On-Demand Webinar

Marketing, Messaging, and Recruitment: How Graduate Students Make Their Decisions and How Graduate Programs Should Respond

After three years of unprecedented growth, graduate enrollment appears to be leveling off. At the same time, there is no end in sight for the challenges in growing traditional undergraduate numbers. What are institutions that rely on graduate enrollment to do?

 

The answer: meet the expectations of prospective students better than competing programs.
   
RNL's new survey of 1,500 graduate students indicates there are at least five factors more important in the selection of a program than the reputation of a program or institution. What are these factors? How should graduate programs respond in their positioning messaging, outreach, and cultivation?

 

In this webinar we review:

 

    1. What are the most frequently cited factors in program decision making?
    2. What motivates graduate students to decide to enroll in graduate study?
    3. How do graduate students balance cost with other factors in choosing a program?
    4. Are you competing with inertia or other programs?
    5. How are graduate students finding their programs?
 
After reviewing the data, we have a discussion with a panel of experts on how institutions need to respond. Among our topics will be:
 
    1. How should graduate programs structure program pages and other content to ensure that it engages today's students?
    2. What messages are most likely to interest graduate students and get them to click or otherwise contact you?
    3. How can institutions best contend with tuition sensitivity while knowing that graduate students want to be able to find tuition information?
    4. What are the most essential steps and actions to take in recruitment when you are actively competing with other programs and institutions?
    5. Your questions. We are reserving time to address questions from you before we conclude the webinar.

Watch now
Who You’ll Hear From

Scott Jeffe
Vice President, Research (Graduate and Online), RNL
Scott has worked with more than 200 institutions in 40+ states to apply market data to strategic decisions. With a focus on profiling the demands and preferences of nontraditional (adult, online, etc.) students, Scott has developed a unique sensitivity to ensuring that programs align with student demand while upholding institutional mission and values.
Reena Lichtenfeld
Vice President, Consulting Services, RNL
Dr. Lichtenfeld brings more than 20 years of experience in higher education administration. Her areas of expertise include graduate, undergraduate, and online admissions; strategic recruitment and enrollment management/planning; and policy, accreditation, governance, and compliance.
Charles Ramos
Vice President, Graduate and Online, RNL
Charles is a veteran of higher education, with over 24 years of experience as an enrollment professional and consultant. He has affected positive change that has equated to increased enrollment and sustainable revenue growth in the undergraduate, graduate, online, and nontraditional markets for over 100 institutions across the United States and Canada.
Jason Isaac
Creative Director, RNL
Jason offers more than 17 years of creative and graphic design experience. Jason leads RNL's creative and digital marketing teams to deliver award-winning solutions that engage and convert. Since 2006, Jason has played a key role in developing successful omnichannel campaigns for brands such as Cirque du Soleil, 3M, and MGM Resorts International.