paving the way for greater access – effectively communicating with parents and students
DESCRIPTION
Paving the Way for Greater Access – Effectively Communicating with Parents and Students. Madeleine Rhyneer Vice President for Enrollment Management Albion College. Engaging parents creates greater opportunity for recruitment and enrollment, as well as improved student retention. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Paving the Way for Greater Access –Effectively Communicating with Parents and Students
Madeleine Rhyneer Vice President for Enrollment ManagementAlbion College
Engaging parents creates greater opportunity for recruitment and enrollment, as well as improved student retention
Key findings:Communication and influence
Overview of studies on college costs, parental influence, and communication preferences
Online surveys of students and parents of prospective studentsStudents
- 6,372 participants- 2012 enrollment cycle
Parents - 4,878 participants from two surveys- Survey 1: Focused on parental influence and communication preferences – 2,832 participants during 2012 enrollment cycle- Survey 2: Focused on college options, cost, and decision criteria – 2,046 participants during 2013 enrollment cycle
A few key findingsfrom students
43.1% of studentshave a smartphone
56.2% of parents have a smartphone
90.8% of students have a cell phoneor smartphone
Among the students who own smartphones:
94.0% also own a laptop or desktop computer.
42.1% have a smartphone, desktop computer, and laptop.
Devices used
Devices used – longitudinal data
18.1%
22.3%
43.1%
Growing Smartphone Ownership Among Students
2012
2011
2010
Emails Letters Printed brochures
Institutional websites
Virtual video tours
Social networks
Viewbooks Mobile-friendly websites
0.0
20.0
40.0
60.0
80.0
100.0
Necessary for Students Necessary for Parents
Channels students view as necessary for colleges to use
Texting to mobile phones
Online discussion
forums
Blogs Instant messaging
Streaming videos
Video chats Wikis Audio/video casts
RSS feeds0.0
20.0
40.0
Necessary for Students Necessary for Parents
Channels students view as less necessary
A few key findingsfrom Parents
The primary areas of parental influence
Mean scores are based on a 5-point scale, where 1 = no influence and 5 = significant influence.
Top Four Answers Mean Score
How much is spent on your child’s college education 4.38
The amount of debt the family will incur for your child’s education 4.37
The amount of personal debt your child will incur 4.10
Whether your child contributes personal funds to pay for college 3.91
Bottom Four Answers Mean Score
The distance from home to the school your child attends 2.85
The environment (urban, rural, suburban) of the school your child attends 2.77
The size of the school your child attends 2.61
What academic major your child pursues 2.56
How parents engage in college choice
• Talked with child about schools being considered
• Searched for information on a college’s website
• Read printed materials colleges sent to child
• Read email messages sent directly to parent
• Helped child compare options by weighing the pros and cons of different schools
• Talked with child about different college majors
• Talked with child about financing college
Reported by 75% or more of parents responding
How parents get the information they need
• 85.4% by searching on college websites
• 84.3% by reading materials mailed to them and/or their child from colleges
• 81.0% by reading email sent to them and/or their child
• 75.0% by searching for information online using popular search engines
When parents want specific information
FreshmanYear
SophomoreYear
Junior Year
SeniorYear
Costs (e.g., tuition, housing, fees) 76.9% 49.8% 73.3% 52.4%
Financing college 75.0% 40.6% 58.7% 34.8%
Financial aid 73.5% 43.1% 62.1% 47.1%
Scholarships 70.4% 46.0% 65.3% 46.2%
General information about the college 64.9% 44.1% 48.8% 15.0%
Application dates/deadline reminders 59.1% 21.4% 49.6% 60.6%
Room and board options 56.5% 26.9% 44.2% 50.3%
Housing options 54.4% 25.7% 43.8% 49.4%
Location of the school and area around it 47.3% 27.8% 39.4% 14.3%
Degree programs 41.6% 27.3% 37.9% 12.3%
Majors/minors 38.6% 24.4% 34.1% 11.4%
Career opportunities related to specific majors 26.5% 21.7% 29.5% 17.2%
