NACAC Report Finds Use of Social Networking Tools on the Rise in College Admission Offices

National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) released a white paper (to members only) on college admissions offices use of social networking activity.

From NACAC.org site:

“Social media tools, like Facebook, Twitter and blogs, are key to communicating with this generation of students,” stated Joyce Smith, NACAC CEO. “While still no substitute for face-to-face interaction, social media have opened lines of communication and inquiry for both students and institutions that were inconceivable only a decade ago.”

Other findings of note include:

• More than half (53 percent) of colleges monitor social media for “buzz” about their institution.
  
• A majority of colleges maintain a presence in social media, as 33 percent of colleges maintain a blog, 29 maintain a presence on social networking Web sites, 27 percent maintain message- or bulletin-boards, 19 percent employ video blogging, and 14 percent issue podcasts. Thirty-nine percent of colleges reported using no social media technology.
  
• Eighty-eight percent of admission offices believed social media were either “somewhat” or “very” important to their future recruitment efforts.

Visit NACAC.org for more information.

Kids say the darndest things

For admissions departments embracing new technologies can be a challenge.  Instead of trying to guess at what potential recruits are interested in, why not try ‘reverse mentoring’?

In this post from Molly DiBianca in the Delaware Employment Law Blog, she writes, “Reverse mentoring works in all industries but may demonstrate the most effective results in professional fields where technology is an integral part of the work environment but is not the central focus of the work. “

Diane Piktialis writes in Encore some tips for getting started with reverse mentoring in your organization.

Why not make it a goal this semester to have a “mentoring” session with a new freshman to find out how they used technology to make their enrollment decision? It’s a great way to figure out if you are going down the right path with your marketing efforts.

Are admissions officers in conflict with Generation Y?

A recent post in The Accidental IT Leader points out that in today’s workplace, the greatest probability of conflict is between Gen X and Gen Y.

While admission to an institution of higher education is different than a job, these potential conflicts are worth looking at.

Specifically, the Accidental IT Leader points out that Gen X is used to learning via the “classroom model,” where information is presented by lectures, manuals, and (in the “high tech’ version) through video or online tutorials. By contrast, Millennials have grown up learning to jump right in and learn by doing–often collaborating with peers.

Your admissions and recruitment processes probably resemble the classroom model, which is understandable as most admissions officers are from Generation X. But there are ways you can start to make the experience more hands-on and interactive, without changing too many things.

One of the easiest ways is to have current students liaise with new applicants. If you’re ready to add some Internet technology to the mix, consider chat rooms and other group-centered, real-time devices.

This might require a few small changes on how your do things, but the Accidental IT Leader’s post includes the observation that “with change comes opportunity.” This is just another way to have an edge.

Millennials respond: What makes us bad, is good

In my last post I talked about a new book — Ron Alsop’s “The Trophy Kids Grow Up” — that paints Millennials in less than flattering light. Well, the millennials have responded.

The full text in this article is worth a read, but here are a few gems I enjoyed:

“I take offense at Ron Alsop’s patronizing profile of the millennial generation in “The ‘Trophy Kids’ Go to Work” (Personal Journal, Oct. 21). The so-called “negative” traits he describes are the very traits that will help millennials succeed.”

…

“We embody these traits not because we believe we are better than others but because of lessons learned from our times and because of the failures of the baby boomers and Generation X.”

…

“We also understand the impact work has on family life. When we want flexible work schedules and vacation, it’s because we are unwilling to make the same mistakes as our boomer parents. Our mothers sought professional fulfillment, and we became latch-key kids. Many of our parents got divorced.”

One reader might say these millennial quotes show confidence, while others might see youthful naivete.

Either way, there is a take-away lesson for recruiting these folks: They feel entitled and righteous, so play to it.