independent high schools

Three Criteria Crucial To Marketing Independent High Schools

May 10, 2018
, , , , Education

In our 35 year history, The Melior Group has worked with numerous independent high schools, including those with a faith-based mission.  Given the demographic forecasts which predict a dip in the number of high school students over the next several years, rising tuition costs, and overcapacity in many markets, it is not surprising that our recent projects all center on helping independent schools enhance their outreach and recruitment efforts.

In our work, we’ve talked with countless parents about how they make educational decisions.  We’ve heard them express their hopes and aspirations for their children, and their belief that the “right” school can enable those visions.  We thus have gained insight into what parents value when “shopping” for schools, and we know what schools need to communicate in order to attract the students they want.

First and foremost, our advice is this:  in this competitive environment, every school needs to be prepared with the answer to the following question:  ‘at the end of high school, how will my child be better as a result of attending YOUR SCHOOL (versus going somewhere else)?’ 

Parents, in making assessments about what is the best school for their child, compare schools on three overarching criteria.  We believe that in each of these areas, schools need to articulate their unique approach/philosophy, strengths and track record:

  1. Strong academics are a baseline expectation of independent schools. Parents assess excellence in this area by examining college admissions statistics (parents want to see that nearly all graduates attend college, and that some are accepted to highly competitive colleges); breadth and depth of classes offered; word-of-mouth about teaching quality; availability of advanced courses; presence of academic enrichment opportunities (e.g., STEM club, trips, lab facilities, etc.); and availability of academic support from teachers and learning specialists.
  2. Parents want to see evidence of measurable outcomes on the “investment” in tuition. They want to know how their investment will impact admissions to competitive colleges; ability to earn college scholarship money; and career prospects and earning potential.  It is important to note that parents love seeing evidence of strong alumni networks, which they perceive can contribute to graduates’ career success.
  3. Potential for personal growth is also critically important, and as such parents look closely at extracurricular opportunities, and the extent to which their child could identify and pursue their individual interests and passions. They also assess intangible culture factors including values, spirituality/religion, character development, love of learning, and where their child will “fit”.  While these factors can be difficult to articulate, they are what parents point to as distinguishing public schools from independent schools, and independent schools from each other.

In sum, the schools that are able to meet their enrollment goals are those that can make the case that their graduates are better off for having gone there. 

Do you have questions about marketing an independent high school?  Give us a call or shoot us an email and let us know how we can help.

For more information please contact Elizabeth Cohen at [email protected]/215-545-0054 ext. 103

community college - boxing gloves

Community College & Parent University: What’s the Optimal Relationship?

November 1, 2016
, , , , , Education, Higher Education

Just a few weeks ago, Philly.com reported that Rowan College at Burlington County (RCBC), a community college, would no longer permit on its campus any advertising, display of logos, or collateral materials from colleges/universities other than Rowan-branded institutions.  This angered and disappointed 4-year college presidents and administrators across the region.  [See link below at bottom of our post]

The article, and this issue, piqued an interest in The Melior Group’s research consultants, as Melior often works with colleges and universities on initiatives including strategic directions, recruitment efforts, and marketing and communications.

Members of the Melior team had a difference of opinion after reading this article. Vice Presidents Elizabeth Foley and Liz Cohen, both of whom provide strategic vision, branding, and development in the education sector, decided to square off in a point/counterpoint in response to this issue. It’s time for a battle of Elizabethan proportion!

Point: It’s about time colleges started to address the issue of competition in order to survive (Elizabeth Foley)

Community colleges are traditionally a pipeline to move students into a 4-year school.  So, it baffles me that anyone is surprised that a Rowan-branded community college would want to encourage its students to go to Rowan to complete a 4-year degree.  From a business perspective this makes a lot of sense.  If you can offer your customers (i.e., students) what they want, why send them elsewhere or promote other institutions when first and foremost you want them to consider your university?  That would be tantamount to walking into the New Balance store on Walnut Street for sneakers and the sales clerk offering directions to a Nike or Adidas store as additional shopping options.

While it was nice that RCBC allowed many different 4-year colleges to present information to its students via advertising and college fairs in the past, it’s the times they are a changin’ (thank you Nobel Laureate Bob Dylan).  Higher ed is facing a number of long term challenges, which we’ve discussed in other blog posts [see links below].

