Enrollment Marketing Essentials: New Insights into Students College Search and Decision Process Presented by Matthew Ward, Ph.D. California Lutheran University Pamela Kiecker Royall, Ph.D. Royall & Company November 11, 2014 Achieve success year after year
Presentation overview Research summary: College choice survey Key findings and recommendations Successful recruitment strategies at California Lutheran University
About the study High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors all college inquiries Surveyed in February and March 2014 3,354 participants Questions focused on six topics: 1. Communication channel preferences for college information 2. Campus visit behaviors and preferences (juniors and seniors only) 3. College applications (seniors only) 4. Concerns about college students and their parents 5. Influencers of college choice (juniors and seniors only) 6. Financial considerations (juniors and seniors only)
About the sample 39.5% high school seniors, 38.4% juniors, 22.1% sophomores 64.3% female, 35.7% male 9.4% will be first in their families to attend college 40.4% from low-income households ($60,000 or less), 35.6% from middle-income households ($60,001-$120,000), 22.1% from highincome households ($120,001 or more) 68.4% Caucasian, 17.2% Hispanic/Latino, 11.4% Asian, 10.2% African American 21.2% reside in the West, 20.8% in the South, 20.2% in the Midwest, 13.8% in the Middle States, 12.7% in the Southwest, 4.6% in New England, and 6.6% outside the U.S. or in the U.S. territories
Key Enrollment Questions, Research Findings, and Recommendations
When do students want information about their college options? What information do they need/desire? What sources of information are they using for college information?
When do students want information? More students are starting to consider colleges at the beginning of their high school career 31.4% of students started looking at colleges in their freshman year or earlier Sophomore year (or sooner) is a target year to begin recruiting and sending information to engage college-bound students 14.0% of students want schools to start contacting them in their freshman year; 42.3% want contact to begin in their sophomore year
Recommendation Begin communications early sophomore or freshman year
What information do students need or desire? Topics for freshmen General information about the college 79.0% Location of the school and area around it 57.2% Available majors/minors 56.1% Topics for sophomores General information about the college 72.3% Available majors/minors 69.8% Location of the school and area around it 64.7% Careers related to specific majors 56.1% Costs (e.g., tuition, housing, fees) 50.1%
What information do students need or desire? Topics for juniors Costs (e.g., tuition, housing, fees) 77.6% Financial assistance options 74.8% Available majors/minors 74.6% Topics for seniors Housing options 86.7% Financial assistance options 81.1% Costs (e.g., tuition, housing, fees) 78.8%
Topics by class year FR Year SO Year JR Year SR Year General information about the college 79.0 72.3 65.0 60.6 Location of the school and area around it 57.2 64.7 69.5 65.3 Available majors/minors 56.1 69.8 74.6 68.0 Careers related to specific majors 46.2 56.1 69.2 70.4 Costs (e.g., tuition, housing, fees) 38.2 50.1 77.6 78.8 Athletics/sports programs 34.7 46.0 60.7 61.8 Student activities 31.8 48.2 69.8 72.4 Financial assistance options 26.4 37.1 74.8 81.1 Facilities on campus 21.4 40.1 69.5 72.2 Housing options 15.3 24.8 64.9 86.7
Recommendation Tailor communications to give students the information they want when they want it
What sources of information are students using? When exploring college options, what sources of information have you used? Percent School-specific websites 84.3 Email from schools 77.7 Mail from schools 77.3 College search websites (e.g., College Board, Peterson s, Naviance) 74.4 Search engines (e.g., Google, Bing, Yahoo) 67.0 Family members 56.5 Friends 56.2
The bottom of the list includes: When exploring college options, what sources of information have you used? Percent Academic advisors/counselors 48.5 Teachers 46.8 Current college students 43.7 U.S. News & World Report 32.7 College graduates/alumni 31.8 College guidebooks (e.g., Fiske, Barron s, U.S. News) 28.5 Social media/networking sites (e.g.,facebook, Twitter, YouTube) 28.5 Net price calculators 22.9
Recommendation Remember that direct mail and email continue to be influential for all students, and most students do not rely on social media as a source of college information
Cal Lutheran at a glance Thousand Oaks, California 4,160 students Undergraduate: 2,808 Graduate: 1,352 NCAA Division III 55% residential 36 undergraduate majors: arts and sciences, business
Cal Lutheran traditional undergraduate enrollment Acceptance rate: 61% ACT and SAT midranges: 22-26 and 1010-1200 80% California 30% first-generation college students 28% Pell-eligible 2014 freshman diversity: 5% black, 27% Latino, 7% Asian Religious affiliation: 30% Catholic, 9% Lutheran 2014 enrollment: 556 freshmen and 247 transfers 2015 goals: 560 freshmen and 250 transfers
Cal Lutheran recruitment strategy Start with the heart, finish with the brain
Cal Lutheran recruitment strategy Freshman and sophomore Shape perceptions You re special : Come visit, online or in person Value
Cal Lutheran recruitment strategy Junior Build relationships You re special : Come visit! Affordability
Cal Lutheran recruitment strategy Senior Create experiences You re special : Apply! Visit again! Investment
How do students make choices about campus visits?
