As they say, "a picture is worth a thousand words." Check out this chart from the Chronicle of Higher Education that shows enrollment growth over the past ten years among for-profits compared to any other area in higher education. Now think of all the press lately about the questionable enrollment practices among for-profits and ask yourself where our profession is heading. Sobering isn't it?
Families are facing rapidly escalating college costs, are reaching across all funding sources to meet additional college costs, and are very worried about future tuition increases, according to a report just released by Sallie Mae and Gallup. After interviewing over 1,600 undergraduates and parents of undergraduates, the Sallie Mae and Gallup study uncovered some very sobering findings:
· Nearly half (49%) [of parents surveyed] are extremely worried this year that schools will increase tuition compared to less than one-third of parents two years ago.
· One-third of parents are extremely worried that their income will decrease due to job loss, up from 23 percent last year.
· Only 10 percent of parents were extremely worried two years ago that their child wouldn't be able to find a job, but that has risen to 27 percent this year.
· More families reported eliminating schools during the college selection process based on cost after receiving their financial aid packages (40% this year compared to 36% last year and 34% two years ago).
· 63 percent of families report eliminating colleges because of financial considerations at some point in the application process, compared to 56 percent in 2009 and 58 percent in 2008.
I just read an article in the Chronicle that presented a provocative idea: putting enrollment professionals in charge of recruitment and career services. This out-the-box idea seems brilliant and somewhat obvious at the same time, right? But that's exactly what University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School did. Instead of just focusing on the next class of new recruits, admissions folks are now gaining a direct understanding and appreciation for the "back end" of students' academic experiences. One footnote: University of Pennsylvania implemented this expanded role with their MBA program. But why stop there? Let's really throw caution to the wind and consider who this idea could be put into action at more traditional, undergraduate liberal arts institutions. And think about another great benefit: enrollment folks will finally have access to outcomes-based data that have shown---time and time again---to be extremely influential in the college decision process.
Helicopter parents--we know they are out there, hovering over students, ready to swoop in and offer their support and guidance whenever needed. The challenge for many schools is what to do with these well-intended but often exhausting parents. I just read an article that discussed a great way to engage today's parents as students are making the transition to college: refocus new student orientation so that parents' needs are addressed in an open and honest way. How do parents get comfortable with letting their student make decisions on his/her own? How do parents deal with student homesickness? And what about parents who are now empty nesters--how do they deal with that? Schools have developed creative ways to address these questions during new student orientation:
· At Northern Michigan University in Marquette the school plays actual recordings during parent orientation of upperclassmen recreating desperate calls they made home.
· At Stonehill College in Massachusetts parents are invited to attend a lecture on "letting go."
· And at Reed College in Portland, Oregon, parents are invited to read "The Odyssey" then attend a lecture and discuss similar issues to what their student will experience in a freshman humanities course.
I bet these "repurposed orientation programs" will not only help parents redefine their relationship with their student (from helicopter parent to parent of young adult), they may also increase new student retention. Think about it: if parents are comfortable with their student's college environment they will be more likely to encourage them to "stick it out and graduate." Makes sense, right? And why wait until orientation to start this important dialogue with parents. Colleges should expand the conversations they are having with parents during the admissions process by including specific examples of how their school will help make the transition to college a positive experience--for both students and parents.
With continued economic uncertainty, colleges that are truly innovative find a way to work with the challenges they are facing. That's exactly what Albion did--a liberal arts college (with a seemingly high sticker price) in an area plagued with skyrocketing unemployment. This spring, the College instituted the "Albion Advantage," a guarantee that they will help their graduates who struggle to fulfill their career goals by finding them internships or by offering them a free semester of noncredit study. On top of that, the College also beefed up its career services and is offering career support to students much earlier in their Albion career. I love ingenuity in "tough times" and, in my opinion, Albion found a way to make an unattractive situation look a lot better. How's that for making a challenge work for you?
A month or so ago I was flying home to SC and forgot my book, so I picked up Delta's Sky Magazine and I came across this article about crowdsourcing. I immediately started thinking of ways that our clients could use this tool, and I brought the magazine back to DC to share with the team at our next retreat (it isn't stealing, they want you to take them!).
