Bill Hummel
Group Merchandising Manager
All Star Directories
Seven years of marketing at Amazon.com gives Bill Hummel a consumer lens through which he views college admissions and college marketing on the web.
Which is a more consumer-oriented college purchase? A year of law school? A sophomore year at a state university? An undergraduate year of night and online classes at University of Phoenix?
The undergraduate year at Phoenix offers choice, convenience and selection that consumers like. Another question is who are higher education's consumers?
OK, who are today's consumers of higher education?
They are veterans, working students, economically disadvantaged students, parents, part-time enrollees, full-time employees and stopouts. And, oh yes ... about 27 percent of undergraduates today are considered to be 'traditional.' reports NCES recently. And 'traditional' is defined as enrolling directly from high school, living on campus and depending financially on parents.
What are consumers doing differently that admissions, marketing and enrollment management people should be responding to?
Consumers are arriving as prospects with considerable knowledge about the school's value proposition. They've collected significant information from the web, including social media - where about 86 percent of college prospects begin their shopping. When you add the ability for shoppers to research schools to the breadth of the consumer population and their demographic categories, admissions people must know what information these shoppers possess, and where they obtained it.
What results if admissions people don't know?
There is a likelihood they'll enroll students who will not be satisfied, will not persist, and will not graduate.
How should a lead generator respond to an inquiry from today's college consumer?
With respect. College shoppers don't view themselves as data sets to be monetized over and over again. Too many lead generators are monetizing data sets. Since many college shoppers don't clearly know what they want, many lead generators have become adept at exploiting their uncertainty. Meanwhile, savvy admissions departments will steadily shift focus to retention and graduation.
Are the people who visit your sites shopping for degrees or brands?
Brand matters, but the assurance of earning a degree matters more. Consumers want to know if they can work on their executive MBA after the kids are in bed. They want to know if they can become a surgical technician for an employer within 25 miles of their home. They want to know if they will get services and support from the school that fits their lifestyle. They are far less interested in the mission statement behind a university's logo.
Where does price fit into their shopping?
For better or worse, price is not an upfront consideration. Nailing down the cost of college is still like trying to put your thumb on mercury. It's difficult for a college shopper to determine out-of-pocket cost, even from a published sticker price. It's even more difficult for a college shopper to understand what his or her monthly student loan payment will be after graduation.
What convenience factors are important to their shopping?
Location. Transporation and parking. Online course availability. Ease of entry into the workforce after graduation. How soon do classes begin?
Is graduate student admission affected, and how?
Jobs that require graduate degrees are the fastest-growing category for educators. Masters and doctoral degree offerings are multiplying. In 2016 those degreeholders will represent three percent of the U.S. workforce. Graduate admissions departments will do well to focus on completion rates and job placements.
What evidence of consumer-driven changes do you see in undergraduate teaching and learning?
Watch for laboratory vans staffed by educators who train nursing students, alleviating a shortage of hospital teaching slots.