The New Rules in College Choice: Findings from Lipman Hearne’s National Study on High-Achieving Seniorsy g g

Tom Abrahamson Managing Director & Principal

Donna Van De Water, Ph.D. Managing Director & Principal

About Lipman Hearne

• Established in 1966, now the nation’s largest marketing firm servingserving colleges, universities, and nonprofits

• Expertise from academia, global agencies, and nonprofit organizations

• 77 staff members in Chicago and Washington, D.C.

• Best practices and thought leadership

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4An Integrated Approach• Research

• Brand Strategy

• Enrollment Marketing

• Integrated Marketing

C ti D l t• Creative Development

• Interactive

• Advertising• Advertising

• Media Planning and Buying

• Public AffairsPublic Affairs

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The new rules• Rule #1: What matters to college-Rule #1: What matters to college-

bound students is not “one size fits all”

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The new rules• Rule #1: What matters to college-Rule #1: What matters to college-

bound students is not “one size fits all”• Rule #2: The way students now learn• Rule #2: The way students now learn

about colleges has changed from push to pull.p

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The new rules• Rule #1: What matters to college-Rule #1: What matters to college-

bound students is not “one size fits all”• Rule #2: The way students now learn• Rule #2: The way students now learn

about colleges has changed from push to pull.p

• Rule #3: The recession’s impact on college choice will stay with us a long g y gwhile.

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The new rules• Rule #1: What matters to college-Rule #1: What matters to college-

bound students is not “one size fits all”• Rule #2: The way students now learn• Rule #2: The way students now learn

about colleges has changed from push to pull.p

• Rule #3: The recession’s impact on college choice will stay with us a long g y gwhile.

• Rule #4: Mom and dad are “all-in” at all t f th ll t d i istages of the enrollment decision

First a little background on gthe study…

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The 2009 study sought answers to these questions:

• Why are these high-achievers going to college?

• Where are they going (public vs private)?Where are they going (public vs private)?

• What college features and factors closed the deal and which ones didn’t?and which ones didn t?

• What features are they willing to trade-off?

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The 2009 study sought answers to these questions:

• How important is “fit?”

• What information sources broke through atWhat information sources broke through at decision time and were most valued?

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The 2009 study sought answers to these questions:

• In what cases will students travel for their education?

• How do students factor in financial aid and scholarships into their decision process?

• What role do parents play in the process?

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Survey respondents• 1,264 college-bound high

school seniors

• Solid-performers and Academic Superstars

• NRCCUA database and• NRCCUA database and screening

• Applied to and acceptedApplied to and accepted by at least three colleges

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Ability Level*Ability Level

Academic Superstars

66%66%

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Solid performers SAT M+V 1150 1290Solid performers: SAT M+V = 1150-1290Superstars: SAT M+V 1300 - 1600

Ability Level*

Academic S tSuperstars

66%

*SOURCES: Please indicate the college entrance exam that you took and earned the highest

**SOURCE: NRCCUA database

Please indicate the college entrance exam that you took and earned the highest combined/composite score? What was your combined SAT I verbal and math score (out of 1600)? What was your combined SAT II verbal and math score (out of 2400)? What was your ACT composite score?

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The survey participants:

24% Northeast 32% South 21% Midwest22% West

SOURCE: NRCCUA database

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Ethnicity• 64% White • 15% Asian• 15% Asian • 6% Hispanic• 3% African American• 6% Other • 9% Unknown

Gender• 65% Female • 35% Male

SOURCE: NRCCUA databaseNOTE: Multiple responses were allowed

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What we measured

• 30 information sources: usage and influence

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What we measured

• 30 information sources: usage and influence• 29 college attributes: importance in picking g p p g

schools to apply to/ at time of decision

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What we measured

• 30 information sources: usage and influence• 29 college attributes: importance in picking g p p g

schools to apply to/ at time of decision• Values

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What we measured

• 30 information sources: usage and influence• 29 college attributes: importance in picking g p p g

schools to apply to/ at time of decision• Values • Tradeoffs

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What we measured

• 30 information sources: usage and influence• 29 college attributes: importance in picking g p p g

schools to apply to/ at time of decision• Values • Tradeoffs• Perceptions of college cost

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What we measured

• 30 information sources: usage and influence• 29 college attributes: importance in picking g p p g

schools to apply to/ at time of decision• Values • Tradeoffs• Perceptions of college cost• Parental impact

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Rule #1 What matters to collegeRule #1 What matters to collegeWhat matters to college-bound students is not What matters to college-bound students is not “one size fits all.”“one size fits all.”

