Student Outlook

The first collaborative market research project with prospective college students in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin -
1,800 telephone interviews - was completed with high school sophomores and juniors during fall 2002. Large sample size supported reporting by gender, academic preparation, ethnicity, high school size, family affluence, and grade level by state.

Membership in Student Outlook^SM is open
to private colleges and universities.

The survey will be repeated at three-year intervals or in response to requests from clients. Additional states/ geographic regions will be available.

Interested? email or call (651-293-9543) Carol Stack now.

A FEW POSSIBLE USES FOR THE SYNDICATED RESEARCH:	^ top ^

• Identify student segments more likely to apply and enroll, enabling more efficient inquiry generation activities – focus your efforts on better "matches," and eliminate disinterested segments from your direct marketing activities.

• Understand why some prospects consider only public universities and determine strategies to attract their interest.

• Identify messages that would increase consideration of private colleges by those students who are primarily focused on public institutions.

• Identify which kinds of students prefer email, telephone, direct mail or other communication media so you can allocate your budget more effectively.

• Identify appropriate timing and frequency of the mail stream you send to students – don’t become a ”stalker” college, and don’t get lost in the search piece shuffle.

• Create communication programs and messages that are specific and meaningful to your critical prospect segments – for use in an integrated strategy across all channels – including human “touch points” such as personal calls and campus visits.

• Enhance the on-campus visit experience by designing targeted programs to appeal to key student segments.

QUESTIONS THE SURVEY WILL ANSWER:	^ top ^

(Results reported by gender, academic ability, high school size, location, family affluence, current class, and ethnic groups (with ability to oversample in any of these areas at additional cost)

• What percentage of prospects in my primary recruitment area are:

• aware of my college?
• considering private colleges only? Public only? Both?
• considering large vs. small?
• considering regional vs. national reputation?
• considering colleges more or less selective than mine?

• What are the characteristics of prospects considering publics only? How do they differ from prospects also considering private colleges? How do these sets of characteristics differ from those of my current student base?

• What are the attribute and psychological barriers to consideration of private colleges? What messages and understandings would prompt students to consider private colleges more seriously? What are these students’ preferred communication vehicles?

• What's important to each segment? What college characteristics are they looking for? What characteristics do they associate with publics or privates and how motivating are these characteristics:

• Class size
• Quality of faculty
• Tuition/price
• Total enrollment
• Athletics (spectator and participant opportunities)
• Academic rigor
• Social opportunities
• Involvement of the faculty (get to know each student)
• Interaction with faculty
• Benefits associated with surrounding community/area
• Productive learning environments (Are they aware of differences? Are they important?)

• At what grade level is it optimal to begin communicating with prospects? Sophomore? Junior? What are the influential messages at each grade level?

• How do optimal messages and communication tools evolve as prospects expand their search (and narrow their consideration set)?

• How do males and females differ in their perceptions of and interest in public and private colleges?

• How is the Web/Internet being used to assist in the search and consideration process? What is an appropriate Web/interactive strategy? What is an optimal Web “attitude” or personality?

• How does college choice correlate with personality typology?

• What are the roles of parents, siblings, peers, teachers, counselors and other key influencers in the college selection process?

• How many, by segment, have visited a college? What is the impact of a college visit early in the consideration process?

• What are students looking for that is different from their high school experience? … or similar to their high school experience?

• How do they behave as consumers – what are their leisure pursuits and lifestyle characteristics?