How do higher ed recruitment professionals reach the unreachable generation?
It seems like a challenge with an obvious solution, doesn’t it? But it’s all far more nuanced than just “getting online” and shouting into the digital void—especially when it comes to student recruitment.
According to our admissions pulse report, 46% of higher ed professionals surveyed acknowledge the difficulty of reaching Gen Z.
Tried and true methods have seen a drop-off, and the newest cohort of prospective students have a slew of preferences that often feel obscured by their general distrust of brands, companies, and institutions.
Nonetheless, administrators have taken it all in stride to get their message across and make it stick in 2022.
Level up digitally
These days, having an “internet presence” is synonymous with being active on social media, and institutions are taking full advantage of the opportunity. It’s a “need-to-have,” unquestionably.
As cited by Global Web Index, Gen Zers spend an average of 3 hours on social media per day, underscoring the need to get involved on their most frequented platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
While there’s been a massive boom in social media engagement since 2017, there’s been an even bigger one in virtual events—as higher admissions professionals report.
A hybrid strategy refers to the inclusion of virtual events—alongside in-person events—within the scope of recruitment. Like utilizing social channels, holding virtual events fuels connection by digitizing and simultaneously humanizing the student experience.
It’s the bridge between the past and future of student recruitment that hits the nail right on the head in today’s climate, which is why higher ed admissions, recruitment, and marketing professionals have gravitated toward it as a method of choice.
But more so than anything, they ultimately prefer student-to-student engagement. And that’s probably because it can be incorporated into both social media and virtual events strategies.
Enlisting current students to do Instagram takeovers and run live Q&As is, quite literally, a win-win.
Create strong advocates
95% of our survey respondents said that peer-to-peer engagement during recruitment is critical, a testament to the power of those sought-after connections.
The word of an admissions staff member with clear motives can only go so far, and admins understand that. That’s why they enlist the help of the people whose word can actually go the distance.
It’s also why 84% of respondents reported having a formalized student ambassador program. Prospective students trust current students more so than anyone else, and for obvious reasons. Would you buy a car from someone who’s never driven it before?
Furthermore, the accessibility of these advocates is crucial—63% of institutions report the use of a digital student-to-student platform. If we’re talking about meeting students where they are, it only makes sense to facilitate their communication within that space.
As for the remaining 37% who lack these tools, they must rely on other mediums to make connections happen. Scaling personal outreach manually is both taxing and unsustainable, which is surely why so many administrators have already found this shortcut.
Look ahead
No strategy can succeed without a forward-thinking approach. Proactivity is always king.
In our survey, we asked what higher ed professionals thought would cause the biggest disruption to the sector in the next five years.
More than half—53%—say that it will be an increase in student expectations/demands, even more so than digital transformation or the post-COVID hybrid world.
When asked what they expect the future of student recruitment to look like, a whopping 86% said hybrid all the way.
Keeping up with the competition, by and large, means keeping digital in the mix. There’s no going back now, and the relevance of an institution rests on the relevance it maintains in the eyes of Gen Z students.
To read more insights from your peers, check out our 2022 admissions pulse report.
To learn more about Gen Z’s expectations, stay tuned for our forthcoming student pulse report.