Optimizing the Enrollment Journey - January SEMQ

Differentiated and effective messaging is key to attracting today’s college-going students, who face many college enrollment options, according to Ashley Miller in the latest SEMQ. 

Many in higher education can point to ‘reasons to believe’ (RTBs) as key claims or promises one can make about their institution, department, or program, Miller wrote. As one can imagine, there are many messages Purdue University touts proudly.

Through a partnership with Sunseed Research in 2022, Purdue University wanted to learn whether the RTBs developed over time resonated with the audiences served, how this changed at different points in the decision journey, and how one could best optimize messaging for the future, she said. Using a maximum difference scaling (MaxDiff) approach, the university tested 30 different messages that touched upon Purdue’s brand pillars. Messages were tested on prospective students, accepted students, and parents. The research helped the university develop communications that optimized impact on the student enrollment journey.

For example, one of the frequent messages Purdue University has communicated for more than a decade is its ability to keep tuition frozen, Miller wrote. The research found that this message resonated across audiences, but it also uncovered more nuanced findings, such as affordability messages were most impactful among parents, while prestige and employability were well received by already-admitted students.

The study also looked at what mix of messages gives the greatest likelihood of making a meaningful connection and appeal to the greatest number in each of the audiences. The study found that messages about real-world projects maximized reach. 

Miller’s article provides actionable steps for practitioners interested in exploring their own communications and messaging. Enrollment leaders who have insight into their audiences become more strategic in meeting the goals of universities in an ever-changing and complex environment, she wrote. 

Other articles in the January 2024 issue of SEMQ include: 

• Review of Becoming a Student Ready College: A New Culture of Leadership for Student Success by Brent A. Gage
• The Financial Aid Office as an Essential Strategic Partner in SEM by Rocky Christensen, Cynthia Grunden, and Keri Walters
• Fostering Faculty Learning Communities: Reflections from an FYE Landscape of Practice by D. William Kay, Steven M. Smith, Vurain Tabvuma, and Katelynn Carter-Rogers
• Exploring Institutional Rationales for Holistic Review in Graduate Admissions by Joseph H. Paris and Jake D. Winfield
• The Future of Data Governance: Bridging Institutional Silos by Jenay Robert, Kathe Pelletier, and Betsy Tippens Reinitz 

Also, check out SEMQ’s Special Issue on Equity and SEM. 

For more information on SEMQ or to submit a manuscript, contact Managing Editor Heather Zimar.