Parents want to receive information directly from colleges as well as view materials sent to their child
73.4%
13.7%
12.9%
Parent communication preference Sent to Parent Sent to Student Sent to Parent and Student
How most parents prefer to receive information
Primary Channel Secondary Channel
Costs Mail Web
Financing college Mail Email
Financial aid Mail Email
Scholarships Mail Email
General information about the college Mail Web
Application deadline reminders Email Mail
Campus safety Web Email
Room and board options Web Mail
Housing options Web Mail
Another view
Email Mail Web Phone
Costs (e.g., tuition, housing, fees) 62.4% 73.2% 67.7% 11.6%
Financing college 56.3% 66.6% 52.9% 23.1%
Financial aid 61.6% 70.8% 51.3% 34.7%
Scholarships 65.2% 67.9% 50.7% 38.2%
General information about the college 46.0% 62.0% 56.6% 12.1%
Application deadline reminders 80.3% 44.3% 39.8% 45.1%
Campus safety 43.1% 40.9% 63.4% 15.0%
Room and board options 45.0% 55.2% 60.3% 6.9%
Housing options 44.4% 53.7% 61.1% 7.5%
Some popular digital channels … not so popular
• Just 1.7% have followed a school on Twitter
• Just 2.6% have used online chat with a school representative
• Just 4.9% have used RSS to subscribe to school updates
Overall, parents are unlikely to rely upon blogs, podcasts,chats, wikis, and other social digital channels
• Parents believe they have the most influence over the financial aspects of college choice
• Parents desire information, and they also want their children to have information
• With each entering class, parents are more likely to be Internet savvy and increasingly mobile in their use of technology
Key insights
Desired content will vary throughout the college search• Financial planning and feasibility > freshman year• General college information > sophomore year• Specific schools, majors, careers, scholarships and financial aid >
junior year• Applications (tips and deadlines), enrollment, housing > senior year
Key insights
Key findings:College cost and considerations
College cost is a concern, but it is not the only thing parents are worried about when considering their child’s college choice.
What makes you most concerned or anxious about your child’s college choice? Mean
The cost of attending first-choice school 1.57
Whether he/she will be admitted to first-choice school 1.77
The cost of attending any college 1.87
If the college where he/she enrolls will be a good fit 1.88
How much financial support will be provided 2.06
Whether he/she will be successful in college 2.07
His/her personal safety on campus 2.20
His/her exposure to drugs and alcohol on campus 2.30
Whether he/she will be able to get a job after graduation 2.40
Whether the cost of attendance will increase after enrollment 2.60
Means are based on rankings from 1 to 3, where 1 indicates greatest concern.
Key finding #1
Other expressed concerns include:• Debt their child would have upon graduation
• Their child’s ability to complete college in four years
• Whether their child will be admitted to graduate school after college
Additional concerns
More than one in four parents are unsure about how much they will invest annually in their child’s education.
What is the maximum amount you would pay from income and savings and/or with borrowed funds per year?
Total Amount
Income and Savings
Borrowed/ Loan Amount
Percent Percent Percent
Unsure/don’t know 28.0 22.2 30.2
$5,000 or less 9.8 15.3 18.7
$5,001-$10,000 8.3 15.0 18.7
$10,001-$15,000 9.3 11.7 11.2
$15,001-$20,000 9.1 6.9 7.0
$20,001-$25,000 8.6 8.1 4.0
$25,001-$30,000 7.1 6.3 3.6
$30,001-$35,000 3.3 2.6 0.6
$35,001-$40,000 3.6 2.7 1.2
$40,001-$45,000 2.3 2.0 1.4
$45,001-$50,000 3.6 2.2 1.2
More than $50,000 7.0 5.2 2.0
Key finding #2
Income and Savings Amount Borrowed/Loan Amount
Without 4-Year Degree With 4-Year Degree Without 4-Year Degree With 4-Year Degree
Percent Percent Percent Percent
Unsure/don’t know 33.7 18.3 39.8 26.3
$5,000 or less 23.8 14.1 10.8 20.6
$5,001-$10,000 13.9 15.2 10.8 21.0
$10,001-$15,000 11.9 12.4 17.2 10.4
$15,001-$20,000 6.9 6.9 9.7 6.7
$20,001-$25,000 5.0 9.2 2.2 4.2
$25,001-$30,000 3.0 6.9 2.2 3.8
$30,001-$35,000 1.0 2.7 1.1 0.6
$35,001-$40,000 0.0 3.4 1.1 1.5
$40,001-$45,000 0.0 2.2 0.0 1.9
$45,001-$50,000 1.0 2.7 2.2 1.3
More than $50,000 0.0 6.1 3.2 1.9
More than one in four parents are unsure about how much they will invest annually in their child’s education.
