5 People You Need To Know To Market in Higher Education

Education must be personalized. When making decisions, prospective students are becoming more and more accustomed to programs and schools that cater to their unique needs and goals.

Whether it’s a world leader in executive MBAs, a top art college or a career advancement institute, understanding the needs and attitudes of education consumers and stakeholders has never been more crucial.

We compiled the following 5 education personas based on our firsthand experience with students, faculty and staff in a range of higher education institutions:

Prospective Undergraduate Student

Rankings are important, but they’re not everything – and I’m not sure I can afford my first-choice school, anyhow. I want to go to a college where the other students are nice and the teachers really care about my success. I’m looking for a place where I can learn what I want to do, but also who I want to be.

The Transfer Student

I’ve spent time knocking out general education requirements at a cheap cost, and now I’m ready to pay a higher price to get the degree I want. I am an intentional planner, and I know exactly where I want to go. What I need to know is how easy it is to transfer my credits, and how I can continue down the career path I have been working towards for many years.

Prospective Graduate Student

I was lucky to get a job out of college, but it’s not what I want to do forever. I’m not sure what I want to do with my life or career, other than pay off my student loans. I hope that grad school will help me sort it out.

Professor

The increasingly ‘non-traditional’ student means I’m a ‘non-traditional’ professor. I’m a teacher, researcher, life coach and counselor. My first-year students are scared, confused and distracted. High school has prepared them to take exams at the expense of real learning.

Dean of Admissions

We offer 78 undergraduate, 112 graduate and 68 post-grad degree programs to the most diverse, non-traditional applicant pool in history. Cost per enrolled student is climbing. I think it’s safe to say we can’t just print more brochures.

______________