Yield: Turning “Yes” Into a Real Commitment 

—From the desk of Brier Albano, Vice-President, Students and External Relations 

Once a student receives an offer of admission, there’s a common assumption that the hard part is over. In reality, this is one of the most fragile stages on the enrolment path. In the Strategic Enrolment Management (SEM) Framework, this stage is called yield. Yield is the point where admitted students decide whether they will actually attend Selkirk College and show up as enrolled students when classes begin. 

Yield is about follow-through. It reflects how many students accept their offer and pay a deposit—and how confident they feel about it. It’s also where something known as ”student melt” can happen. Melt is when students who intended to attend quietly drift away over the spring and summer due to uncertainty, competing offers, or life changes. 

What we’ve learned through our SEM work is that yield isn’t just influenced by deadlines or paperwork—it is shaped by connection to the program and a vision of how a student sees their future. 

Across the college, some programs have taken on the work of engaging prospective students to reduce summer melt, and the impact has been meaningful. In several cases, faculty members, program coordinators, chairs, or even current students have reached out directly to admitted students to check in, answer questions, and talk honestly about what to expect in the fall. These conversations aren’t scripted, and they aren’t focused on administrative tasks like getting your paperwork in. They’re about the program, the upcoming experience, and the learning environment the students are preparing to enter. 

This approach works because it’s authentic. When someone who teaches or is currently learning in the program reaches out, they bring real insight and genuine enthusiasm. They can speak to what makes the program unique, what the workload actually feels like, what students tend to worry about, and why choosing Selkirk College was the right decision for them. That kind of conversation builds confidence in a way that a generic reminder email or phone call from someone who has never taken the program can’t. 

It is important to note that this doesn’t replace the essential work of admissions or enrolment services. Questions about documents, deadlines, and next steps still matter. But yield improves when we pair those practical supports with subject-matter connection—when students feel seen, welcomed, and excited rather than just processed. 

The SEM Framework defines vibrant yield as a stage where students accept offers quickly, understand their next steps, and feel ready to move forward. A sustainable yield means students truly accept their offers and genuinely plan to attend, allowing programs to plan effectively and avoid last-minute uncertainty. The work happening in programs right now directly supports both of these outcomes. 

Yield is a reminder that recruitment and admissions alone don’t tell the full story. A program may have strong applications and smooth admissions processes, but if students don’t feel connected or confident after receiving their offer, the challenge will show at this stage. Looking at yield data by program helps us understand where additional support, communication, or engagement may make the biggest difference. 

As we continue toward our goal of growing domestic enrolment by 20% by 2030, yield will remain a key area of focus—not because it’s easy, but because it’s the period in the cycle where someone has to truly decide if education is going to happen for them. Small, thoughtful actions during this stage can prevent lost seats, reduce stress for programs, and most importantly, help students arrive in September feeling like they made the right choice. 

At its best, yield is where intention becomes commitment and where Selkirk College begins to feel like home. 

Catch up on the first two stages of SEM: Recruitment and Admissions.