As the pool of available college students continues to shrink in the face of a looming demographic cliff, stakes are getting higher to develop the right approach to attract students. The Hechinger Report details how colleges are now closing at a rate of one a week.
Hechinger higher education editor Jon Marcus writes: “Mergers are also picking up, though they almost always end with the struggling partner fading away. Woodbury University is being merged into the University of Redlands, and St. Augustine College in Chicago into Lewis University.”
These school closures are part of an ever-changing landscape for colleges as they look to thrive in spite of closures, the demographic cliff for college-age students and ongoing conversations questioning the value of a college degree. Colleges must actively seek innovative ways to distinguish themselves, attracting students to the concept of higher education and compelling them to choose their particular school.
Attracting Students with Affordability
Although a nationwide free college plan was axed, many states have adopted tuition-free community college programs to draw students into continuing their academic careers. The most recent ones include Massachusetts, which expanded its tuition-free community college to cover all students in a move expected to draw 45,000 new students within a year of implementation. This fall, for the first time, the state of Michigan is covering up to $4,800 a year of community college tuition costs for most recent high school graduates.
The Chronicle of Higher Education surveyed attitudes toward student loan forgiveness during President Biden’s initial push for a federal free college program. Over 80% of respondents said the government should prioritize making college more affordable for future students.
“Adjusted for inflation, average tuition and fees at public four-year institutions increased 150% over the past three decades,” writes reporter Audrey Williams June.
Championing affordability by spending more on marketing that affordability may seem juxtaposed, but it is necessary as institutions seek to stand out. As institutions try to attract more diverse student populations, they must also diversify their marketing efforts to reach new populations in nontraditional ways. This is an investment – often a bigger one than higher ed marketers are used to – requiring research, then implementation, collecting feedback on results and beyond.
Accessible Education for High-Demand Jobs
Colleges and private businesses are partnering in creative ways to offer scholarships to financially reward completion – particularly in support of career readiness in high-demand fields.
Here in Virginia, this looks like the Virginia Community College System’s G3 and FastForward programs. Connecticut’s PACT (Pledge to Advance CT) funding covers the gap between federal and state grants students receive, as well as community college tuition and fees. Tennessee Promise is both a scholarship and a mentoring program that provides high school grads free tuition at community and technical colleges. The community college stigma is slowly fading as workforce development programs and low-cost credentials are rising in popularity. This gets students on a fast track when they finish a one- or two-year program and can get right to work.
Taking Education Personally
Private and public four-year universities, like Ferrum College and Radford University, are making strides in affordability. In April 2023, Ferrum College announced the Panther Promise program for in-state students, which provides free tuition to qualifying students. Radford is offering a similar tuition program for the 2024-2025 school year. The Radford Tuition Promise covers costs for Virginia residents with a family-adjusted gross income (AGI) of $100,000 or less and a Student Aid Index (SAI) of less than $15,000.
We’re also seeing more personalization of the way students study and create their own majors, including night classes and virtual learning that can accommodate schedules. Tactics like direct mail are making a comeback, with the ability to personalize messaging and track effectiveness based on online behavior. New content management systems allow for an Amazon experience on college websites, with students able to take more control of their online registration and completion of classes.
Aside from online accessibility, AccessU Faculty member Monica Gomez says having the personal touch of a one-on-one advisor goes a long way.
“Students who are younger and coming from high school may not have the focus of what they want to do for the rest of their lives,” says Gomez. “It’s very important they talk to an advisor to set expectations about scholarships and have more guidance overall when it comes to financial aid and other factors.”
Meeting Students Where They Are
Marketers should be careful not to overwhelm potential students with tons of writing on flyers and pamphlets that can go overlooked and underread. Gomez says creating step-by-step videos and designing direct how-to guides can be more impactful.
This could include tutorials through YouTube, TikTok, and reels on Instagram and Facebook.
For AccessU Faculty member Ricky Parker, reading about the latest statistics on college tuition rates is very on-pulse with what he’s been hearing about affordability from his students.
“We’re entering a place in higher ed where there’s no longer a mandatory formula of going to get your bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate,” says Parker. “I’m not saying the bachelor’s degree is going to be obsolete, but I think a lot of other things can complement it.”
COVID-19 brought to light virtual learning opportunities and the benefits, for some, of remote learning and saving money on room and board. However, students often need more direction about what they could do with a degree once they have it, so they will be inclined to apply in the first place.
“We need to push students to find their path and be more intentional. There is a cost to college; people shouldn’t take a lackluster approach to these decisions,” says Parker.
Roadmaps to Success for Everyone
Parker says a great option for marketers is to show clear pathways from majors to careers. Students aren’t always aware of the roadmaps of their degrees. This marketing personalization aids in retention to keep students engaged on the road to completing their education. Consider the value of communicating a student’s return on investment before, during and after enrollment, as well as after graduation, to show progression. There’s also value outside the classroom students can take advantage of long after graduation. Alumni networks are great referral programs that can be leveraged to serve as advocates and some of the best ambassadors. Show students that when they register for college, they’re opening doors for themselves, and accessing a new network, a career support system.
Marketers should consider the “customer life cycle” of students. The cost of college often isn’t on students’ minds until they are high school seniors, but the topics surrounding college loom as early as elementary and middle school for students and parents. Right now, there is too much focus put on teens. Marketers should communicate with students sooner about career and education opportunities. A student in elementary school is going to absorb that information so much earlier, with more time to form critical thoughts around that decision.