but does anyone have any ideas for how a Hagwon can help improve enrollment rates? My school is a little tight at the moment, partially due to lower enrollment and partially due to (pardon me for saying so) certain deadbeat parents who don't want to pay us. I was wondering if anyone is more familiar with the business side of things and how schools work to expand their rolls.

As a sort of sidenote: a number of months ago I floated the idea to my director about using referrals to try and increase enrollment--if a parent recommends another student to our school, both parents would get a little discount (say 10%). My director said she was worried that this might backfire, given people's Confucian-influenced views on education--we're already having some problems with parents not wanting to pay for education in general, and she thought that a lot of parents might look at this as some kind of bribery and be turned off. However, I talked to another friend who has worked in Universities and he says that they use this kind of system there. Of course, I still wonder if it would apply at all to Hagwons--any ideas?

P.S. I am not above giving a percentage of new students to anyone who delivers a really good idea.

[John Henry]

From my experience, parents don't pay/reenroll because the waygook is a bad teacher. Students are boring, no give the bread.

You should dye your hair blond and get some of those blue contact lenses. That would make everything better. If that doesn't work, give them the bread.

[Hater Depot]

One thing I can't understand is that my school never follows up with students at the end of the month -- just a simple phone call or a letter saying, Hi, thanks for choosing our school this month, would you like to re-enroll? we are offering x class at y times -- that would make a big difference in the re-enrollment rate. By doing my own follow-up I have earned about 2 million for my school. I just can't believe these people actually run a business despite being ignorant of such a basic thing.

[Dan The Chainsawman]

Is it ignorance or laziness though? I mean its not like fresh meat for the grinder is going to dry up anytime soon.

[mumblebee]

Our school has a pretty intense phone counselling program; the Korean teachers are expected to call the parents at least once per month to discuss the child's progress. We also write monthy report cards. I think it helps make the school seem more professional, and it shows that the teachers have a ongoing relationship with each student. Parents are reluctant to pull their kids and send them someplace else when they have gotten established in a class.

As for getting new students...I'm not sure. Perhaps staging an 'open house' for prospective students? Summer and winter vacations are a great time to schedule some 'camp'-like programs to give new students an introduction to the school. Our school does a lot of local advertising for our vacation intensives, and we always get some new students from them.