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Why are these high-achieversWhy are these high achievers going to college?

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Top reasons for going to college (All respondents)(All respondents)

• Prepare for career• Learn to be an independent person• To contribute to social and professional success• Make “best” friends• Access to diverse people and backgrounds• Make family proud

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Why College:

89%95%You want to go to the college that will best prepare

you for a career

Why College:

70%62%It's best to go to a college where there are many

people who have different backgrounds and points of view from yours

50%57%

Wh d d t d i t

You want to go to college to make your family proud

49%

40%

38%

It' b t t t ll h t l

Where you earn your undergraduate degree is not nearly as important as where you earn your

graduate degree

30%

25%

40%

It's best to go to a college where you know you will

It's best to go to a college where most people share your views and interests

#REF!Solid Performers

Academic

Superstars

Solid Performers

17%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%100%

t s best to go to a co ege e e you o yoube one of the very best students

Solid PerformersSuperstars

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Which is more important? Intellectual growth or career preparation?

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Did type of college selected change between 2006 and 2009?

Academic Superstars Solid Performers

2006N=300

2009N=828

2006N=300

2009N=433

Public 46% 47% 57% 63%

Private 52% 51% 37% 35%

Indeterminat 2% 2% 6% 0%e 2% 2% 6% 0%

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Most important in determining where to apply

SOURCE: What was most important to you in deciding where to apply? [Open-ended responses.]

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Most important in final college decision

SOURCE: Please rate how important each of the following were in your decision to enroll at [SCHOOL] instead of another college or university.

Not at all important Very important

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Least important factors in the final college decision

SOURCE: Please rate how important each of the following were in your decision to enroll at [SCHOOL] instead of another college or university.

Not at all important Very important

3333

Superstar’s Comment on “Fit”

“It was not just one thing. E thi h d t t thEverything had to come together; from the atmosphere to the academics to the price it all had to fit ”to the price, it all had to fit.

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2/3 of respondents said they are attending their top choice school. Yet, among these students…

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2/3 of respondents said they are attending their top choice school. Yet, among these students…

• 1/3 say they’re enrolling at a school that is not a very good fit

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2/3 of respondents said they are attending their top choice school. Yet, among these students…

• 1/3 say they’re enrolling at a school that is not a very good fit

• 1/3 say that they are at their “perfect fit” (rating 10/10 for their choice)

So, just how important is “fit”?

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Decision factors by level of “fit” achievedDecision factors by level of fit achieved

TOP 5TOP 5

TOP 10TOP 10

Not at all important Very important

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Top 5 Decision factors by level of “fit” achievedTop 5 Decision factors by level of fit achieved

Not at all important Very important

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Decision factors by level of “fit” achieved contDecision factors by level of fit achieved cont.

Not at all important Very important

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Bottom 10 Decision factorsBottom 10 Decision factors by level of “fit” achieved cont.

Not at all important Very important

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Trade off factors in the enrollmentTrade off factors in the enrollment decision

SOURCE: If you have to pick one characteristic, which of the two played a greater role in your decision to enroll at [SCHOOL]?

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Reputation Trumps Location

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Reputation Edges-out Cost

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Cost Beats Location

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Reputation (major) Trumps Location

4646

Overall Reputation and Program Reputation Both Matter

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Reputation of Major Trumps Cost

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Rule #2

The way students nowstudents now learn about colleges has changed fromchanged from push to pull.

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Most influential sources at decision timeMost influential sources at decision time

SOURCE: Please rate how influential each of the following were in your decision to enroll at [COLLEGE FROM Q. 6] instead of another college or university.

