Paving the Way for Greater Access – Effectively Communicating with Parents and Students Madeleine Rhyneer Vice President for Enrollment Management Albion College

Engaging parents creates greater opportunity for recruitment and enrollment, as well as improved student retention

Key findings: Communication and influence

Overview of studies on college costs, parental influence, and communication preferences Online surveys of students and parents of prospective students Students - 6,372 participants enrollment cycle Parents - 4,878 participants from two surveys - Survey 1: Focused on parental influence and communication preferences – 2,832 participants during 2012 enrollment cycle - Survey 2: Focused on college options, cost, and decision criteria – 2,046 participants during 2013 enrollment cycle

A few key findings from students

43.1% of students have a smartphone 56.2% of parents have a smartphone 90.8% of students have a cell phone or smartphone Among the students who own smartphones: 94.0% also own a laptop or desktop computer. 42.1% have a smartphone, desktop computer, and laptop. Devices used

Devices used – longitudinal data Growing Smartphone Ownership Among Students

Channels students view as necessary for colleges to use

Channels students view as less necessary

A few key findings from Parents

The primary areas of parental influence Mean scores are based on a 5-point scale, where 1 = no influence and 5 = significant influence. Top Four AnswersMean Score How much is spent on your child’s college education4.38 The amount of debt the family will incur for your child’s education4.37 The amount of personal debt your child will incur4.10 Whether your child contributes personal funds to pay for college3.91 Bottom Four AnswersMean Score The distance from home to the school your child attends2.85 The environment (urban, rural, suburban) of the school your child attends2.77 The size of the school your child attends2.61 What academic major your child pursues2.56

How parents engage in college choice Talked with child about schools being considered Searched for information on a college’s website Read printed materials colleges sent to child Read messages sent directly to parent Helped child compare options by weighing the pros and cons of different schools Talked with child about different college majors Talked with child about financing college Reported by 75% or more of parents responding

How parents get the information they need 85.4% by searching on college websites 84.3% by reading materials mailed to them and/or their child from colleges 81.0% by reading sent to them and/or their child 75.0% by searching for information online using popular search engines

When parents want specific information Freshman Year Sophomore Year Junior Year Senior Year Costs (e.g., tuition, housing, fees)76.9%49.8%73.3%52.4% Financing college75.0%40.6%58.7%34.8% Financial aid73.5%43.1%62.1%47.1% Scholarships70.4%46.0%65.3%46.2% General information about the college64.9%44.1%48.8%15.0% Application dates/deadline reminders59.1%21.4%49.6%60.6% Room and board options56.5%26.9%44.2%50.3% Housing options54.4%25.7%43.8%49.4% Location of the school and area around it47.3%27.8%39.4%14.3% Degree programs41.6%27.3%37.9%12.3% Majors/minors38.6%24.4%34.1%11.4% Career opportunities related to specific majors26.5%21.7%29.5%17.2%

Parents want to receive information directly from colleges as well as view materials sent to their child 73.4% 13.7% 12.9% Parent communication preference Sent to Parent Sent to Student Sent to Parent and Student

How most parents prefer to receive information Primary ChannelSecondary Channel CostsMailWeb Financing colleg Financial aidMail ScholarshipsMail General information about the colleg Web Application deadline reminders Mail Campus safetyWeb Room and board optionsWebMail Housing optionsWebMail

Another view MailWebPhone Costs (e.g., tuition, housing, fees)62.4%73.2%67.7%11.6% Financing college56.3%66.6%52.9%23.1% Financial aid61.6%70.8%51.3%34.7% Scholarships65.2%67.9%50.7%38.2% General information about the college46.0%62.0%56.6%12.1% Application deadline reminders80.3%44.3%39.8%45.1% Campus safety43.1%40.9%63.4%15.0% Room and board options45.0%55.2%60.3%6.9% Housing options44.4%53.7%61.1%7.5%

Some popular digital channels … not so popular Just 1.7% have followed a school on Twitter Just 2.6% have used online chat with a school representative Just 4.9% have used RSS to subscribe to school updates Overall, parents are unlikely to rely upon blogs, podcasts, chats, wikis, and other social digital channels

Parents believe they have the most influence over the financial aspects of college choice Parents desire information, and they also want their children to have information With each entering class, parents are more likely to be Internet savvy and increasingly mobile in their use of technology Key insights

Desired content will vary throughout the college search Financial planning and feasibility > freshman year General college information > sophomore year Specific schools, majors, careers, scholarships and financial aid > junior year Applications (tips and deadlines), enrollment, housing > senior year Key insights

Key findings: College cost and considerations

College cost is a concern, but it is not the only thing parents are worried about when considering their child’s college choice. What makes you most concerned or anxious about your child’s college choice? Mean The cost of attending first-choice school1.57 Whether he/she will be admitted to first-choice school1.77 The cost of attending any college1.87 If the college where he/she enrolls will be a good fit1.88 How much financial support will be provided2.06 Whether he/she will be successful in college2.07 His/her personal safety on campus2.20 His/her exposure to drugs and alcohol on campus2.30 Whether he/she will be able to get a job after graduation2.40 Whether the cost of attendance will increase after enrollment2.60 Means are based on rankings from 1 to 3, where 1 indicates greatest concern. Key finding #1

