Podcast Series: Innovations in Education

Explore the full series of eCampus News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.

Social media saves money, boosts efficiency for college recruiters

A new study examines social media’s impact on college spending.

It’s no secret that teenagers today practically live online—so online is where college recruiters should go to find potential students, reveals a study about increased social media use among admissions officers at U.S. colleges and universities.

The Center for Marketing Research at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth this month released a study that indicates significant changes in recruiting tactics as higher education warms up to social media.

The newly released data show for the first time that using social media cuts costs for college recruiters, and as a result, 86 percent of surveyed schools plan to increase investments in these tools during the next year.…Read More

Recruiting in this age of social networking is a slippery slope

Recruiting athletes via Twitter landed one coach in hot water.

As technology evolves, recruiting parameters have become blurrier. In the last five years, the NCAA’s microscope has tried to sharpen its focus on social media.

Of course, the NCAA didn’t need a microscope to see what happened Tuesday.

Oklahoma University (OU) assistant coach Jay Norvell’s Twitter feed was pouring out NCAA violations. They were all secondary in nature; that is, minor infractions not likely to bring any harsh penalties. But the tweets came with alarming frequency.…Read More

5 new ways colleges are reaching high school students

Each fall, the recruiting season seems to be the same process for colleges and universities: Send recruitment mailers to prospective students who signed up online or at college fairs to receive information and wait for them to arrive on campus for the standard tour and Q&A session, U.S. News reports. While discussions about rejuvenating the recruitment strategy presumably take place in admissions offices annually, the threat of declining applications due to a new campaign that flops may be serving as a roadblock to innovation. Still, there are some colleges and universities that are breathing new life into the recruiting process in order to supplement–or buck–the traditions. Here are five examples of schools using social media and technology to connect with prospective college students…

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Colleges appeal to students with green policies

Universities are touting green initiatives to draw eco-conscious students.
Universities are touting green initiatives to draw eco-conscious students.

Small private colleges and large research universities alike have adopted green policies in recent years in an effort to trim energy bills, encourage sustainability, and lure environmentally conscious students to their campuses. Now, a college counseling company has named five schools in particular as the most eco-friendly.

Such lists could carry weight among prospective students. In fact, nearly seven in 10 high school students surveyed by the Princeton Review last year said they would evaluate a college’s environmental policies and commitments before attending classes there. And with Earth Day approaching on April 22, schools are touting their green credentials in the annual springtime recruiting blitz.

IvyWise, a counseling company based in New York City and headed by admissions expert Katherine Cohen, released its list last week of schools that appeal to the greenest of prospective students: the University of Washington at Seattle, Arizona State University, Bates College, Emory University, and the University of Colorado at Boulder.…Read More