5050

Important sources of college information that could potentially be more impactful

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Information source breakthrough opportunities

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In what cases will studentsIn what cases will students travel far for college?

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Proximity to home was among the least important factors among high achievers at decision time. They are more concerned with:They are more concerned with:

Fit• Fit• Academic opportunities• Career opportunities• Career opportunities• Reputation (both overall and within their major)

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Enrollment results by location type

Total Academic Solid performers

First time undergrads, recent HS gradsTotal

(N=1,261)superstars(N=828)

performers(N=433)

HS grads(N=2,272,255)

Location

Large/mid-sized city 68% 70% 67% 56%

Urban fringe 17% 18% 17% 24%

Town/rural 10% 9% 11% 20%

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Rule #3

The recession’srecession s impact on college choice will stay withwill stay with us a long

hilwhile.

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How the economy affected college choice this year

• 53% will enroll in a less expensive school• 53% will enroll in a less expensive school• 44% will rely more heavily on financial aid

counselingcounseling• 38% will obtain a larger loan• 38% will attend a college closer to homeg• 25% will visit fewer college campuses• 24% will change from a private to a publicg p p• 21% will live at home while attending college

Source: 2009 Report on the Impact of the Economy On College Enrollment by Longmire and Company

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H d t d tHow do students perceive costs?p

5858

A low-priced college = Median Cost of $15,000

A high-priced college = Median Cost of $35,000A high priced college Median Cost of $35,000

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Total costs by area of study

STEM Social H i i B i Ed i P f i l

Total costs by area of study

STEM Social Science Humanities Business Education Professional

A low-priced college costs less than

$15,000 $15,000 $15,000 $15,000 $15,000 $15,000than…

A high-priced college costs more than…

$35,000 $40,000 $36,500 $40,000 $30,000 $40,000

SOURCE: How would you define the following terms? (Median)

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How do students factor in fi i l id dfinancial aid and

scholarships into their pdecision process?

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Scholarship and tuition have different meanings for students attending privatemeanings for students attending private vs. public institutions

Not at all important Very important

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Money offered trumps prestige

Not at all important Very important

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Rule #4:Rule #4:

Know that Know that mom and dadmom and dadmom and dad mom and dad are “all in” at are “all in” at every stage of every stage of the collegethe collegethe college the college decision.decision.

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Do "helicopter” parents really exist?

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Students said parents were involved in:

•Identifying colleges to consider (75%) •Determining where to apply (75%)Determining where to apply (75%) •Managing applications (62%) •Deciding where to visit (75%) g ( )•Deciding where to enroll (69%)

SOURCE: Which family members, if any, were involved during each of the following stages of your college decision?

6666

Ranking of parents’ influence in final decision,influence in final decision, among all information sources used

• Conversation with your parents (#2 out of 30)p ( )

• Letters/mailings to your parents from colleges (#22 out of of 30)

SOURCE: Please rate how influential each of the following were in your decision to enroll at [NAME OF COLLEGE FROM Q. 6] instead of another college or university. NOTE: Ranks based upon top-two-box ratings

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Wh t th kWhat are the key observations of

the study?

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What are the key observations from the study?

• Expectations are sky high

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What are the key observations from the study?

• Expectations are sky high• Power of people and experiences must be

harnessed

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What are the key observations from the study?

• Expectations are sky high• Power of people and experiences must be

harnessed• Economic realities can take some schools out of

the game too soonthe game too soon

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What are the key observations from the study?

• Expectations are sky high• Power of people and experiences must be

harnessed• Economic realities can take some schools out of

the game too soonthe game too soon• Strive to “flip the communication pyramid”

Discussion

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Additional analysis available:• Comparison of findings to

2006 t d h l t2006 study where relevant• Different approaches used

to achieve success in life• High-achieving seniors

choosing liberal arts colleges

• High-achieving seniors choosing metropolitan research universities

• High-achieving seniors choosing faith-based colleges

• Custom analysis possible upon request

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