Other expressed concerns include: Debt their child would have upon graduation Their child’s ability to complete college in four years Whether their child will be admitted to graduate school after college Additional concerns

More than one in four parents are unsure about how much they will invest annually in their child’s education. What is the maximum amount you would pay from income and savings and/or with borrowed funds per year? Total Amount Income and Savings Borrowed/ Loan Amount Percent Unsure/don’t know $5,000 or less $5,001-$10, $10,001-$15, $15,001-$20, $20,001-$25, $25,001-$30, $30,001-$35, $35,001-$40, $40,001-$45, $45,001-$50, More than $50, Key finding #2

Income and Savings AmountBorrowed/Loan Amount Without 4-Year Degree With 4-Year DegreeWithout 4-Year DegreeWith 4-Year Degree Percent Unsure/don’t know $5,000 or less $5,001-$10, $10,001-$15, $15,001-$20, $20,001-$25, $25,001-$30, $30,001-$35, $35,001-$40, $40,001-$45, $45,001-$50, More than $50, More than one in four parents are unsure about how much they will invest annually in their child’s education. Key finding #2 – by educational attainment

Key finding #2 – by type of schools under consideration Unsure/don’t know $15,000 or less $15,001-$30,000 $30,001 or more

Parents will rely on a number of different resources to cover college costs. Parents indicated the portion of total education costs they expect to be covered by different sources – Grants and scholarships – Income and savings – Borrowed funds/loans Key finding #3

Key finding #3 – expected funding by sources – some or all Parents who expect a portion of child’s education to be funded from each source Parents who expect 100% of child’s education to be funded from each source Income/ savings LoansGrants/ scholarships Income/ savings Grants/ scholarships Loans

Without 4-Year Degree With 4-Year Degree Percent Academic grants and scholarships (funds that will NOT need to be repaid) Funds from your income Funds your child will borrow (including student loans provided by the school) Funds from your savings other than college savings plans Other grants and scholarships (funds that will NOT need to be repaid) Funds from a 529 or other college savings plan Funds you will borrow (bank loans, home mortgage, credit cards, PLUS loans) Athletic grants and scholarships (funds that will NOT need to be repaid) Funds provided by relatives and friends Your child’s income and/or savings Percentages represent the portion of the total education costs parents expect to be covered by each source. Key finding #3 – expected funding by educational attainment

Parents may be waiting too late in the college search process to enable optimal decisions that balance cost and quality. When parents are most likely to focus on college costs Percent Costs will come into play only after the admission decision and financial awards are received I am considering cost of attending throughout the college search process.33.4 Cost of attending will be/was considered during the application phase.11.4 Unsure/don’t know2.6 Key finding #4

The school characteristics parents value most are ones that will set their child up for success – in school and upon graduation. When you think about college costs and what your child gets for the price you pay, what would you say is most valuable to you? Mean Excellence in teaching1.66 Successful job placement after college1.90 Strong support services for students’ academic success1.95 Successful graduate school placement after college2.00 National/international reputation2.01 Strong institutional traditions2.02 Small class sizes2.12 Safe and secure campus environment2.19 Modern, state-of-the-art classrooms, laboratories, and other academic resources2.19 Means are based on rankings from 1 to 3, where 1 is most valuable. Key finding #5

Parents want information about costs throughout their child’s high school career, but more seem to expect it in the student’s junior year. Student’s Freshman Year Student’s Sophomore Year Student’s Junior Year Student’s Senior Year Percent Sources of funds to pay for college Costs (e.g., tuition, fees, housing) Financial aid Scholarships Key finding #6

Parent engagement strategies in practice

Global strategies for parent communications Building communication campaigns specifically for parents Providing financial information to support discussions within households Designing on-campus events for parents Strengthening your website with a parent “portal” Maximizing online search outcomes (SEO efforts)

The case at Albion College A few examples: campaign throughout admission process On-campus and online events for parents Structured faculty/parent interaction during campus visit programs Web and print promotion of “The Albion Advantage” and alumni success stories Mail piece to parents debunking the myth that college is too expensive and not worth the investment Flyer included in each visit packet for students/parents on campus describing paying for college as a partnership where the parents, the college/university, the student, and perhaps the state/federal government all play a role.

Albion has 4,531 parent addresses from last year’s Search. These will be used to communicate with parents in the future. Parent Submissions Search 2013 Provided Parent 4,531 46% No Parent 5,271 54% Albion is focusing efforts on trying to collect parent addresses to make a more holistic experience The case at Albion College

Provided Parent 4,531 46% No Parent 5,271 54% Can parental involvement improve application submission rates? Test goal –Can we increase the application submission rate by sending deadline reminders to the parents? Test setup –Control group – s sent to only the prospective students – Test group – additional s sent to the parents The case at Albion College

Questions?