an international first year start will be a game changer for your admissions model
Partner with Big Pond to build a stimulating first semester program in Dublin, Ireland.
Attract new student audiences to your institution, or offer an alternative start point to a select group from your own applicant pool - ideal for managing your semester 2 capacity challenges.
A partnership with Big Pond will strengthen your admissions toolkit in an increasingly competitive environment.
Additionally, by developing a unique, Dublin-based first year program you will engage students in an initiative designed to appeal to Gen Z - who will go on to infuse your campus with perspectives acquired in an enriching, diverse city.
We work with you to provide a seamless experience for your Start Abroad participants, from the consideration stage through pre-departure to arrival.
Revamp your enrollment management strategy. Offer a semester 2 enrollment point to a select group of your applicants, on condition they complete your alternative start in Ireland program.
Even for colleges & universities with a better than average first-year retention rate, there are too many empty seats beyond the first semester.
Meanwhile, the total number of applications across Higher Ed. grows.
Many applicants choose elsewhere because they have either been rejected or don't have a compelling reason to commit to your college.
Setting your institution's offering apart is more vital now than ever.
The 2020s are being shaped by the demands of demographic change, technological progress and an increasingly values-driven student.
Consider offering an alternative start option in Dublin for your incoming, matriculating students to provide you with an additional differentiator in your Admission and Recruitment teams' toolkit.
Our courses provide a fascinating entry point for your students' first experience in a university environment.
All are first year / level 100 courses. They are designed to map comfortably against your own curriculum. Or, consider using our School of Record services, with Marist College, NY.
The core course includes study tours to the west of Ireland and Northern Ireland, plus a number of community-based inclusions.
Build your unique program around our optional courses. They span disciplines such as business, humanities, liberal arts and computing.
As part of customizing your program, you may want to send faculty to teach at least one of your own courses. Our model is designed to accommodate that, and we work closely with your visiting staff to support the pastoral needs of your students, as well as the staff themselves.
Customize your Start Abroad Program so it truly reflects your institution’s ethos, academic and non-academic goals. We have experience of working with schools who have incorporated the following in their program:
Our Start Abroad Program has been built with the personal and academic growth of your students in mind.
In partnering with Big Pond, your students will benefit from a number of inclusive, unique enhancements. They have all been inspired by our vision of what a sustainable, resilience-building education abroad program should be.