Higher Ed Tools to Push Students Outside their Comfort Zone

Like any big step in our lives, enrolling and attending higher education can be fraught with all kinds of nerves and doubts. The usual fears of connectedness and making friends in a new place are there, but so is the pressure to perform well in a challenging setting, as well as the uncertainty of this being the right step for the future and if the money in tuition will be worth the risk. Fears about financing and accommodation can also affect a prospective student’s decision.

Another issue that comes up can be the geographical location, whether a student is moving across the country or to another country entirely, the idea of living in a completely different place without friends or family nearby can create a lot of doubt. International students as well will often have to contend with interacting in a different language and navigating a foreign culture, all while striving for academic success and creating new social networks.

Related: Unpacking the Student Confidence Equation in Higher Ed

For some, these fears create doubts so large that the idea of pushing through and attempting to tackle the challenge is too much. A lack of confidence that one has the inner and external resources to succeed in the face of something this big can deter a student from ever attending their first class, even if they’ve accepted offers and have every intention of going.

Building Internal Resources through External Ones

All the fears and doubts that Gen Z has about attending school can be soothed by addressing them directly. Some problems like finances can be addressed by getting in touch with financial aid, bursaries, scholarships and assistance getting work on- or off-campus. Other issues like lack of connection and fear of making friends can be managed by connecting students to one another, especially as they’re likely all in the same boat with the same worries.

One of the most effective ways to navigate big changes in life, like starting higher education, is not doing it alone. Having peers can be very reassuring, and they can have information that is useful in figuring out new situations. Even just the social and emotional support of their peers can make a difference in a student’s life, helping to determine their success in their academic lives and elsewhere.

However, helping students connect to one another without having them take the scary leap of just showing up and seeing what happens is part of the struggle to retain students. We want to push students out of their comfort zone, but not shove them.

Let Current Students and Prospective Students Virtually Connect

Most likely, there simply aren’t enough resources for every student to receive one-on-one attention from support staff to provide reassurance that would help a student struggling to find the confidence and motivation to push through an uncomfortable situation. However, social trends for 2023 strongly suggest that this connection is crucial for Gen Z.

Helping students to become ready for in-person classes and feel confident to take risks can be done by giving them the chance to make connections in a low-stakes environment. Unibuddy Community offers this kind of warm connection, and lets your current students become marketers for your institution, a resource that is abundant.

Related: Supporting students to overcome their fears with Community

With Unibuddy Community, students can talk to others who are also seeking the same thing, removing the fear that they might be a bother, or could end up feeling left out. In Community, a student can share their thoughts, concerns or fears, and see that others resonate with them as well. It is a practical solution that is scalable to your student population, and is a way to facilitate authentic engagement within the higher education experience.

Current students can also become student ambassadors with some training, capable of guiding prospective students to find their niche and opportunities to customize their academic experience. Ambassadors are also there as knowledgeable counterparts who have lived the experience that students are going to go through. They can point out campus services that have helped them navigate difficult experiences, like accessing an academic counsellor, or finding accommodations. Students connecting with their peers and seeing those who’ve walked the path that they’re on can boost their confidence in trying something new and difficult. If they succeed, they have friends to celebrate with, and if they don’t, they have a support network that will encourage them on their next try.

Related: Unibuddy Higher Ed Digital Marketing Guide: What You Need to Know in 2023

Student reviews offer authentic insights

From course recommendations to something as simple as what extracurriculars are available on-campus, student-written reviews offer valuable information for prospective students. As authentic voices providing ratings, Gen Z trusts student reviews to provide objective, realistic, and practical insider looks into a higher ed institution. According to StudyPortals, 77% of prospective students find student reviews of higher ed programs and universities to be instrumental in their decision-making process.

Communities as a Powerful Tool for Students and Recruiters

Social media marketing allows for connection but isn’t scalable to your student population or able to stay under your control. While participants may have helpful information, they don’t offer follow-up or personalized connection. Unibuddy Community is a step closer to the experience of an in-person campus community. Leveraging your community means using the knowledge and experience within your students to help other students looking for guidance and connection. 

Community provides a safe platform with verified student ambassadors, and is easy to use for the administration side that needs to keep tabs on the program. Universities that have used Unibuddy Community, like the University of Leicester, had a 23% increase in enrollment compared to the year prior when Unibuddy wasn’t part of their recruitment and retention tools. Giving students easier access to the community that already exists at your higher education institution reduces melt rates and increases retention.