Get with the program

GET WITH THE

How colleges and universities can provide better major, minor, degree, and certificate information on the web

PROGRAMDoug Gapinski of mStoner

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@DougGapinski

#heweb14

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It’s so totally not what it sounds like.

Defining programs:

In the context of this presentation programs means majors, minors, degrees, concentrations, and certificates.

Defining program pages:

The web page or pages to represent majors, minors, degrees, and certificates.

#heweb14

What are some of the best program pages (degrees, minors, concentrations,

or certificates) you’ve seen?

Five reasons why program pages matter

When is a prospective student not a prospective student?

Great examples

Kicking off your very own program page redux initiative

Five reasons why program pages matter

1Program listings are the top priority forprospective students – according to them!

0%

7.5%

15.0%

22.5%

30.0%

Academic program/ major listing Cost Academic program/ majors details Financial aid Scholarships Enrollment/ admissions information Housing details

Students Parents

First content targets on college and university websites

Source: Noel-Levitz

How can you demonstrate value?

29%

22%

16%18%

4%

33%

25%

32%

6% 5%

Academic program content Testimonials Statistics (job placement/grad schools) Videos Calculators

SeniorsParents

How can colleges and universitiesdemonstrate value?

Source: Noel-Levitz

2For higher education, the programs are the core products!

But what about the experience?

What about the faculty?

Has a Ph.D.

What about the facilities?

All that stuff is important.

But the core products that colleges and universities offer are the programs.

The product needs to look and feel valuable!

The product needs to look and feel valuable!

3College is expensive!(And program pages are one of the biggest

opportunities to demonstrate value)

The average cost (tuition and fees) of one year of college as an undergraduate in 2013–2014:

$30,094 – private colleges & universities

$22,203 – public universities, out-of-state

$8,893 – public universities, in-state

Source: Collegeboard

For four years:

$120,376 – private colleges & universities

$88,812 – public universities, out-of-state

$35,572 – public universities, in-state

Note: financial aid, inflation, average time to complete (about 55 months and variable based on type of institution) aren’t calculated into the numbers above.

Source: Collegeboard

m

• Ranked #1 liberal arts college in the nation

• 17% acceptance rate

• $46,600 per year (tuition and fees)

• Economics is their most popular program (major for 19% of undergraduate students)

•Source

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Does this page looks like it demonstrates the value of a $186,400 product?

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• Very little information for a prospective student

• Majority of page describesfunctional requirements for current students

• References to class of 2007 and 2008

• No links to apply, request information, or visit

• 20% of visual real estate goes to an empty events feed

•

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• Very little information for a prospective student

• Majority of page describesfunctional requirements for current students

• References to class of 2007 and 2008

• No links to apply, request information, or visit

• 20% of visual real estate goes to an empty events feed

•

4Because Google.

Because Google is handing you targeted leads that don’t come through your home page or your admissions pages.

This is the average number of monthly searches for “best college” in Seattle Washington.

This is the average number of monthly searches for “computer science degree” and related terms in Seattle Washington – as reported by Google AdWords.

A single specific program search is generating almost 2x the number of leads as a generic college search. What are they gonna see when they click your program?

5This content appeals to nerds.

Program pages have huge potential for appealing to high-ability students, focused

leads, and/or stealth applicants.

The homepage: an all-purpose Swiss Army Knife for millions of visitors per year.

The program page: a state-of-the-art surgeon’s tool designed for a few thousand visitors per year who are investigating a specific product.

When is a prospective student not a prospective student?

When they’re a curr-spective student.

In higher education, we tend to think in terms of “content for prospective students” or

“content for current students.”

Up to 50% of incoming college freshman classes are undecided for majors.

Source

60–80% of all students in the US will change majors while earning an undergraduate degree.

Source

What about transfer students?

In the US, the national transfer rate across all institution types is 32.9% for full-time students

and 33.9% for part time students.

Source: the Chronicle of Higher Education

undecided / undeclared students,current student who will change majors,

and transfer students are current students but they are

still shopping for a program

cürr-spéc-tiv

What makes a great program listing page?

Few but meaningful choices

Classification (tabs)

Type of degree (as legend)

Keyword search, only returns programs

Multiple ways to explore degrees

Take action!

