Innovators Talk: The College Admissions Ecosystem
Jeff Selingo, Journalist & Author of Who Gets In And Why: A Year Inside College Admissions
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Key Takeaways:
What’s in Store for the Next Decade?: To open his Talk, Jeff discussed the evolution of what students and their parents have focused on when evaluating college options. From amenities to services and now towards experiences, institutions have invested in what they believe prospective students and their families are looking for and what would make them most attractive to these “customers.”
The Widening Gap: In his book, Jeff divides colleges into two categories: a multitude of buyers and the few, elite sellers. This pandemic influenced admissions cycle has widened the gap between the two in terms of number of applicants thanks to test optional policies. “No where is the virus’ impact more apparent in admissions than how it’s shaping testing right now,” said Jeff. As institutions determine their post-pandemic strategy, the future of the SAT and ACT and how they impact equity in the process will be something to watch.
The Way Students Are Entering the Funnel Is Changing: The digital natives of Generation Z are ignoring the traditional marketing that colleges usually employ to attractive leads and applicants. Institutions will need to “reach students by better meeting them where they are,” according to Jeff. “What do they want out of college and how do they want to discover the right fit?” Jeff shares some insights about Generation Z around the 23 minute mark.
These Consumers Know What They Want: The #1 reason students go to college is to get a good job. And the data they have at their fingertips allows them to dig into institutions and the post-graduation outcomes. Institutions have the opportunity to get in front of prospects early and often in order to tell the stories of the students and alumni who have earned that good job at graduation and the successful, fulfilling career.
Perhaps the largest impact that the pandemic had on admissions and enrollment is that it revealed what prospects and their families care most about in evaluating higher education. High school students and their families are now looking at colleges and universities armed with data and research on the career outcomes and the income of that institution’s graduates. They are asking where a diploma can take them before they even set foot on campus. And yet, prospects are still interested in the experience of college and finding where they might best fit on campus. By harnessing the stories in the community, institutions have the ability to courageously innovate and create new ways to reach prospects and achieve their goals.
Learn more about how PeopleGrove works to make the admissions and enrollment experience approachable and memorable for Generation Z.
Learn more about Jeff’s work at JeffSelingo.com and make sure you get a copy of his book Who Gets In And Why.
