The first encounter a college has with a prospective student can have a significant impact in determining that student’s success.  Most schools selected for advanced stages of the research for this guide do not seek to immediately enroll potential students during their first encounters.  Rather, during this period a number of activities may take place, such as career and financial counseling, and identifying barriers to learning, which are essential for ensuring student success.  Schools that thoroughly screen potential students prior to enrollment appear to have higher graduation rates from their programs.

Effective pre-enrollment counseling typically includes evaluating an individual’s passion, aptitude, and academic ability.  While passion and social skills can often be evaluated during an interview with the prospective student, aptitude and learning capacity are best measured through testing.  Some colleges have developed their own tests over time, but many use a Wonderlic or Canadian Adult Achievement Test (CAAT) during the pre-enrollment phase.

Many colleges provide potential students with the opportunity to attend pre-enrollment information sessions to learn about the institution and possible courses of study.  The Institute for Human Services Education in Truro, Nova Scotia, has dubbed their pre-enrollment information session “Try Us On”.  It is a catchy phrase that encourages potential students to evaluate whether or not the college fits their needs.  Being similar in scope to a “College for a Day” gathering, this event allows prospective students to interact with current students and faculty, and to attend classes for a day.

A small number of schools have developed a Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition process that recognizes both academic accomplishment and life experience.  The PLAR process can be of significant benefit to students by decreasing the amount of time required to complete a course of study, thereby reducing student living expenses, tuition and, possibly, student loan indebtedness.  Also, by virtue of a reduction in the time required to complete their training, students can enter the workforce earlier than otherwise would have been possible.