The Enrollment Challenges of the CCCU Market Research (2009)

Thomas E. McWhertorCCCU Senior Fellow

January 7, 2011CCCU Critical Concerns Conference

Overview of the Research

• Calendar year 2009• Surveyed/analyzed ten audiences• Always valid sample sizes• Various means of response, much on web• 55 member institutions contributed data and

received the extended report• Steering committee &Noel-Levitz can consult• All member institutions can access executive

summary & analysis articles on CCCU website

Audiences Analyzed

• Non-inquiring Prospects• Inquirers• Parents of Inquirers• Enrolling Matriculants• Non-enrolling Matriculants• Transfer Prospects• Young Alumni• Parents of Young Alumni• High School Counselors• Church and Youth Leaders

Articles: Insights from the 2009 Market Research

Published in the CCCU eAdvance

May 2010 , By Thomas E. McWhertor, CCCU Senior Fellow (215)Many non-inquiring prospects are more interested in Christian higher education than we think!

June 2010, By Thomas E. McWhertor, CCCU Senior Fellow (84)Inquirers to CCCU schools are unfamiliar with them

August 2010, By John A. Chopka, VP for Enrollment Management, Messiah College (136)Transfer Students: A key to enrollment growth at CCCU schools.

September 2010, By Thomas E. McWhertor, CCCU Senior Fellow (116)The difference between matriculants and admitted non-matriculants

October 2010, By Scott Shoemaker, Associate Vice President for Enrollment, Point Loma Nazarene University (59)CCCU Parents of Young Alumni survey

November 2010, By Rich Grimm, Senior Vice President for Enrollment Services, Union University (85)High School Counselors - Influencers, Shapers and Critical Players

December 2010, By Thomas E. McWhertor, CCCU Senior Fellow (152)Church and Youth Leaders Do Not Know Our Institutions Well Enough

Three Big “Take-Aways” Identified by Noel-Levitz

• Top college choice factors are tightening to focus even more heavily on academics

• CCCU members’ documented strengths align well with marketplace demand

• There is significant market potential for those who consistently invest in extended outreach

Top Findings Identified by Noel-Levitz

1. What the market wants from a college education is:

• The quality of the academic program or major a student is interested in

• Preparation for future careers• Faculty who are excellent teachers• Faculty who are well qualified in their fields of study

Top Findings Identified by Noel-Levitz

2. We must speak to each audience in its own language

• Address students first and address their concerns: They want options in their choices and lives

• Parents want academic quality, faculty who are excellent teachers, good jobs as a result, facilities

• Gatekeepers are critical: Counselors and pastors• Transfer expectations are different

Top Findings Identified by Noel-Levitz

3. Students, alumni, faculty, staff and administrators point to CCCU strengths

• Students: Content and instruction in major; Knowledgeable faculty –match inquirers to our institutions

• Faculty et al: Faculty are knowledgeable & care (with staff); Campus is safe; Students able to experience intellectual growth

Top Findings Identified by Noel-Levitz

4. Christian colleges and universities need greater outreach

• Huge number of students willing to consider Christian colleges, even though not assertively looking for them

• Only a small percentage of prospective students are aggressively seeking Christian colleges

• A variety of measures indicate that many more than apply to our institutions would be happy were they to matriculate

Questions, Comments, & Dialogueabout the 2009 Market Research?

• How have you used the data on your campus?• If you have not really considered the research, why not?• Has your enrollment staff read and considered the implications

of the Executive Summary for your enrollment effort?• What changes have you made in your enrollment effort as a

result?• What additional research would be helpful for your institutional

enrollment effort?• Why have you not pursued it?

Considering several key audiences

• Top-line summary of Noel-Levitz research

…and now some implications for:• Non-inquiring prospects• Non-applying inquirers

…& their parents• Influencers: High school guidance counselors and pastors• Addendum: We must effectively communicate the

distinctive of Christ-centered higher ed• Discussion, Q&A

Non-Inquiring Prospects

• Two-thirds have visited the website of a Christian college or university; There is some interest

• 70% of those surveyed do not currently plan to attend a Christian college, yet … more than two-thirds of those have a sufficient level of interest in a Christian college or university to consider them viable prospects for CCCU schools

• Less likely to prefer the “conservative” characteristics in a college environment than those who enroll at CCCU institutions

Prospect strategies to shape to your institution

1. Reach out to prospects not seeking you, since two-thirds who are not planning to apply are willing/interested to know more

2. Student search strategy messages must emphasize:• Career preparation• Quality of academic programs• Well-qualified faculty –who are good teachers

3. Remember, many prospects have preconceptions –they think they know your institutions, but do they really?

• Proactively reach out• Address specific misperceptions (academic quality, range of majors,

cost and aid available, academic facilities)

Prospect strategies (2)

4. Remember that “Christian characteristics” are less important to a good percentage of prospects

• Always lead with academic credentials• Stress faculty expertise and contact time• Address the issues of cost and affordability (Tim Fuller’s session)

5. Address the reality that three quarters of prospects surveyed say they prefer a “less conservative environment.”

• Articulate the advantages of your community lifestyle requirements –and faith-directed academic requirements

• What is required and what is left to individual choice?

