THE BOX MODEL

(The following story was adapted from my conference presentation.)

Enrollment Funnel Recruitment

You and I walk into a local pub hoping to relax and down a few pints.

For some bizarre reason, there’s a giant brick wall, floor-to-ceiling, halfway between us and the bar.

It looks like there’s a tiny gap in the wall, just large enough for one person to fit through.

We join the crowd of confused people milling around, waiting for someone to take our order.

Suddenly, giant hands appear out of nowhere and begin pushing everyone toward the hole in the wall.

Being herded, you discover, isn’t a very pleasant experience.

Then, as suddenly as they appeared, the hands vanish.

When the dust settles, you realize I’m on the side of the wall with the alcohol.

And you’re left behind.

To add insult to my injuries, they only serve Guinness.  I wanted Sam Adams.

A few people on my side like Guinness; so they step up to the bar and order a pint.

But the others, including me, are disappointed and want to leave.

That’s when we discover, to our horror, that the hole only goes one way.  All we can do now is mope around, thirsty and unhappy…forever.

Back on the other side, you’re thirsty, too.  And you love Guinness.  Too bad you didn’t make it through the gap; you could have ordered one.

That’s when a loud, disembodied voice tells you all, “Please leave the bar.  You are no longer important to us.”

It appears your chance to make it through the hole was a one-time deal.

Box Model Recruitment

You and I walk into a local pub hoping to relax and down a few pints.

We notice some rubble on the floor from where a wall used to be.

From the door, we can see this place only serves Guinness.  You love Guinness, so you step up to the bar and order a pint.

I prefer Sam Adams, so I hit the next place.

Approaches, Distilled

The Enrollment Funnel is built on the premise that passing through artificial barriers (responding to search, for example) makes a prospect more valuable.

The Box Model is built on the premise that if you remove obstacles, students will naturally move to the most accurate place in your model.