Challenge: The market for lawyers was dramatically shrinking, creating increasing pressure on law schools to retain quality students.

Objective: Boston University School of Law partnered with Plan-it to develop strategies for retaining and increasing its pool of top-tier applicants, and, in turn, increase the percentage of high achieving admitted students who choose to enroll in BU School of Law.

Solution: Plan-it conducted a multi-phased research program. Phase I included a combination of small discussion groups and individual phone interviews among potential and current law students. Phase II used online surveys and a conjoint methodology with current BU students, prospective BU students, and BU “rejecters”. Key objectives focused on identifying specific triggers/influencers in choosing a law school, and how BU School of Law could meet critical needs. The work included the development of a conversion simulation model to predict future enrollment based on varying criteria.

Result: Plan-it’s research provided BU School of Law with strategies and tactics to attract a high-level applicant pool, and convert a greater percentage of admitted applicants to BU School of Law. A conversion simulator model was also created to help BU predict future enrollment of admitted law applicants.