A career school student with a book bag and book smiles now that they have loan options for students.

Utilizing Alternative Tuition Options to Increase Career School Enrollment

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These days, as the cost of a two- to four-year college education continues to skyrocket, trade, technical, and career schools offer more affordable education alternatives for students who want  to focus entirely on a field of interest, such as health care, manufacturing, culinary arts, technology, auto repair, truck driving, and more. 

A professional works in front of two monitors after going to a medical billing school because of loan options for students. Even though career schools have a much lower cost, they can still be out of reach for potential students and their families. Not only are there fewer student financing options for career school students, but students and families often have trouble getting loans because of less-than-perfect credit. And that’s ironic, because when all is said and done, trade school graduates have an arguably faster track to a well-paying job than college graduates do. In fact, it’s reported that more than 53% of recent college graduates don’t have a job or have a low-paying one, while most trade school graduates have jobs and good salaries.  

Now factor in that jobs in the trades are booming. The demand has never been greater for skilled workers across manufacturing, health care, and other industries, and trade schools are eager to increase admission rates. But lack of available student financing options is an unavoidable problem. Schools need a partner that understands financing concerns and puts students first. That’s why so many career schools turn to Paramount Capital Group. 

7 Reasons Schools Turn to Paramount Capital Group for Tuition Options

We believe that all students should have the opportunity to pursue their dreams. It’s why we’ve been dedicated to helping schools and students come together since 1997. Here’s what you can expect when you partner with us. 

1. Simple online application process.

We use our experience from partnering with more than 900 schools, along with 25+ years working in and understanding credit and receivables, to develop flexible, unique solutions that help more students get access to financing.

2. Quick decisions for our schools.

Unlike traditional fall-to-spring schedules, career school courses can start up at anytime. We know you and your potential students can’t wait to hear about financing and whether they can start class. So we’ve committed to getting the decision back to our schools as quickly as possible (typically under 2 hours). 

3. A compliant PDF document for approved students to electronically sign and return.

We’ve made the whole process easy so the student has what they need to sign up for financing with ease. We work hard to update documents to reflect the latest financial compliance requirements. 

4. Increased cash flow.

Once paperwork is completed, contracts are purchased and funds are remitted in three to five working days*. Now you can relax knowing that your school has a more consistent stream of funds available and a greater profit.  

5. More students and filled class rosters. 

You’ll be more successful at attracting additional students when financing is more available.

6. Loan servicing handled by us at Paramount Capital Group.

Whether we purchase contracts from you or service them on your behalf we understand working in a heavily regulated industry requires a team of compliance experts to maintain the highest compliance standards to effectively manage risk.

7. Skilled worker gaps filled upon graduation. 

With more successful graduates, trades will turn to you for new employees, enhancing your school’s reputation both with potential students and potential employers. 

These seven reasons make it easy to see the benefits to your school and to your students when we partner together.  

Let Paramount Capital Group Help You Provide More Student Financing Options 

The value of helping students get access to tuition options when they or their families don’t have perfect credit can’t be overstated. Talk to us today at Paramount Capital Group and learn more about how we can partner together to make a difference in people’s lives.  

*  For some short-term programs, the student must graduate in order to receive funds.   

After increasing student enrollment, a trade school teacher works with students on the engine under a car hood.

Best Enrollment Marketing Strategies For Career and Trade Schools

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Are you looking to increase student enrollment rates at your trade, career, or technical school? With the need for skilled trades at an all-time high, the time has never been better to launch a robust, multifaceted marketing plan to increase enrollment. At Paramount Capital Group, we have you covered with enrollment marketing strategies that can help you raise admission rates now. 

Meet Your New Student Goals With These Enrollment Marketing Strategies

No two schools or students are the same, and neither are admissions marketing plans. But using a flexible combination of old-school and 21st-century techniques can help you find the perfect balance to attract new students and increase acceptance rates. 

Data Analytics

It’s important to understand your school’s strengths and weaknesses. Analyzing your data is going to give you the answers to develop your game plan, such as:

  • What’s your most popular course?
  • Where do you draw the most students from?
  • How many graduate on time? 
  • Who is your top employer?
  • How many take out loans vs. pay privately? 
  • How many students do you need to meet XYZ goals? 

These questions are just the tip of the iceberg of what you can learn when you analyze the data. 

Create Your School’s Story

Several potential students stand at a registration table to learn more about student enrollment at a career school.

You need to tell a story about what makes your school special and share it everywhere online, in print, and in person. This consistent message gives you an easily remembered identity and helps prospective students understand who you are and what it’s like to be a student there. Consider your brand or mission statement or if there is a specific course for which you want to be known. Personalize the story with testimonials from teachers, students, alumni, and employers. All this gives the school powerful endorsements, making it more tangible and memorable.  

Attend School and Career Fairs

Physical school fairs still play a big role in showing students school options. Don’t miss this chance to be in front of your target audience, to answer their questions and tell them compelling information about your school. Gaining in popularity as a result of the pandemic—but also for convenience—are virtual school fairs. You may want to see how they work for you. 

Career fairs are another new student source. You may capture the attention of someone looking to change jobs or explore new interests. And, similar to school fairs, it’s easy for prospects to find out what you offer. 

Build Relationships with Guidance Counselors and Teachers 

High school guidance counselors talk to students and can mention your school to students interested in something other than a four-year college degree. Teachers also talk daily to students and know firsthand who may be interested in a technical career or one in health care, the culinary arts, construction, and more. 

Advertise

Make sure you advertise or are a sponsor on local neighborhood blogs, sites, or print or online newspapers. The same goes for high school sports team programs. There are plenty of digital and print opportunities around—just look. 

Develop a Strong Digital and Social Marketing Plan

First of all, make sure your website is mobile-friendly and on par with the experience students expect. Consider adding a virtual tour so prospects can get a good look at the school. Also, make sure it’s easy to contact you and get questions answered. In addition, capture email addresses and design nurturing emails or eNewsletters to develop the relationship. 

Next, you’ll want to look into digital advertising on places like Google or Bing, employ search engine optimization, and use retargeting ads that interact with prospects once they’ve visited the website.

Lastly, students spend a lot of time on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and other social media platforms. You need to be there, too, with thoughtful content that reflects your school’s story. 

Start a Referral Program

Reach out to current and past students and encourage them to spread the word about your school. 

Offer Better Student Financing Options

While trade or technical schools aren’t as expensive as four-year colleges, they still have fees that some students may have trouble covering. If you can help students and families get tuition financing, especially those who may not have perfect credit, it’s a big differentiator that can increase admission and acceptance rates and enhance your reputation. 

That’s where Paramount Capital Group can help. We specialize in partnering with schools like yours to offer unique loan solutions so as many students as possible can take the next step and enroll. It’s the perfect complement to your enrollment marketing strategies. 

We offer: 

  1. A simple one-page online student application. 
  2. A same-day review of the application and credit report, as well as a decision.
  3. A compliant PDF document for approved students to sign and return.
  4. Funds remitted in three to five working days*.
  5. Loan servicing handled by us at Paramount Capital Group.

Partner with Paramount Capital Group 

If you’re looking to increase enrollment at your career school, contact us today and find out how we can help you with better, flexible student loan options that can open the door for more students. We look forward to talking and developing meaningful solutions together soon.   

*  For some short-term programs, the student must graduate in order to receive funds.   

https://paracap.com/career-school-financing/