the 5 c's of college choice
TRANSCRIPT
—The 5 C’s of College Choice.
“Boring.”
“Vague.”
“Generic.”
—Students are often
overloaded by repetitive college communication that fail to answer their questions or concerns.
—The college’s approach can be unbalanced, incomplete, misleading, or ordinary.
—We’ve identified a set of
key factors that colleges can use to connect best
with potential students and their families.
The five core topics
’sTHE
Campus—
EXPERIENCE
Career—
OUTCOMES
Cost—
VALUE
TRIGGERS
Curriculum—
GOALS
Community—
RELATIONSHIPS
MORE STUDENT-FOCUSED MORE FAMILY-FOCUSED
—Diving deeper.
Curriculum—
GOALS
The academic goals that prospective students have
Curriculum
“I liked talking to my new professors and to other students who are interested in
the same stuff I am.”
“I’d like to receive more emails about various degree programs and majors.”
“Not only did they have my major, but I could watch some rehearsals. It gave
me a perfect window into the academic approach and experience.”
“The top thing I look for on each college’s website are the majors.”
“I want to know they have my major, but other options too in case I want to
switch it.”
“The reputation of the academics is really important.”
Curriculum
think a prestigious reputation is an
advantage
are interested in service learning and volunteering
look for the ability to take classes they need or want
32%59%
88%Majors ranked as the number one factor in considering a college
or university.
83%
haven’t chosen a program or major
50%
32%
Curriculum
3 4 5Top PickDo you offer
the program I’m interested in?
OptionsAre there many
options if I want to switch majors?
ReputationIs the college or professor well
known?
Real WorldWhat experiences
enhance the curriculum?
Rank
How does this college compare to
others?
1 2
Campus—
EXPERIENCE
Community experiences that enhance the overall college offer
Campus
“Visiting campus, I expected to see places where students spend a lot of
time, studying or just hanging out.”
“I want to know there are things to do off campus — cool places to hang out,
day trips I can do with my friends.”
“Eating in one of the cafeterias was great. I got a sense of what I’d be eating
all year long.”
“All the campus tours seemed exactly the same. Nothing stood out. It was just
about pointing out buildings.”
“I look at the location: something unique that every other college isn’t also
bragging about.”
“Let us wander. Sometimes the best social stuff is unorganized. Scoping out
cool places is more memorable.”
Campus
want to know about popular places to
hang out with friends
want to know about places to visit off campus.
are curious about food options on campus
are curious about big campus events
Prospective students want to see pictures of student life more than
any other subject.
78%
78%
83%
61%
Campus
LiveWhat off-campus
activities and events are there?
WorkAre there
internships nearby?
PlayWhere might I hang
out with friends?
SleepWhat are the dorms and facilities like?
EatDo they have food options that fit my
needs?
3 4 51 2
Community—
RELATIONSHIPS
The relationships that provide a sense of belonging
Community
“Speaking to current students during the campus tour was the best part. I got
a sense of the people there.”
“I first check out the campus online and see if it’s a place that I can fit in.”
“We were given an introduction by ‘student ambassadors’: horribly
overzealous and painfully awkward.”
“I prefer person-to-person contact. The internet is convenient, but face to face communication and research trumps
looking at a screen any day.”
“A sense of belonging is really important to me.”
“I want somewhere that feels like home, a place where I feel comfortable, and for
me, it’s all about the people.”
Community
are curious about campus safety
are less likely to enroll if they feel they don’t
fit in
want to know accessibility to professors
need support services
Speaking with a current student was the only authentic
experience.
83%
80%
61% 62%
61%
Community
Belonging
Are there people that think like me
so I can fit in?
ChallengeWill the people I meet push me to
succeed?
SafetyIs there a culture
of safety and inclusion?
FamiliarityDoes it resemble where I went to
high school?
Connections
Can I meet the people that I’ll interact with?
3 4 51 2
Career—
OUTCOMES
The outcomes attached to pursuing a degree
Career
“I want to love what I do as a career. I want to make a difference.”
“Real world experience and internships are really imortant. I want to be
prepared for anything.”
“I want to make a difference, so I’m attending college to get the education
I’ll need.”
“I have a lot of goals: internships, study abroad, research opportunities. Those
will help me with my job search.”
“I want to make more money, plain and simple.”
“I don’t want to get out and have all this debt and a degree that’s meaningless.”
Career
want to have a city nearby for internship
opportunities
view service learning as necessary for a career
Professional outcome is the number one value
of a degree
A job they will love is more important than
financial security
Career preparedness ranked 5th in importance
73%83%
5th❤
Career
PassionWill I be able to get a job in the field I
love?
Results
Will I see financial gains from
attending college?
ExperienceWill I be prepared
to interview for the job?
VersatilityWill my degree
and experience be flexible?
ReputationIs the school or program prestigious?
3 4 51 2
Cost—
VALUE
The value associated with the investment
Cost
“Finances made a large part in my decision — a much larger part than
I was prepared for.”
“I looked for the best value: cheapest, but enjoyable and offering
what I needed.”
“I looked over cost with my parents: the financial aid package and
scholarship options.”
“The deciding factor was cost, and how it was tied to location.”
“Cost to attend was one of my top three factors. My parents emphasized
the importance of reviewing everything.”
“Initially I ask about how much it costs to attend and whether they give out a
lot of scholarships.”
Cost
want a financial aid calendar
want amounts of the scholarships awarded
couldn’t attend their first college of choice
because of cost need basic guidance on financial aid and the
process
want info on average academic scholarships
50%
50%
30%
60%
57%
Cost
WorthWhat does the college degree provide me?
ProfitWill I be better off for the investment?
BurdenHow will I manage
to pay back the debt I accrue?
ComparisonsWhat does one
school provide over another?
BudgetDue to the cost, is this school even an
option?
3 4 51 2
—Redefining recruitment.
of students apply to and visit multiple colleges as practice.
85%
• Students don’t know how to prepare years in advance to apply to college. • Students don’t know how to translate college terminology and jargon.
• Students don’t have all necessary information to evaluate colleges.
Know your best-fit students and their influencers well.
Plot the student journey and uncover ways to improve it.
Determine which tactics will make the biggest impact.
Design seamless experiences that build trust.
Attract attention for doing something memorable.
1/ Audiences
2/ Journey
3/ Tactics
4/ Consistency
5/ Differentiate
Know your best-fit students and their influencers well.
Plot the student journey and uncover ways to improve it.
Determine which tactics will make the biggest impact.
Design seamless experiences that build trust.
Attract attention for doing something memorable.
Engage each audience with the right information.
Fix the places where the student is dissatisfied.
Edit existing tactics and keep the stronger ones.
Educate students earlier and build a relationship.
Try something new and distinct to stand out.
1/ Audiences
2/ Journey
3/ Tactics
4/ Consistency
5/ Differentiate
If you’re a higher education professional and want to talk more about how we can help craft your brand communications, email us:
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