Tip:
Providing Answers Easily and Effectively on the Web
By Kristin Carpenter
The Millennials. The Internet Generation. The Wired Generation.
The MySpace Generation. The MyPod Generation.
The list goes on, each catchy term representing those born
in the mid-80s to late-90s. It is the generation that college
admissions officers try to attract as prospective students
to their institutions.
In the past, Student Horizons, Inc. has reported that 85%
of online 17-year-olds use the Internet to search for schools,
according to Pew Internet and American Life Project’s
Teens and Technology Report, November 2005. E-marketing, commonly
in the form of large eSearch campaigns, has proven an effective
tool for recruiting. But, the process doesn’t stop there.
Chances are if a prospective student is interested in a particular
school, one of the first places he/she will go to learn more
is the school’s admissions landing page. Schools need
to embrace this reality and ensure their admissions landing
page is an effective e-marketing tool.
Admission officers across the country share
the same goal: Attract as many qualified prospective students
as possible. To increase your chances of success, it is vital
to create a strong presence on the Web.
Think about a time you wanted to learn more about a company
or product. If you are like me, you instinctively go to the
Web, type the name of the company/product into Google, Yahoo,
or another search engine, and rely on the search engine to
lead you to the appropriate website. Once I arrive at that
destination, I quickly scan through pages for what I’m
looking for – and sometimes, can’t find it. With
such a heavy reliance on the Internet these days, nothing
is more frustrating than not finding what you need –
quickly – with the click of a mouse.
You don’t want prospective students running into this
problem when they end up on your admissions landing page.
Within this page, college-bound teenagers should easily find
what they are looking for. The Internet no longer serves as
just a complementary resource for the college search; in some
cases, it’s the primary source of information.
We've identified the following top five things students want
from a college's admissions page (the same can apply to a
general admissions email for prospective students). How does
your website measure up?
5 Things Students Want to Learn from a College Admissions
Page
|
| 1. |
What
programs are offered |
| 2. |
When
and how to apply |
| 3. |
How
they go about visiting campus |
| 4. |
Information
about the student body |
| 5. |
Tuition/cost
and financial aid information |
Prospective students should be able to find this information
easily and without frustration. Navigating the page should
be intuitive. The quicker the better. Remember – your
website may be a student’s first interaction with your
school. When they are used to finding things with the click
of a button, you don’t want them to feel slowed down.
How do you know if your website is an effective e-marketing
tool for prospective students? Try this. Take on the persona
of a college-bound teenager and view your site as you have
never seen it before. Can you easily and intuitively find
the information listed above?
The site should guide students through the admissions process,
making the journey as simple as possible. A good website increases
the chances of easy navigation, and, in return, interested
students.
Top
10 Things to Keep In Mind When Looking for
that “Perfect” College
Student/Teacher Relationship
What is the student/teacher ratio? How big are classes? Are
students merely lectured at or involved in discussions? Are
students just another face in a big class? Are students and
teachers on a name basis? Are there opportunities for one-on-one
time with teachers (ex. office hours)? Are evaluations of
teachers completed at the end of the semester, and then used
and considered? Is it common for students and teachers to
establish relationships that extend past a course? Do students
go to teachers for recommendations?
Living Situation
What percentage of students lives on campus? Is there opportunity
to live on campus past your freshman year? Are residence halls
co-ed? How is the roommate selection process? Are there any
themed dorms, such as substance free, international, etc.?
Do a lot of students commute to the school? Is it common for
students to go home on the weekends?
Athletics
What varsity teams are offered? Are sports of a big focus
at the school? Do a lot of students attend sporting events?
What club sports teams are offered? Are there intramurals?
Other extracurricular activities? What sorts of recreational
facilities are on campus? Is there a gym? Does the gym offer
classes?
Academic Studies
Is this school a liberal arts school? What majors are offered?
Is the school particularly well known for a specific area
of study? Are there any prerequisite requirements for application
(ex. SAT IIs)? Are there any special programs? Are there places
I can go if I need help in a class? Leaning Centers? Tutors?
Social Opportunities
What do students do for fun? What percentage of students participate
in Greek Life (fraternities/sororities)? What clubs can I
join? Are there student centers? Where do students go on campus
to hang out? Are there any special events on campus? Does
the school have a lot of speakers visit? Concerts? Movies?
Is it hard to meet people? Date? Are there a lot of parties
off campus?
Diversity
What ethnicities make up the student body? What is the male
to female ratio? Do students share similar experiences? Are
most students from in-state/out-of-state? What regions of
the US are most students from?
Campus Atmosphere
Is there a strong political presence on campus? Religious?
Are students regularly out and about on campus? Is there a
lot of student interaction?
Resources/Looking Ahead
Does the school have resources that plan students for life
beyond college? Is there a learning center? An academic advising/career
development center? Does the college help students find employment
post-graduation? Does the school offer resume workshops, mock
interviews, etc. that help prepare students for the “real
world”?
Engaged Students
Are there opportunities for study abroad? Undergraduate research?
Internships? Service learning opportunities? Do students participate
in open discussions in their classes? Are there opportunities
for “hands on” learning?
Surrounding Community
Is campus located near a city? In a valley? Near the mountains?
What other opportunities does the area offer outside of campus?
Are there malls? Shopping centers? Restaurants? Do students
get along with residents of the area?
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