I Like Helping People – Not Selling to Them
When I started in higher education, I was an Admissions Advisor. My role? Conversions and enrollment goals. But what I really loved was helping people. And over the next 14 years, that love never changed.
I worked my way up from an individual contributor to Regional Director of Enrollment Management – overseeing campuses, staff, enrollment and retention goals, and P&L. But let’s rewind to the beginning for a second.
When I first heard the word “sales” in the job description, I flinched. I remember thinking, “Nope. I help people. I’m not here to sell them anything.”
Now I know better. It’s the same thing.
Why Does “Sales” Still Feel Like a Dirty Word?
Especially in higher ed?
Let’s be real:
- If a college doesn’t enroll students, it doesn’t survive.
- No students = no faculty, no staff, no programs.
- Every institution – nonprofit, public, or private – needs to operate like a business.
That doesn’t mean students should be treated like transactions. Quite the opposite.
Just like any good customer experience, the student experience should feel personal, thoughtful, and empowering. And guess who’s at the center of that? The Admissions Advisor.
What Happens When You Equip Your Team Like Pros?
I spent nearly 15 years at a school that treated students like VIP customers. Not in a gimmicky way. In a way that said:
- Every interaction counts
- Every student matters
- And every conversation should lead to clarity, not confusion
So we stopped “winging it.” Every Admissions and Academic Advisor went through Carew’s Dimensions of Professional Admissions™ (DPA) training.
They learned:
- How to see the experience through the student’s eyes
- How to have real conversations without filters or assumptions
- How to guide without pushing
- Relevant sales skills that focused on active listening, communication skills and role play sessions
What happened next?
- Conversions went up
- Enrollment soared
- And most importantly, conversations improved
The Light Bulb Moment for Academic Advisors
When I introduced the DPA training to Academic Advisors, the reaction was mixed.
“Wait… but we’re not Admissions. We’re not selling anything.”
So I asked a simple question:
“What do you do when a student wants to drop?”
I got a lot of versions of “We explain why they shouldn’t.” Which… wasn’t working. Retention rates were stuck in the 70-80% range.
Still, they agreed to try the training. Within hours:
- The energy shifted
- People leaned in
- “Ah-ha” moments started popping up
Same story, different outcome: Conversations got better. Retention climbed.
Sales Isn’t a Dirty Word. It’s a Smart Strategy.
In a recent article for Harvard Business Publishing, John Drea of Illinois State University said:
“The higher education marketplace of 2030 will be significantly different from what it is today. Tinkering with existing strategies may not be enough.”
That hit home.
When budgets tighten, the knee-jerk reaction is to:
- Slash costs
- Avoid risk
- Cross fingers that Admissions has a good year
But with the enrollment cliff already starting to hit, “hope” isn’t a strategy. You need your advisors equipped with tools that help them connect, retain, and build loyalty now before the dip gets deeper.
That’s where professional development makes a real impact.
Investing in the right sales training doesn’t mean turning your team into stereotypical sales reps. It means helping them level up with repeatable sales techniques, confidence-building training sessions, and a mindset rooted in professional selling. It’s not about pressure. It’s about guiding students through decisions that shape their lives – and giving your team the skills to do that at the next level.
It’s a win for your students, your team, and your institution.
What Is Dimensions of Professional Admissions™?
If you’re looking to boost sales success across your admissions or advising teams, this is the training program that delivers.
Carew’s Dimensions of Professional Admissions™ is a proven training course built on the same foundation as our flagship Dimensions of Professional Selling® program – but tailored for higher education. It helps sales representatives (yes, even the ones who don’t see themselves that way) develop the selling skills needed to connect, engage, and guide students through complex decisions.
This isn’t a one-size-fits-all workshop or surface-level seminar. It’s a complete sales education experience grounded in real-world best practices and backed by decades of sales leadership and behavioral research.
Whether you’re managing enrollment, advising current students, or leading a team through change, this training course provides the structure, language, and mindset needed to:
- Build trust from the very first conversation
- Uncover true needs without sounding scripted
- Handle resistance with confidence and clarity
- Deliver an experience that drives both enrollment and retention
It’s not just for new hires or sales rookies either. This is scalable training that supports ongoing sales management, coaching, and performance development – making it just as valuable for seasoned leaders as it is for brand-new team members.
Because when it comes to influencing a student’s decision to enroll or stay, the right time to upskill your team is before the conversation starts.
Why It’s Bigger Than Admissions
Improving enrollment and retention isn’t just about one conversation. It’s about aligning your entire sales process with what today’s students actually need.
That’s why more institutions are looking at this not just as an admissions challenge – but as an opportunity for true leadership development.
When your marketing team, advising staff, and sales leaders are aligned with a clear, student-first message, you create a consistent experience across every touchpoint. And that drives trust.
Here’s the truth: Your sales pitch doesn’t start when a student sits down with an advisor. It starts with your brand. Your website. Your outreach. Your follow-up.
Which means this kind of training is part of your larger marketing strategy – not separate from it.
It’s how you future-proof your team, stand out in a crowded sales industry, and make sure every part of your student journey says, “We get you.”
FAQ: Sales in Higher Education
Still have questions? You’re not the only one. Here’s what we hear all the time:
Isn’t sales too aggressive for higher education?
Not if it’s done right. This isn’t about pushing – it’s about guiding. When students feel heard, respected, and informed, they’re more confident in their decisions.
What’s the difference between Admissions and Sales?
Honestly? Just perception. Admissions teams help students make life-changing decisions. That takes trust, communication, and influence – the same core skills top sales professionals use every day.
How does Carew’s DPA training actually help?
It gives advisors a repeatable structure for conversations. That means less winging it, more confidence, and better results – whether that’s enrollment or retention.
Will this work for Academic Advisors too?
Absolutely. Academic Advisors are on the front lines of student retention. When they know how to uncover student concerns, handle objections, and build trust, students are more likely to stay.
Isn’t training like this just for for-profit schools?
Nope. Every institution – public, private, nonprofit – needs to retain students and manage enrollment. And every student deserves a standout experience.
What If You Trained Your Team Like They’re in Sales?
Carew’s Dimensions of Professional Admissions™ program gives advisors the skills (and confidence) to:
- Recruit more students
- Retain the ones they have
- And deliver an experience that feels less like a transaction, and more like a partnership
Let’s stop avoiding the “S-word.”
Students are customers. And they deserve a thoughtful, guided, world-class experience.
Give your team the tools to provide it. That’s not just smart. It’s sustainable.