The 5 C's of College Choice

—The 5 C’s of College Choice.

“Boring.”

“Vague.”

“Generic.”

—Students are often

overloaded by repetitive college communication that fail to answer their questions or concerns.

—The college’s approach can be unbalanced, incomplete, misleading, or ordinary.

—We’ve identified a set of

key factors that colleges can use to connect best

with potential students and their families.

The five core topics

’sTHE

Campus—

EXPERIENCE

Career—

OUTCOMES

Cost—

VALUE

TRIGGERS

Curriculum—

GOALS

Community—

RELATIONSHIPS

MORE STUDENT-FOCUSED MORE FAMILY-FOCUSED

—Diving deeper.

Curriculum—

GOALS

The academic goals that prospective students have

Curriculum

“I liked talking to my new professors and to other students who are interested in

the same stuff I am.”

“I’d like to receive more emails about various degree programs and majors.”

“Not only did they have my major, but I could watch some rehearsals. It gave

me a perfect window into the academic approach and experience.”

“The top thing I look for on each college’s website are the majors.”

“I want to know they have my major, but other options too in case I want to

switch it.”

“The reputation of the academics is really important.”

Curriculum

think a prestigious reputation is an

advantage

are interested in service learning and volunteering

look for the ability to take classes they need or want

32%59%

88%Majors ranked as the number one factor in considering a college

or university.

83%

haven’t chosen a program or major

50%

32%

Curriculum

3 4 5Top PickDo you offer

the program I’m interested in?

OptionsAre there many

options if I want to switch majors?

ReputationIs the college or professor well

known?

Real WorldWhat experiences

enhance the curriculum?

Rank

How does this college compare to

others?

1 2

Campus—

EXPERIENCE

Community experiences that enhance the overall college offer

Campus

“Visiting campus, I expected to see places where students spend a lot of

time, studying or just hanging out.”

“I want to know there are things to do off campus — cool places to hang out,

day trips I can do with my friends.”

“Eating in one of the cafeterias was great. I got a sense of what I’d be eating

all year long.”

“All the campus tours seemed exactly the same. Nothing stood out. It was just

about pointing out buildings.”

“I look at the location: something unique that every other college isn’t also

bragging about.”

“Let us wander. Sometimes the best social stuff is unorganized. Scoping out

cool places is more memorable.”

Campus

want to know about popular places to

hang out with friends

want to know about places to visit off campus.

are curious about food options on campus

are curious about big campus events

Prospective students want to see pictures of student life more than

any other subject.

78%

78%

83%

61%

Campus

LiveWhat off-campus

activities and events are there?

WorkAre there

internships nearby?

PlayWhere might I hang

out with friends?

SleepWhat are the dorms and facilities like?

EatDo they have food options that fit my

needs?

3 4 51 2

Community—

RELATIONSHIPS

The relationships that provide a sense of belonging

Community

“Speaking to current students during the campus tour was the best part. I got

a sense of the people there.”

“I first check out the campus online and see if it’s a place that I can fit in.”

“We were given an introduction by ‘student ambassadors’: horribly

overzealous and painfully awkward.”

“I prefer person-to-person contact. The internet is convenient, but face to face communication and research trumps

looking at a screen any day.”

“A sense of belonging is really important to me.”

“I want somewhere that feels like home, a place where I feel comfortable, and for

me, it’s all about the people.”

Community

are curious about campus safety

are less likely to enroll if they feel they don’t

fit in

want to know accessibility to professors

need support services

Speaking with a current student was the only authentic

experience.

83%

80%

61% 62%

61%

Community

Belonging

Are there people that think like me

so I can fit in?

ChallengeWill the people I meet push me to

succeed?

SafetyIs there a culture

of safety and inclusion?

FamiliarityDoes it resemble where I went to

high school?

Connections

Can I meet the people that I’ll interact with?

3 4 51 2

Career—

OUTCOMES

The outcomes attached to pursuing a degree

Career

“I want to love what I do as a career. I want to make a difference.”

“Real world experience and internships are really imortant. I want to be

prepared for anything.”

“I want to make a difference, so I’m attending college to get the education

I’ll need.”

“I have a lot of goals: internships, study abroad, research opportunities. Those

will help me with my job search.”

“I want to make more money, plain and simple.”

“I don’t want to get out and have all this debt and a degree that’s meaningless.”

Career

want to have a city nearby for internship

opportunities

view service learning as necessary for a career

Professional outcome is the number one value

of a degree

A job they will love is more important than

financial security

Career preparedness ranked 5th in importance

73%83%

5th❤

Career

PassionWill I be able to get a job in the field I

love?

Results

Will I see financial gains from

attending college?

ExperienceWill I be prepared

to interview for the job?

VersatilityWill my degree

and experience be flexible?

ReputationIs the school or program prestigious?

3 4 51 2

Cost—

VALUE

The value associated with the investment

Cost

“Finances made a large part in my decision — a much larger part than

I was prepared for.”

“I looked for the best value: cheapest, but enjoyable and offering

what I needed.”

“I looked over cost with my parents: the financial aid package and

scholarship options.”

“The deciding factor was cost, and how it was tied to location.”

“Cost to attend was one of my top three factors. My parents emphasized

the importance of reviewing everything.”

“Initially I ask about how much it costs to attend and whether they give out a

lot of scholarships.”

Cost

want a financial aid calendar

want amounts of the scholarships awarded

couldn’t attend their first college of choice

because of cost need basic guidance on financial aid and the

process

want info on average academic scholarships

50%

50%

30%

60%

57%

Cost

WorthWhat does the college degree provide me?

ProfitWill I be better off for the investment?

BurdenHow will I manage

to pay back the debt I accrue?

ComparisonsWhat does one

school provide over another?

BudgetDue to the cost, is this school even an

option?

3 4 51 2

—Redefining recruitment.

of students apply to and visit multiple colleges as practice.

85%

• Students don’t know how to prepare years in advance to apply to college. • Students don’t know how to translate college terminology and jargon.

• Students don’t have all necessary information to evaluate colleges.

Know your best-fit students and their influencers well.

Plot the student journey and uncover ways to improve it.

Determine which tactics will make the biggest impact.

Design seamless experiences that build trust.

Attract attention for doing something memorable.

1/ Audiences

2/ Journey

3/ Tactics

4/ Consistency

5/ Differentiate

Know your best-fit students and their influencers well.

Plot the student journey and uncover ways to improve it.

Determine which tactics will make the biggest impact.

Design seamless experiences that build trust.

Attract attention for doing something memorable.

Engage each audience with the right information.

Fix the places where the student is dissatisfied.

Edit existing tactics and keep the stronger ones.

Educate students earlier and build a relationship.

Try something new and distinct to stand out.

1/ Audiences

2/ Journey

3/ Tactics

4/ Consistency

5/ Differentiate

If you’re a higher education professional and want to talk more about how we can help craft your brand communications, email us:

[email protected]

building brands. with purpose.