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?

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?