Mar 25, 2025
Persona
The college selection process is deeply personal. Even the smallest details can influence a student’s decision to attend (or not attend) your institution. For an admissions team, navigating these details to guide students toward enrollment can seem like an impossible negotiation.
Learn more about our research into student motivations for attending college.
Rather than relying on the whims of college-going students, a more strategic approach can help your recruitment team close the deal with confidence. These strategies are embedded in the framework of psychological safety introduced by Dr. David Rock commonly known as The SCARF Model.
The SCARF Model specifies five key domains—Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness, and Fairness—that either trigger a threat response or a reward response. Activating a threat often leads to prospective students feeling hesitant, let down, or uncertain about making a decision to attend your college.
Alternatively, activating a reward helps a prospective student to feel like a collaborator and a trusted partner. Training your team to foster positive, reward-based interactions can improve recruitment outcomes.
Here is how it works in higher ed:
| Activating Threat | Activating Reward | |
|---|---|---|
| Status |
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| Certainty |
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| Autonomy |
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| Relatedness |
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| Fairness |
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During the college decision-making process, admissions recruiters naturally engage these domains—sometimes unknowingly. Being mindful of how these factors influence a student’s perception empowers your team to lead conversations that inspire confidence and ultimately drive enrollment. The key? Shifting from a threat-based to a reward-based approach.
Putting The SCARF Model to Practice: Examples for Admissions Representatives
| Status | “You’ve demonstrated really great work until now and we’d like to see you contribute to our institution. How do you think you can make us better?” |
| Certainty | “Your portal will show you exactly where you are in the process and what we still need from you before we can move to the next step. We want to answer even the smallest questions through this process. What questions do you have?” |
| Autonomy | “It’s important that you can see yourself using your unique strengths here on campus. Is a week a reasonable amount of time for you to make a decision?” |
| Relatedness | “You are a great fit for the community here. Your skills are needed on this campus!” |
| Fairness | “I’m committed to giving you all the info you need upfront.” |
Transform Your Admissions Strategy With the SCARF Model
Equipping your recruitment team with tools to activate cognitive rewards fosters trust and reassurance among prospective students and their families. Because emotions play a significant role in decision-making, anticipating and intentionally guiding these emotional responses can lead to more positive and productive admissions conversations.
By applying the SCARF Model, your team can create an admissions experience that feels supportive, transparent, and inspiring—ultimately increasing enrollment and building a stronger, more engaged student body.
Start a conversation and learn more about how we can help you boost your recruitment strategy, lift your enrollment, and ensure your college’s success in the year ahead.