Prospect strategies (3)

6. Focus on career preparation and formation of a life direction in communications with prospects

• Demonstrate the effectiveness of your career services office –and success of graduates to find jobs

• Profile graduates in various careers –and highlight their college paths to those careers

7. Emphasize the path to graduate school—this is a strong message for those intending grad school (a high percentage), but also sends a strong academic message to all

• Highlight your shining stars, even if there are few of them

Inquirers and Their Parents

• Only 43% say they are totally or very familiar with Christian colleges (39% of parents)– 40% home-schooled– 44% Christian-schooled

• 35% are moderately familiar• 22% are only slightly familiar –or not at all• If parent attended Christian college, 80% intend to

apply to a Christian college or university

Strategies for Inquirers & Parents

1. Remember public institutions are the most significant competitors –and it is not just their cost; Less than 10% of inquirers or parents are singularly committed to Christian colleges.

• Highlight distinctives of your academic program• Improve websites to address prospective students, from

prospect to matriculant, but focus on the concerns of inquirers as much as possible

Strategies for Inquirers & Parents (2)

2. Emphasize academics (quality of majors and faculty—and more), these are unquestionably more important to inquirers and their parents than Christian and faith matters.

• Inquirers have higher academic achievement and expectations than those who apply

• They have stronger focus on career preparation and professional programs

[Save the case for Christian higher education for later in the enrollment funnel –and make it integral to the campus visit]

Strategies for Inquirers & Parents (3)

3. Be sure to acknowledge and address parents, they play an important role –and want to be included.

• Counselors are talking to families in ninth grade –why not Christian colleges?

• Provide assistance to parents in the college search process –seek to set the terms of their decision-making process as much as possible

• Communicate financial information to parents early and often, both actual cost and affordability messages

• Provide financial aid estimators –even if they do not use them, it assures them of your concern

Influencers Must Know Our Institutions & the CCCU Better

1. High school guidance counselors:• Only 29% say they are somewhat or very familiar with

Christian colleges

2. Church leaders:• 47% say they are moderately or very involved in the

college consideration process of member families• Only 42% say they are very familiar with Christian

colleges and universities• Only 9% say they are very familiar with CCCU schools

Influencers Must Know Our Institutions & the CCCU Better

Counselors • Are working with first-year high-schoolers –are we?• Top criteria: Academic quality, outcomes, cost –we

must address these for them• Say only 11% of students are looking for Christian

colleges (60% for public institutions)• 71% say they are not familiar with CCCU schools• Cost is a major perception/misperception that must be

addressed, especially given the current economic context

Influencers Must Know Our Institutions & the CCCU Better

Pastors and youth pastors:

• Publications are not sufficient in themselves, to really be influencers, they need to have personal contact

• Have little understanding of financial aid and financing private Christian college

• Know that decisions will be made on more criteria than Christian life and community…talk about more

• Often are more likely to recommend “their alma mater” than our institutions –they know it personally

Strategies to enlist influencers

Counselors:

• Counselor visit strategies must be elevated –get them to your campus• Develop a website specifically for counselors, with information or links

to questions they have or info they need to know• Address costs and affordability head-on or presumptions will persist…

also address perception of inferior facilities• Build on positive perceptions of Christian colleges and universities

(faculty contact, faith development, return on students’ investment)• A collaborative effort by the CCCU must address the “mind share”

issue that cannot be overcome one campus at a time, our institutions are generally not on their radar –they ought to be

Strategies to enlist influencers (2)

Pastors:

• Add personal visits with these influencers, along with materials that address a range of topics, but especially academics and finances

• Proactively engage congregations to address their youth groups –and parents

• Take selected faculty on the road to participate in these programs• Conduct financial aid programs in churches• Highlight academics, well-qualified faculty, and affordability with pastors

–and families• Elevate the faith discussion to view of life/perspective• A collaborative effort by the CCCU must address the “mind share” issue

that cannot be overcome one campus at a time

Strategies to enlist influencers (3)

CCCU Role: Influencers can benefit (and multiply) from collaborative marketing efforts

• There is a strong case in the research for CCCU efforts to promote Christ-centered higher education

• It must highlight the category of CCCU as Christ-centered higher education –and build stronger brand recognition

• Replace misperceptions with higher academic perceptions and better financial understanding

• If the CCCU does not take up this mantel, like-minded institutions must other consider collaborative efforts

Trumpeting the Distinctive of Christ-Centered Higher Education

• Not just a “hot-house” or evangelism training• Emphasize the unique view of life at the heart of our

institutions, especially strongly to applicants• Faith perspective is not just “icing on the cake,” but

integral to the curriculum: View of life and the world changes things

• Same textbooks perhaps, but a wholly different perspective – “Thinking Christianly”

• No longer conformed to this world but transformed by the renewing of your minds

CCCU Market Research Website:http://www.cccu.org/professional_development/2009_market_research_project

Includes pdf of Executive Summary, Summary article and collection of articles on various audiences.

Presenter:Thomas E. McWhertor, CCCU Senior FellowDirector of Constituency Relations, CRWRC –Christian Reformed World Relief Committee - www.crwrc.org tmcwhertor@crwrc.orgtemcwhertor@gmail.com