The buds of spring are barely visible, yet its important to begin planning for fall. I have found the best time for me to publish an updated studio policy, tuition fees and registration forms is immediately after spring break. In my area, spring break will occur the week before Easter. Right after we reopen the studio, I prepare a two pocket folder for each student. A cover letter explains any changes in the policy and tuition increases (if one is planned). I ask for registration forms with a deposit to be returned to me not later than June 1st. Students can then request their current time slot for the upcoming year or indicate they need a new time and day. The deposit serves to weed out families that might sign up for a fall slot then later cancel. What I try to avoid is a family holding a slot for fall then giving late notice right as school starts. I am then free to offer any available times to new students or younger siblings. Since I bill tuition quarterly, parents have already paid July 1st which covers them through October 1st. This also serves to give me leeway should a family back out in the fall. I do not offer refunds on quarterly payments unless there is an unscheduled move out of town or there is truly an emergency.
These approaches to fall scheduling have taken much of the guess work out of my fall schedule. Things remain much more stable and secure for my studio. Quarterly tuition provides for five summer lessons with an offer to provide up to two bonus lessons if the family is around. If families are traveling many weeks, they are invited to double up on the weeks they are in town to get the five lessons in over the ten weeks I am open during the summer. During those weeks, we move the technical studies and playing level up for the new year. Summers become productive even with a few lessons! This approach also avoids summer drop out. Unless I give permission on a case by case basis, families leaving for the summer do not reserve a slot for fall. There are students waiting to see if there is space in the studio. This allows them the opportunity to sign up during the summer and begin lessons.
The earlier you plan for the fall, the better it is for your business plan. Students who take off three and four months during the summer often take at least to Thanksgiving to get the skills lost over the summer back on track. My experience is that those are also the students who tend to quit lessons. So, plan ahead! Take the guesswork out of your fall enrollment.