I did some background research on crowdsourcing, and it isn't as new of a technology as i thought. I guess I am behind on the times. It has even been applied in the world of higher ed.
Crowdsourcing is a mass collaboration enabled by web technology. It is a way to include the masses to get opinions on just about anything from product design to brand campaigns... to the design of a new bus station at Universty of Utah.
The term was coined by Jeff Howe in a 2006 article in Wired.
"Crowdsourcing is the act of taking a job traditionally performed by a designated agent and outsourcing it to an undefined, generally large group of people in the form of an open call."
Since te term was coined in 2006, there has been a explosion of different sites using the technique to accomplish a multitude of different tasks. It is inexpensive and in theory it seems like a great way to reach more people... my only question is how? Are you only reaching people who are tech saavy enough to have accounts on these sites? How can you harness this idea on your campus? Think of the possibilities... and please email me (meredith@simpsonscarborough.com) if your campus has used this technology. I am just beginning to learn about it and I am dying to see more of it in action!
These are the articles I read. Definitely worth reading...
http://campustechnology.com/Articles/2010/03/01/Putting-the-IT-in-Crowdsourcing.aspx
http://msp.imirus.com/Mpowered/imirus.jsp?volume=ds10&issue=2&page=72
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.06/crowds.html
--Meredith
From Tufts, to Johns Hopkins, to Ithaca College, check out The 50 Social Media Innovators in Higher Ed. These schools were recently recognized by collegesurfing.com for having "active Twitter feeds, fan-packed Facebook pages, creative YouTube videos, and compelling blogs" that capture the attention of their target audiences and promote their school in a compelling and technologically up-to-date way.
Congratulations!
A few days ago, I posted a blog asking the following question: "What do the following 13 careers have in common?
1. Federal-government manager
2. Higher-education administrator
3. Program evaluator
4. Corporate executive specializing in global business development or managing global workforces
5. Cognitive-behavioral therapist
6. Immigration expert
7. Researcher with expertise in two or more of these subjects: physics, math, molecular biology, engineering and computer science
8. Health-informatics specialist
9. Optometrist
10. Genetic counselor
11. Patient advocate
12. Physical therapist
13. Veterinarian
Well it's time for the big reveal~! Drum roll, please. J These 13 careers, according to Kiplinger.com, promise income growth, work-life balance and social impact over the next decade. And look, those of you in higher-ed administration actually made the list! Yes!
What do the following 13 careers have in common?
1. Federal-government manager
2. Higher-education administrator
3. Program evaluator
4. Corporate executive specializing in global business development or managing global workforces
5. Cognitive-behavioral therapist
6. Immigration expert
7. Researcher with expertise in two or more of these subjects: physics, math, molecular biology, engineering and computer science
8. Health-informatics specialist
9. Optometrist
10. Genetic counselor
11. Patient advocate
12. Physical therapist
13. Veterinarian
Let me know what you think! Send your response to jp@simpsonscarborough.com
I will post the correct response in a few days. Stay tuned. J
Have you seen "With Their Whole Lives Ahead of Them?" It's the first of three reports describing students' views on higher education and college completion. This report includes very interesting myths and realities about why students fail to finish college. Check this out:
Myth # 1: Most students go to college full-time. If they leave without a degree, it's because they're bored with their classes and don't want to work hard.
Reality #1: Most students leave college because they are working to support themselves and going to school at the same time. At some point, the stress of work and study just becomes too difficult.
Myth #2: Most college students are supported by their parents and take advantage of a multitude of available loans, scholarships, and savings plans.
Reality #2: Young people who fail to finish college are often going it alone financially. They're essentially putting themselves through school.
Myth #3: Most students go through a meticulous process of choosing their college from an array of alternatives.
Reality #3: Among students who don't graduate, the college selection process is far more limited and often seems happenstance and uninformed.
Myth #4: Students who don't graduate understand fully the value of a college degree and the consequences and trade-offs of leaving school without a diploma.
Reality #4: Students who leave college realize that a diploma is an asset, but they may not fully recognize the impact dropping out of school will have on their future.