Campus visits parental influence Parents are setting guidelines for campus visits The timing of visits 45.5% How far the school is from home 39.6% Mode of travel 37.8% Budgetary limit 29.4%
Campus visits The top reasons a student visits a college campus: 1. The school is a top choice of mine 86.4% 2. The school is close by/convenient to visit 41.0% 3. I am invited to campus by the school 40.7% 4. I am invited to a special program at the school 35.4% Two important goals of campus visits: 1. Experience student life 2. Assess financial possibility
Campus visits activities Activities included in the ideal campus visit Tour of the campus 94.7% Meeting current students in your intended major 74.0% Attending a class 69.8% Seeing where students spend time outside class 67.1% Eating in a dining facility on campus 59.8% Meeting with the admissions staff 55.7% Meeting with a financial aid staff member 55.0%
Recommendations Invite students to campus Make campus tours strategic whenever possible Consider financial assistance for special segments of students Convey the student-life experience on your campus Offer parent programming during student visit Provide information regarding financial aid opportunities
The Cal Lutheran visit program Campus experience coordinator Online experience and visit system Focus on the senses: food, housing, and sunglasses Lessons from Walmart and Disneyland It s always personal
All-Access case study Goal: Increase the number of admitted student visitors by 20% 38% yield rate for students who visit campus Invested $40,000 in program enhancements and visit incentives Gas cards or full travel coverage Faculty workshops and student panels Programming catering to individual interests
All-Access case study Students who visited after admission increased by 21% All-Access yield rate was 43.5% 111 of the 224 students with subsidized travel deposited (49.5%)
Who is influencing different aspects of students decisions during their college choice process?
Influencers Individualsproviding input into visits, applications, and/or enrollment Parents Friends Counselors Teachers 88.7% 56.8% 50.3% 43.7% First-generation students (75.3%) and students from low-income families (79.1%) are less likely to be influenced by their parents than are students whose parents attended college (92.2%) and students from middle-income (95.1%) or high-income (97.9%) families
Parents influence HOW a student will choose a college in terms of cost and distance. Teachers and counselors influence WHAT a student will study. Counselors and friends influence WHERE a student will apply.
Influencers Highlights show the most common influencer(s) for each decision Parents Teachers Counselors Friends Percent Percent Percent Percent How much we will spend on tuition 59.3 17.7 28.6 17.0 The distance from home 58.5 20.6 27.5 49.3 What academic major I pursue 58.1 75.2 64.3 54.2 The specific school(s) I consider 57.4 53.2 62.9 63.6 The specific school(s) I apply to 47.7 39.2 53.6 50.3 The type of school I attend 44.0 41.7 50.5 34.3
Recommendations Include parents in your communication plan Provide information about financing a college education early in the students high school career Make certain high school teachers and counselors have the information about your school that they need to help students make informed decisions
Cal Lutheran s strategy for influencing the influencers More robust parent communication plan Capture 38% of parent emails at the search stage, 80% at the application stage, and 86% at the admission stage Drive home deadlines and visit opportunities CLU 101 for college counselors Enhanced CRM for coaches and faculty
Future considerations for Cal Lutheran Changing demographics Affordability
Summary: Communication strategies for achieving enrollment goals Contact students earlier Search students year-round Engage students through persistent communications Optimize all communications for mobile applications Collect parent email addresses Develop parent communication programs Invite students (and their families) to campus
Thank you! Research report available CONTACT INFORMATION: Pamela Kiecker Royall pkiecker@royall.com 800.899.7227 (office) 804.402.9149 (mobile) for contact during the conference Matthew Ward mward@callutheran.edu 805.493.3481