Fewer students and too many questions.

Schools, colleges, and universities know this: when enrollment drops, something’s off.

It’s a clear symptom — but usually the last to appear, signaling that the issue started long before.

For the leadership at the Colegio de Psicoanálisis Lacaniano or The College of Lacanian Psychoanalysis in English, the decline in their postgraduate enrollment was a red flag that brought them to us.

They needed to understand what was happening — and what to do next.

Had the student profile shifted? Was it a matter of perceived value? Or was it competitive pressure?

They weren’t sure.

One of the biggest challenges was the lack of clear hypotheses and a tight budget. Therefore, the study had to be cost-effective without compromising depth.

To them, it felt like walking in the dark, trying not to trip. And our role was to design a lean, accessible, and effective approach to shed light on the real drivers behind the enrollment decline.

Early conversations revealed a critical insight: They had a database of people who had requested information but never followed through with enrollment. We recruited a few of them for one-on-one interviews — and went straight to the source.

That’s how we uncovered their perceptions, needs, and barriers — to build strategies that could strengthen both recruitment and retention.

The outcome was clear. We identified four major roadblocks that were hindering enrollment. For each one, we uncovered specific, actionable insights — supported by direct quotes — to ground our recommendations.

Now, recruitment wouldn’t be a shot in the dark — but a strategy that felt more personal, more empathetic, and real.

This project reminded us why we do what we do: When there are too many questions, the best thing is to stop guessing — and talk with the people who hold the answers and the truth.