Dive Brief:
- Mass emails and generic marketing are no longer enough to attract a student body amid increased competition among colleges.
- University Business reports schools are experimenting with microsites for individual applicants, greater tracking of student engagement with messaging, increased social media presence, and personalized touches like handwritten notes.
- Beyond the admissions office, some schools are enlisting alumni and faculty help and offering prospective parents the chance to speak to parents of current students for more information about campus.
Dive Insight:
All students have multiple options when choosing a post-secondary path and the most sought-after students can be especially picky. To reach a generation raised with instant gratification, colleges have to step up their communication game. For smaller schools that don’t have the resources to use high-tech digital tools, University Business reports many have found success by preferencing personal touches like handwritten postcards or hand-delivered acceptance letters — in the case of Washington College in Maryland, those are from students dressed as George Washington. The key, all around, is making students feel like they are a priority.