There are a number of trends in recruitment and enrollment that are having a significant impact on how institutions go about attracting students. This includes shifts in demographics and increased mobility of students, as well as the increasing cost of higher education in many countries. A Lawlor Group report from 2013 highlights recent developments in higher education that will affect enrollment and recruitment:
Many of these are unsurprising, such as the rise of MOOCs and other online offerings, shifts
in public perception of higher education and its value, and perhaps most notably, changes in
demography and the need to tap into two very important markets: adult learners and
international students.
RECRUITMENT EFFORTS: COMMON AND EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES
A poll conducted by Noel‐Levitz in 2013 asked admissions officers what the five most
effective marketing strategies were for the prior year. Figure 2.2 shows which strategies
were the top ten strategies for recruitment at polled institutions.
Notably, most of these are event‐driven and involve direct interaction with prospective
students. Thus, while institutions are indeed relying on social media and digital presence to
define their brand and attract students, traditional forms of outreach are still among the most effective and popular recruitment strategies that institutions use to increase enrollments.
Other findings from the poll about marketing in higher education include:
Many of these are unsurprising, such as the rise of MOOCs and other online offerings, shifts
in public perception of higher education and its value, and perhaps most notably, changes in
demography and the need to tap into two very important markets: adult learners and
international students.
RECRUITMENT EFFORTS: COMMON AND EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES
A poll conducted by Noel‐Levitz in 2013 asked admissions officers what the five most
effective marketing strategies were for the prior year. Figure 2.2 shows which strategies
were the top ten strategies for recruitment at polled institutions.
Notably, most of these are event‐driven and involve direct interaction with prospective
students. Thus, while institutions are indeed relying on social media and digital presence to
define their brand and attract students, traditional forms of outreach are still among the most effective and popular recruitment strategies that institutions use to increase enrollments.
Other findings from the poll about marketing in higher education include:
- Among the least effective strategies and tactics for both private and public four‐year institutions were radio ads, asking current students or alumni for applicant referrals,online college fairs, and billboard/bus/outdoor advertising.
- Running television ads was rated a top practice in 2013 only by two‐year public institutions, but was not being used by more than a quarter of survey respondents in this sector.
- Four‐year public institutions increased their volume of written contacts (direct mail,e‐mail, and texting), and their purchasing of search list names from list vendors since Noel‐Levitz’s 2011 study.
- Only about one‐third to one‐half of respondents reported having a strategic, multiyear enrollment plan that they believed was of high quality.
- The preferred method of communication with potential students during first and subsequent contacts is email, though mailers and brochures are still used by a significant number of institutions.
