Prospective students are giving you a roadmap to their college decision in their conversations with peers on Reddit. Trends and insights from a decade of social intelligence research identified five themes students and families value in college admissions—get the report. We expanded on the strategies in the report to share more recommendations and examples to connect with and appeal to right-fit students. Use the ideas that fit your audience and community to meet and exceed enrollment goals.
Highlight the ROI of your degree
Students and families are looking for clear outcomes to set them up for post-college success. In Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for You, Jeff Selingo shares one strategy of building marketable skills in school.
Promote campus outcomes, but also translate them into the skills students gain.
- The goals of Georgia State University’s College to Career Initiative is to develop curricular enhancements to help students become aware of career competencies, connect them to the work in their major, and demonstrate their proficiency in transferable skills. Students are introduced to the competencies as freshmen so they have the opportunity for career exploration, experiential learning, and competency training. As a Dream School, GSU’s emphasis on industry alignment appears to pay off in career outcomes.
Foster relationships with employers and organizations to support student success, enhance workforce development, and foster innovation and economic growth.
- Indiana University, Bloomington, maintains close connections with employers and they deliver strong career outcomes with 61% of students completing at least one internship. Their Career Preparation program is an integral part of the IU Education and provides specific steps on how to start as soon as students are on campus. The career centers and extensive alumni network of 800,000+ alumni provide career-enhancing experiences to set students apart and improve their career prospects.
Explain costs transparently
Students and families want clear explanations of what they’ll pay. Explore the College Cost Transparency Initiative as one way to signal you support transparency and equip families with comprehensive guidance and clear terminology.
Use your brand voice to transparently tell your cost and value story.
- Macalester College’s brand represents history, tradition, and service to society. Their approach to financial aid and their Tuition Promise program is centered on their ongoing work to demystify the financial aid process and make a degree from Macalester accessible to anyone. It provides increased transparency early in the college search process so more students understand that it can be an affordable option.
Clearly communicate cost and provide early cost estimates.
- Elon University’s Dream School standout factor is their low cost of attendance compared to their private college peers. They’re committed to providing an exceptional education for a reasonable cost, making the financial aid process seamless, and offering a variety of ways to make college affordable. This includes increasing the chances for aid the earlier students apply and providing a net price calculator to build a personalized estimate.
Demonstrate your institution’s value
Students and families want to know what’s in it for them if they attend your institution.
Strengthen your brand narrative around program-level excellence.
- As an engineering school, Stevens Institute of Technology delivers exceptional outcomes every day. Graduates of this Dream School place among the highest-earning engineering school graduates nationally. Experiential learning is a core aspect of their curriculum with a blend of classroom instruction, applied learning experiences, and off-campus opportunities with internships and cooperative education programs. A Stevens education offers a world of possibility as students gain industry knowledge and the soft skills to succeed in today’s complex world.
Promote students’ ability to thrive.
Emphasize career pathways
Showcase the clear outcomes, career exploration and preparation, and hands-on learning students receive from your institution.
Highlight student support and career services.
- The Center for Major and Career Exploration at the University of Oklahoma empowers students to find purpose through self-knowledge while providing resources for students to make confident decisions and build a foundation for academic and professional success. Career exploration coaches help students navigate the exploration journey through a four-step process.
Integrate employer partnerships to enhance career pathways.
- Bentley University’s CareerEdge is extensive with career communities, LinkedIn connections, outcomes by major, along with resources on interview tips, mock interview opportunities, and a career closet. Their Employer Relations & Recruiting team engages with employers year-round and builds strong partnerships to support students and educate them about opportunities.
Improve your sense of community
Strengthen your relationships with key stakeholders like students, alumni, faculty, and the wider community.
Market the human experience on your campus.
- Berry College promotes a Good Neighbor Culture to ensure their campus reflects what the community believes and how they belong. One of their four strategic commitments is Belonging as a Cultural Practice—building a culture where every member is seen, valued, and invited to contribute to foster a shared sense of purpose, not just a sense of place. Berry is recognized by the Carnegie Foundation for their excellence in community engagement and the Dream School outshines their peers on the National Survey of Student Engagement.
Foster campus engagement and create space for meaningful interactions.
- As a member of the Engagement Scholarship Consortium, Colorado State University’s goal is to work with communities, providing university knowledge and resources to help build community capacity. Their engaged scholars program co-creates solutions and new knowledge with communities and is a roadmap to challenge the community with the goal of continuous improvement. The Provost’s Council for Engagement advances their integration of academic scholarship and community engagement.
Prioritize the value of peer-to-peer connections
The increase in peer-to-peer online conversation exemplifies the importance of peer connections for students. And in Dream School, Jeff Selingo indicates how decades of research show that the connections students make on campus are essential to their success and well-being during and after college.
- Denison University has an expanded new student orientation that includes off-campus experiences that provide a unique and enjoyable transition to life at Denison while creating opportunities to form friendships with other entering first-years who share the same interests and passions.
- Montclair State’s Office of Student Belonging creates a welcoming and supportive environment where all students feel valued and empowered to succeed. It provides holistic support through cohort-based programming, advocacy, and partnerships to foster belonging, student success, and retention.
Foster information sharing and relationship building by pairing prospective and current students.
- Peer mentors are critical to Delaware University’s First Year Seminar program required for all first year students. The peer mentors are liaisons between students and faculty, serve as a resource, and help new students make connections. New students also use a common reader (a community read for first-year students) to build shared experiences and meaningful connections.
Leverage the research insights
Download the findings, take action on the strategic recommendations, and follow the roadmap from your prospective students.