The population estimates for the coming decades are not pretty:  there will be fewer students entering 4-year institutions as the next decade progresses.  Most colleges are competing for students these days; Rowan is no different.  What better way to matriculate students than to cultivate them right from Rowan-branded community colleges?

Community colleges serve a great purpose.  And the innovations that have come from Rowan University (such as its 3+1 program, which enables students to spend 3 years at one of the two Rowan University-affiliated community colleges and just 1 year at the University as they complete coursework for their bachelor’s degree) in order to attract students to pursue a 4-year degree, in all likelihood were developed knowing that the competition for students will only increase because the prospective college student pool will continue to decrease.

The President of RCBC, Mr. Paul Drayton, censures 4-year colleges in the article for their inability to adapt:

“Drayton accused four-year schools of wanting to maintain a status quo despite a shifting higher education landscape. ‘It’s changed because those same colleges are too expensive. They brought this upon themselves, right? So they, during the worst economic recession in modern history, increased tuition … and so parents and students and others are talking about this.’”

The rising costs of attending college are putting that goal out of reach for many prospective students.  The changing economy is altering the face of higher education as we know it.  Mr. Drayton brings up valid points about the costs to attend some of their former “partner” institutions.  The RCBC-to-Rowan University pipeline makes smart economic sense for students looking to get a 4-year degree at an affordable price.

In the article, some administrators from some of the (former) partner institutions said that the options available to students about transferring to a 4-year school would be limited, implying that students wouldn’t be aware of the other institutions at all.

However, based on Melior’s area research studies, we’ve learned the institutions referred to in this article have some of the highest top of mind awareness ratings in the region.  The idea that students won’t know about those institutions because they’re not allowed to advertise at RCBC is condescending to students – who are savvier and smarter than we’ve seen in decades.  And, I would argue that students who don’t know how to use a search engine in order to research area degree programs shouldn’t yet be attending college.

Ultimately, the concern from the 4-year colleges is misplaced.  Instead of being angered about RCBC’s new policy, perhaps they should be using their own resources and devising innovative programs and creating strategies that will help attract their desired target students to their institutions.

Counterpoint: What was RCBC Thinking? (Liz Cohen)

The barriers that Rowan University has erected to limit other 4-year colleges’ on-campus outreach to RCBC students are unfair, short-sighted, and completely contrary to the spirit and values of public education.

The RCBC mission is as follows:

Rowan College at Burlington County transforms lives by delivering innovative, high-quality and affordable educational experiences in an accessible and diverse environment.

As stated above, RCBC aims to “transform lives.”  For many students, that transformation can happen with a 2-year degree, but some students may aspire to a transformation that requires a 4-year degree or beyond.  In keeping with its mission, RCBC’s first priority should be to support the dreams of its students, and as such, it is obligated to open as many doors, and provide as many opportunities, as it can.

Rowan University counters any criticism of its new restrictions by saying that of course RCBC students are free to explore, and eventually attend, any and all 4-year institutions.  But by not giving other 4-year colleges and universities the opportunity to visit and recruit on the RCBC campus, Rowan is ignoring the reality of many RCBC students, whose lives are filled with classes, part- or full-time employment, and family obligations.  On-campus visits from 4-year colleges and universities can make it just a little more convenient for RCBC’s striving, hard-working students to learn about their options.

Frederick Keating, the President of Rowan College at Gloucester County (RCGC) – a “sister” community college that is also part of Rowan – disagrees with RCBC’s approach.  He states:

“We don’t see any jeopardy, we don’t see any risk, we don’t see any kind of reason to be more restrictive in promoting opportunity…We’re here for [students], so you put everything out, we give them everything we can give them.  They will make the choice.”

Mr. Keating understands that Rowan University needs to take a positive approach to attracting students by offering them the best quality education for the cost – and not by making it more difficult for them to research alternatives.

Who is right?  Comment and let us know your thoughts!

To learn more about our work with higher ed, please contact
Elizabeth Foley at [email protected] / 215-545-0054 x111 or
Liz Cohen at [email protected]/ 215-545-0054 x103.

