New Research Identifies Student Segments and Effective Strategies Institutions Should Implement for Engaging Each Population to Stay Relevant in Today's Competitive Higher Education Climate
BOSTON, Dec. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Encoura, an industry-leading educational technology and research organization, announced today the publication of the Eduventures 2023 Student Sentiment Research Report. The annual report provides firsthand insights on student perceptions about institutional marketing and communication, as well as students' college search behaviors, to empower higher education enrollment and marketing officers with more effective engagement strategies.
With students coming out of high school in a pandemic, uncertainties of admissions post-affirmative action, ongoing public discussions questioning the value of a college education, and a drop in high school graduates, it's clear that colleges and universities need to develop intentional and effective outreach strategies to stay relevant and attain enrollment goals. How should institutions needing to move away from a "one size fits all" approach to recruitment strategically use their time and resources? Which channels and content effectively engage students from critical populations that colleges and universities may be missing?
This year's Eduventures Student Sentiment Research Report pinpoints five important high school student segments and provides insights on the college search activities and preferences of each group. Additionally, it details specific outreach strategies that institutions should leverage to most effectively engage each group and concludes with key practical steps enrollment and marketing teams with limited bandwidth can take to be most successful.
Key Research Findings Include:
- Prioritizing three digital strategies can help reach out-of-state students.
- Digital ads reach first-generation students from low-income households.
- Latine students can benefit from a grassroots recruitment approach.
- Social media helps black students assess fit.
Sophomores are covering the basics of college search in stealth mode. "As the competition for high school students' attention increases, it's a crucial time for colleges and universities to commit to outreach strategies that will have the biggest impact toward their missions and enrollment goals. This year's Student Sentiment Research empowers institutions with specific methods they can leverage to most successfully grow and diversify the prospective student populations they engage," said Johanna Trovato, Eduventures Principal Analyst and primary author of this study.
Today's high school students are constantly receiving messages about what their futures should look like. It's essential for institutions in a competitive market to prioritize their most important recruitment tool–their website–while taking strategic steps to diversify recruitment plans to meet students where and how they are best served. This report provides forward-thinking outreach strategies that will help institutions attract, engage, and enroll the best students for their schools.
About Encoura, LLC
Encoura, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of ACT, is an educational data science and research organization serving over 2,000 member institutions comprising public and private colleges and universities across the nation. Since 1972, Encoura has been a leading provider of data science, technology, and programs serving students, high school educators, colleges, and universities from its offices in Austin, TX and Boston, MA. These solutions represent the link between students making important life decisions and those providing the resources and information they need to succeed in their post-secondary educations and careers. For more information, visit https://encoura.org.
Members of the media who would like to speak to the author of this report or obtain a copy of the report can contact Todd Boullion at [email protected].
Media Contact
Todd Boullion, Encoura, 512-750-2634, [email protected], https://encoura.org
Maggie Lamond, Encoura, 7814546731, [email protected], https://encoura.org
SOURCE Encoura
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