The 5 cs of college choice

—

The 5 C’s
of College
Choice.


“Boring.”


“Vague.”


“Generic.”


—
Students are often
overloaded by repetitive
college communication
that fail to answer their
questions or concerns.


—
The college’s approach
can be unbalanced,
incomplete, misleading,
or ordinary.

—
We’ve identified a set of
key factors that colleges
can use to connect best
with potential students and
their families.


THE

s
’

The five core topics


TRIGGERS

Curriculum
—

Campus
—

Community
—

Career
—

Cost
—

GOALS

EXPERIENCE

RELATIONSHIPS

OUTCOMES

VALUE

MORE STUDENT-FOCUSED

MORE FAMILY-FOCUSED


—

Diving
deeper.


Curriculum
—
GOALS

The academic goals that prospective students have

Curriculum

“I liked talking to my new professors and
to other students who are interested in
the same stuff I am.”

“Not only did they have my major, but
I could watch some rehearsals. It gave
me a perfect window into the academic
approach and experience.”

“I want to know they have my major,
but other options too in case I want to
switch it.”

“I’d like to receive more emails about
various degree programs and majors.”

“The top thing I look for on each
college’s website are the majors.”

“The reputation of the academics
is really important.”


Curriculum

32%
59%

are interested in service
learning and volunteering

32%
think a prestigious
reputation is an
advantage

83%
Majors ranked as the
number one factor in
considering a college
or university.

88%
look for the ability to take
classes they need or want

50%
haven’t chosen a
program or major


Curriculum

1

2

3

Top Pick

Options

Reputation

Real World

Rank

Do you offer
the program I’m
interested in?

Are there many
options if I want to
switch majors?

Is the college or
professor well
known?

What experiences
enhance the
curriculum?

How does this
college compare to
others?

4

5


Campus
—
EXPERIENCE

Community experiences that enhance the overall college offer


Campus

“Visiting campus, I expected to see
places where students spend a lot of
time, studying or just hanging out.”

“Eating in one of the cafeterias was
great. I got a sense of what I’d be eating
all year long.”

“I look at the location: something
unique that every other college isn’t also
bragging about.”

“I want to know there are things to do
off campus — cool places to hang out,
day trips I can do with my friends.”

“All the campus tours seemed exactly
the same. Nothing stood out. It was just
about pointing out buildings.”

“Let us wander. Sometimes the best
social stuff is unorganized. Scoping out
cool places is more memorable.”


Campus

83%
want to know about places
to visit off campus.

Prospective students
want to see pictures of
student life more than
any other subject.

61%
are curious about big
campus events

78%
want to know about
popular places to
hang out with friends

78%
are curious about food
options on campus


Campus

1

2

3

4

5

Live

Work

Play

Sleep

Eat

What off-campus
activities and
events are there?

Are there
internships nearby?

Where might I hang
out with friends?

What are the dorms
and facilities like?

Do they have food
options that fit my
needs?


Community
—
RELATIONSHIPS

The relationships that provide a sense of belonging


Community

“Speaking to current students during
the campus tour was the best part. I got
a sense of the people there.”

“We were given an introduction
by ‘student ambassadors’: horribly

overzealous and painfully awkward.”

“A sense of belonging is
really important to me.”

“I first check out the campus online and
see if it’s a place that I can fit in.”

“I prefer person-to-person contact. The
internet is convenient, but face to face
communication and research trumps
looking at a screen any day.”

“I want somewhere that feels like home,
a place where I feel comfortable, and for
me, it’s all about the people.”


Community

83%
want to know accessibility
to professors

61%
are curious about
campus safety

80%
Speaking with a

current student was
the only authentic
experience.

61%
need support services

62%
are less likely to enroll
if they feel they don’t
fit in


Community

1

2

3

4

5

Belonging

Challenge

Safety

Familiarity

Connections

Are there people
that think like me
so I can fit in?

Will the people I
meet push me to
succeed?

Is there a culture
of safety and
inclusion?

Does it resemble
where I went to
high school?

Can I meet the
people that I’ll
interact with?


Career
—
OUTCOMES

The outcomes attached to pursuing a degree


Career

“I want to love what I do as a career. I
want to make a difference.”

“I want to make a difference, so I’m
attending college to get the education
I’ll need.”

“I want to make more money, plain and
simple.”

“Real world experience and internships
are really imortant. I want to be
prepared for anything.”

“I have a lot of goals: internships, study
abroad, research opportunities. Those
will help me with my job search.”

“I don’t want to get out and have all this
debt and a degree that’s meaningless.”


Career

❤

A job they will love is
more important than
financial security

83%
view service learning as
necessary for a career

73%
want to have a city
nearby for internship
opportunities

5th
Career preparedness
ranked 5th in
importance

Professional outcome is
the number one value
of a degree