Philly.com article:

http://www.philly.com/philly/education/20160923_Why_four-year_colleges_are_fuming_at_NJ_community_college.html

Education-related Melior blog posts:

https://www.meliorgroup.com/trends-challenges-higher-education/

https://www.meliorgroup.com/eight-characteristics-of-future-focused-community-colleges/

Enrollment Management Check List

Back-to-School Enrollment Management Check List for Independent Schools

September 17, 2015
, , , , , , Education, The Art of Research

School is back in session and as you count the number of students who come through the door, the results of your enrollment efforts are clear. But this is no time to rest on your laurels (or wring your hands) – you need to plant the seeds for next year’s enrollment success now!

Our back-to-school checklist is designed to keep your marketing efforts on track, and pave the way for an even stronger enrollment picture next year. To assess the strength of your marketing efforts, give your school 2 points for every item you’ve accomplished, and 1 point for every item that is “in process.”

Then check your score below.

  • You’ve recruited and trained your parent ambassadors
  • You’ve segmented your student body in a meaningful way, so that you know which students/families you attract and why, as well as where you are falling short and why
  • You’ve reviewed your website to make sure all information is current and that it is optimized for search engines
  • You’ve evaluated your logo to ensure it accurately reflects your school and sends the “right” message about who you are and what you stand for
  • You’ve earmarked money specifically for marketing and promotion purposes (no more begging funds from development and enrollment budgets, please)
  • You’ve prepared your strategic communication plan for the year
  • You’ve formally surveyed all families who considered your school last year (those who enrolled and those who did not), analyzed the results, and developed action plans to address the issues identified
  • You’ve included your school in key directories of schools – local and national, print and online –made sure your information is current, and that reviews are positive
  • You’ve cultivated strong relationships with local media/press personnel, and establishing yourself as the “go to” expert for educational issues
  • You’ve interviewed the families who have chosen not to re-enroll this year, and understand the real reasons behind their decision (not just the easy ones like cost)

Scoring:

17-20, Marketing guru!

10-16, A small additional investment in your marketing efforts will bring big rewards

5-9, You’ve made a good start, but there’s more to do to reap the benefits of marketing

0-4, Unless you have a big endowment, you need to put a marketing program in place

For over 30 years, Melior has specialized in conducting sensitive market research on behalf of independent schools and other educational institutions. For more information, please visit our education page or contact Susan J. Levine at [email protected] /215-545-0054 ext. 107 or Linda McAleer at [email protected] / 215-545-0054 ext 104.

The Soccer Field: Ground Zero of School Branding, Pt 2

July 23, 2015
, , , , , , Education, The Melior Group Results

In addition to the community soccer games that I discussed in my previous blog post, I also attend my children’s interscholastic games. We parents segregate ourselves by school, with “home” families on one set of truly uncomfortable bleachers, and “visitors” on another. I end up sitting with my children’s teammates’ parents, and I have learned that this “mono-scholastic” setting has the potential to be a contributor to, and a barometer of, a school’s brand.

Despite the fact that we are all on the same team, from what I have seen, the chatter about our school runs the gamut from positive to negative, from constructive to gossipy. Sometimes the information is firsthand, and often it is second or thirdhand, with parents sharing what they have heard through the grapevine (“the math teacher said WHAT to that child?” “It took HOW LONG for the principal to call you back?” “WHOSE contract wasn’t renewed for next year?”) It’s a witches’ brew of fact and fiction…and the pot surely gets stirred.

The Ripple Effect
Fast forward to the weekend soccer game of my daughter’s community team, when I am now sitting with parents from independent and public schools all over the area. As I described in my previous post, children’s schools are a hot topic of discussion. Parents compare and contrast the area schools, sometimes praising their own children’s schools, but just as often complaining about them. And this is where things get tricky for individual schools.

What I have learned is this: this new world of interscholastic and community sports – where parents feel they must attend the games but have lots of time to gab — has created a ripple effect. What may start out as an internal school matter quickly gets broadcast to the larger community. This is the point at which what’s going on inside the school begins to affect image and impressions among outside constituencies. In short, a school’s “brand” is affected by what its internal constituencies (parents, students, teachers, etc.) are saying about it.