Multiple ways to the degrees

Campus location

Level of degree

Programs

60-80% of incoming freshman are undecided

Full list of undergraduate programs

What makes a great program landing page or pages?

• Calls to action listed on every program page.

• Degree-specific academics page explains the way the degree can be customized.

• Offers both data and storytelling.

• Events are linked by location.

• Calls to action listed on every program page.

• Degree-specific academics page explains the way the degree can be customized.

• Offers both data and storytelling.

• Events are linked by location.

• Overview of products (major and minor) are the first page

• Includes information on internships, jobs, and a page just for those thinking about grad school

• Lists program-specific accolades and awards

• Simple, concise explanations of the requirements for earning the degree

• Sample courses shown

• Entry page covers all the basics and then some.

• The entire thing is designed to clarify process – from investigation to getting in (it even has interview tips).

• “Key Information Set” – data on things like student satisfaction.

• How to apply, open house information, who to call are all listed up front.

• Content supports careers, where alumni work, concentrations, major-specific learning options, and faculty highlights – all on one single page.

• Dedicated (but customized) areas for high-ability students on almost every major page.

• Program requirements are included for current students – no specific courses codes listed.

• Bottom of the page offers similar majors.

• Relevant data right up front

• Superb “What to Expect” section tells the story of what it’s like to earn the degree – time spent in class, lab work, and more.

• Custom viewbook widget is a little buggy, but it does allow someone to assemble a multi-program pdf – it’s worth checking out.

To recap, some of the things that make program pages good:

• You need to be giving them access to next steps from program pages – no exceptions.

• Assume that it’s a visitor’s first time there – but have more details available for the repeat visitor (think of the Oxford example).

• Anything that explains what to expect – from selectivity, to typical courses to time spent in class – is good.

• Part of the program page or section should be dedicated to high ability students (honors, accolades, research opportunities).

• Data AND storytelling, not one or the other.

• Programs should always link to similar programs or at least have a button for a listing page.

Who can help with data (program, internship, placement and/or academic satisfaction)?

• Director of institutional research (if you’ve got one)

• Academic deans

• Admissions

• Career services offices

If nobody has data, now is the time to start.

Seven ideas for rolling out new and improved program pages

1Decide what’s the best model for your programs – centralized or decentralized.

Decentralized (common) Find “Computer

Science Major”

Decentralized (common)

Decentralized programsIn this model, the deans and/or content editors for each department are usually responsible for maintaining the program pages.

Find “Computer

Science Major”

Centralized (uncommon)

Centralized programs (uncommon)

Program pages live under a single sections – academics or admissions.

This model doesn’t require someone to browse the department to get to the program.

Program pages link to departments.

To departments

ACADEMICS OR ADMISSIONS

UNDERGRADUATE GRADUATE OTHER

HOME

PROGRAM PROGRAM

PROGRAM PROGRAM

PROGRAM PROGRAM

PROGRAM PROGRAM

PROGRAM PROGRAM

PROGRAM PROGRAM

PROGRAM PROGRAM

PROGRAM PROGRAM

PROGRAM PROGRAM

Is it possible to have both models?

Yes – sometimes undergraduate majors and minors are contained in one centralized location on the main .edu site and all graduate programs are contained on the department sites.

My own recommendation is for these pages to be centralized under academics.

Why? It doesn’t make sense to be kicking up to 50% undecided undergraduates down into the college and school level.

2Assemble a core team to work on program pages and decide...

... who needs to buy-in to the process.

... who will be writing / editing the pages.

3Pick 10 to 20 programs to pilot – could be the most popular, the best-ranked, the oldest (since these tend to have more content), or a mix.

4Do a competitive analysis of the program pages of your top three competitors and top three aspirants.

5Set up easy, semantic URLs for redirection to program pages – so you can promote or link to programs in marketing materials.

fabercollege.edu/ecology

6Do a content table that lays out the minimum viable content model for a program page or section. You can always scale up for the more robust majors.

7Test program pages with prospective or current students. This could be your current pages or concepts for new pages.

See for yourself what your audiences want.

?Questions?

higheredlive.com

Shows and resources for higher education by higher education.

Thanks!@DougGapinski mstoner.com