post-traditional student recruitment practices - calem 2017

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The Best (and Worst) of Post-Traditional Recruitment Experiences

Presenter: John Copeland

CALEM 2017

All rights reserved.

Agenda

| • How we conducted the research• What students experience• Three strategies to get it

right

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All rights reserved. 3

Persona• Name: April Andrews• Age: 29• Some college (32 hours)• Entry Term – Fall 2016• Originally from Michigan• Moving to your community

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Disclaimer


The Research• We measured the experience

from initial inquiry to the beginning of the desired enrollment term.– Inquired beginning June 29,

2016– 68 Institutions

• 48 public• 20 private• Southeast – 18• Midwest – 15• Northeast – 20• West – 15

• 233 total touches– 201 emails– 32 Phone calls

• Most – 14; Least – 0 5


List of Colleges & Universities

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Anderson UniversityBall State UniversityBay State CollegeBrown UniversityCalifornia State University, ChicoCalifornia State University, San MarcosClemson UniversityEastern Michigan UniversityEmporia State UniversityFurman UniversityGeorge Mason UniversityGeorgia Southern UniversityGranite State CollegeIndiana State UniversityKent State UniversityLasell CollegeLehigh UniversityLinfield CollegeLipscomb UniversityMarist CollegeMercer UniversityMillersville UniversityMontana State University, BozemanNorthern Arizona UniversityNorthwestern UniversityOregon State UniversityPace UniversityRegent UniversityRowan UniversityRutgers State University of New JerseySaint Leo UniversitySan Diego State UniversitySouthern Methodist UniversitySyracuse UniversityTexas Tech University

George Washington UniversityThe University of IowaTulane UniversityUmass OnlineUniversity of AlabamaUniversity of ConnecticutUniversity of DelawareUniversity of DenverUniversity of Illinois at SpringfieldUniversity of KansasUniversity of LouisvilleUniversity of Maryland, University CollegeUniversity of Massachusetts, AmherstUniversity of MinnesotaUniversity of MississippiUniversity of Missouri, Columbia (Online)University of Nebraska (online worldwide)University of South CarolinaUniversity of South FloridaUniversity of Southern MaineUniversity of UtahUniversity of VermontUniversity of VirginiaUniversity of Wisconsin, ExtensionUniversity of Wisconsin, StoutUniversity of WyomingUtah State UniversityVillanova UniversityWashington State UniversityWestern Kentucky UniversityWestern Michigan UniversityWestern Washington UniversityWinona State University


The approach


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GOOD

9


BAD

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UGLY

UGLY11


Best practices … what information do you collect?• Basic demographic• Email• Cellphone• Program of interest• Decision time frame

– By term, or within 90 days, 3 – 6 months?

– Don’t ask for data without purpose.


Agenda

| • How we conducted the research• What students experience• Three strategies to get it

right

13


Observation #1: Two schools have all the students they can handle …


… or do they?


… some take their time


We inquired July 6, 2016 …• We didn’t receive the first

message until September 15, 2016

• We have received 15 additional messages since.

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Observation #2: We can be very impersonal.


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Observation #3: We don’t have a lot to say …


Distribution of follow-up by collegeInstitution NumberMarist College 14Granite State College 13Lasell College 12Georgia Southern University 10Linfield College 10Brown University 9Villanova University 9University of Massachusetts, Amherst 8Mercer University 7Northern Arizona University 7Oregon State University 7University of Denver 7Emporia State University 6Rowan University 6Syracuse University 6

131

• 15 institutions were responsible for 55% of the messages.

• An average of four contacts per institution.

• 30 colleges sent two or less messages.


Content CategoriesContent Type Percent

Invite call/appointment 28%Apply/deadline reminder 20%Academic major 19%Invitation to event 11%Confirmation message 8%Phone call 4%Reasons consider institution 2%Costs 2%Newsletter 2%Financial aid 2%Campus services 1%Survey 1%Info about alums 0%Info about faculty 0%

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What students want1 Costs2 Academic 3 Financial aid4 Career outlook5 Incentives to apply/register6 Key reasons/institution7 Student ratings8 Name/phone number of ’real’

person9 Career planning

10 Info about faculty11 Info about alums12 Info about students

Source: DemandEngine ALIM 2016

Content Type PercentInvite call/appointment 28%Apply/deadline reminder 20%Academic major 19%Invitation to event 11%Confirmation message 8%Phone call 4%Reasons consider institution 2%Costs 2%Newsletter 2%Financial aid 2%Campus services 1%Survey 1%Info about alums 0%Info about faculty 0%


Financial Aid

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Online Event

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Program Info

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Observation 4: We don’t listen.


Villanova Webform

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Observation #5: We go ”off brand.”


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Confirm

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On brand


Agenda

| • How we conducted the research• What students experience• Three strategies to get it right

42


Strategy #1: Experience “U”


Strategy #2: Help students make a decision.


Strategy #3: Be intentional in your enrollment process.


Contact: Let’s TalkIf you would like a copy of ALIM 2017 or Secret Shopping Research reports, leave a business card.

John [email protected]: 404-445-0096

post-traditional student recruitment practices - calem 2017

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