So What’s A School To Do To Manage Its Brand?
Through research, The Melior Group has helped schools to gain a better understanding of what parents are saying on the soccer field and elsewhere, and how those stories are impacting a school’s reputation and brand. We work with our school clients to help them capture and organize the information that’s already rippling through the school community and beyond.

With insight into current and prospective parents’ attitudes and impressions, we help our clients to devise strategies for articulating a brand that is truly reflective of the school’s mission, vision and values.

In sum, the soccer field – both interscholastic and intercommunity – is truly the ground zero of a school’s brand. It is incumbent upon independent school clients to assess their brand, figure out how it got to where it is, and develop strategies to sustain a strong future.

For more information on Melior’s work with independent and religiously affiliated day schools, please contact Elizabeth Cohen at [email protected] / 215-545-0054 ext 103 or Linda McAleer at [email protected] / 215-545-0054 ext 104.

The Soccer Field Sidelines: Ground Zero of Your School’s Brand, Part 1

June 11, 2015
, , , , , Education, The Art of Research

I have spent most weekends the last few years on the soccer field sidelines (or, depending on the season, lacrosse or basketball). In between my fervent prayers for rain (just enough to cancel the game but not ruin the weekend) or a tiny clap of thunder (no play for 30 minutes! everybody go home!), I find myself talking to other parents. I barely know these people, so we stick to what we have in common: kids of similar age, most of whom attend school.

For the uninitiated, let me back up a moment. These sports teams that I am referring to are not school teams. Rather, these teams that play their games on the weekends are community teams. The kids typically come from a variety of different schools…many of which, in my area, happen to be independent.

Personally, I love these conversations about schools. My marketing research instincts kick in, and I sit back and listen. It gets particularly interesting when a family says that they are thinking about switching schools for their child. All of the parents jump into the fray, and a lot of really tantalizing information gets bandied about. It’s hard to separate fact from fiction, but it sure is interesting! You feel like a school expert by the end of the game.

Word–of-mouth has always been something that schools need to be aware of and manage. Yet, while a lot of attention has been paid to the role of social media in revving up the word-of-mouth engine, I believe that in some communities, the sidelines are equally, if not more, powerful channels. Participation in community sports teams has exploded in recent years; in some communities, the vast majority of kids under age 14 – regardless of their athletic prowess (or even interest!) – take part in at least one community team sport. That means that parents of kids from myriad schools have a lot of time on their hands to sit on the sidelines and “watch” (wink wink) their kid play.

The upshot? Every weekend, your school is a topic of conversation. Your school’s name and reputation get kicked around and headed more than the soccer ball.

This chatter can’t help but have significant impact on a school’s brand, which, in turn, is directly correlated with enrollment (and other) success. When prospective independent school parents, for example, are asked in surveys how they first learned about a school, “word of mouth” is by far the leading answer.

Given the reality of idle talk, ever-growing opportunities to spread information, and the importance of such information on consideration of independent schools, what’s a school to do?

I think the answer involves both reactive and proactive steps, simultaneously.

  • On the reactive side, schools need to understand what kind of information/misinformation is being kicked around about them. What is the current reputation/brand? How did it get there? How widespread is the information – both that which is accurate, and that which is pure rumor? The Melior Group often conducts these kinds of studies for our clients that allow them to get a handle on fact from fiction.
  • At the same time, schools need to develop a longer term, proactive strategy for shaping their reputation/brand for the future. A school needs to craft intentional messages that communicate its strengths, and to make sure internal constituencies, i.e., current and recent past parents, alumni, faculty and staff, can – and want to – repeat those strengths on the soccer field sidelines. Here, we use both qualitative and quantitative research to understand which messages truly resonate with intended audiences.

Part 2 of this post is now available here, where I present my thoughts on the impact of interscholastic sports – that is, school-based teams playing other school teams – on school brand.

For more information on Melior’s work with independent and religiously-affiliated day schools, please visit our Education page or contact Elizabeth Cohen at [email protected] / 215-545-0054 ext 103 or Linda McAleer at  [email protected] / 215-545-0054 ext 104.