Key finding #2 – by educational attainment
Key finding #2 – by type of schools under consideration
51%
17%
8%
24%
Considering Public Only
40%
11%6%
43%
Considering Private Only
Unsure/don’t know
$15,000 or less
$15,001-$30,000
$30,001 or more
Parents will rely on a number of different resources to cover college costs. • Parents indicated the portion of total education costs they
expect to be covered by different sources– Grants and scholarships– Income and savings– Borrowed funds/loans
Key finding #3
Key finding #3 – expected funding by sources – some or all
0.0%
20.0%
40.0%
60.0%
55.7% 53.9%
37.9%
0.0%
2.0%
4.0%
6.0%
8.0%
10.0%
9.4%
5.4%
2.4%
Parents who expect a portion of child’s education to be funded
from each source
Parents who expect 100% of child’s education to be funded
from each source
Income/savings
LoansGrants/scholarships
Income/savings
Grants/scholarships
Loans
Without4-Year Degree
With4-Year Degree
Percent Percent
Academic grants and scholarships (funds that will NOT need to be repaid) 40.9 36.7
Funds from your income 22.1 27.1
Funds your child will borrow (including student loans provided by the school) 29.5 23.1
Funds from your savings other than college savings plans 10.9 23.1
Other grants and scholarships (funds that will NOT need to be repaid) 21.0 20.8
Funds from a 529 or other college savings plan 8.5 22.5
Funds you will borrow (bank loans, home mortgage, credit cards, PLUS loans) 23.0 19.6
Athletic grants and scholarships (funds that will NOT need to be repaid) 19.6 12.9
Funds provided by relatives and friends 4.1 9.2
Your child’s income and/or savings 7.2 8.1Percentages represent the portion of the total education costs parents expect to be covered by each source.
Key finding #3 – expected funding by educational attainment
Parents may be waiting too late in the college search process to enable optimal decisions that balance cost and quality.
When parents are most likely to focus on college costs Percent
Costs will come into play only after the admission decision and financial awards are received. 50.6
I am considering cost of attending throughout the college search process. 33.4
Cost of attending will be/was considered during the application phase. 11.4
Unsure/don’t know 2.6
Key finding #4
The school characteristics parents value most are ones that will set their child up for success – in school and upon graduation.
When you think about college costs and what your child gets for the price you pay, what would you say is most valuable to you? Mean
Excellence in teaching 1.66
Successful job placement after college 1.90
Strong support services for students’ academic success 1.95
Successful graduate school placement after college 2.00
National/international reputation 2.01
Strong institutional traditions 2.02
Small class sizes 2.12
Safe and secure campus environment 2.19
Modern, state-of-the-art classrooms, laboratories, and other academic resources 2.19
Means are based on rankings from 1 to 3, where 1 is most valuable.
Key finding #5
Parents want information about costs throughout their child’s high school career, but more seem to expect it in the student’s junior year.
Student’sFreshman
Year
Student’sSophomore
Year
Student’sJunior
Year
Student’sSenior
Year
Percent Percent Percent Percent
Sources of funds to pay for college 34.8 25.4 43.7 35.0
Costs (e.g., tuition, fees, housing) 32.1 33.7 68.8 45.9
Financial aid 29.3 22.1 47.1 46.1
Scholarships 29.3 27.2 60.0 54.3
Key finding #6
Parent engagementstrategies in practice
Global strategies for parent communications
• Building communication campaigns specifically for parents
• Providing financial information to support discussions within households
• Designing on-campus events for parents
• Strengthening your website with a parent “portal”
• Maximizing online search outcomes (SEO efforts)
The case at Albion College
A few examples:
• Email campaign throughout admission process
• On-campus and online events for parents
• Structured faculty/parent interaction during campus visit programs
• Web and print promotion of “The Albion Advantage” and alumni success stories
• Mail piece to parents debunking the myth that college is too expensive and not worth the investment
• Flyer included in each visit packet for students/parents on campus describing paying for college as a partnership where the parents, the college/university, the student, and perhaps the state/federal government all play a role.
Albion has 4,531 parent email addresses from last year’s Search. These will be used to communicate with parents in the future.
Parent Email SubmissionsSearch 2013
ProvidedParent Email
4,53146%
NoParent Email
5,27154%
Albion is focusing efforts on trying to collect parent email addressesto make a more holistic experience
The case at Albion College
ProvidedParent Email
4,53146%
NoParent Email
5,27154%
Can parental involvement improve application submission rates?
• Test goal– Can we increase the application submission rate by sending
email deadline reminders to the parents?
• Test setup
– Control group – emails sent to only the prospective students
– Test group – additional emails sent to the parents
The case at Albion College
Questions?