What Students Really Want to Hear from Colleges [Event Recap]

We recently hosted: What Students Really Want to Hear from Colleges. This blog post provides a recap of what we covered during the event. 

Learn what to keep and what to yeet from your 2024-2025 enrollment marketing strategy, based on Scoir student feedback!

Read on for strategies to authentically connect with Gen Z and thrive through today’s admissions challenges. 

We’ll cover:

• What’s different about Gen Z
• What to yeet from your marketing strategy
• What to keep in your marketing strategy
• Utilizing data for better engagement
• Entering your Gen Z ✨ marketing era ✨

What’s Different About Gen Z

Before we jump into what to yeet and what to keep in your marketing strategy, let’s get in the headspace of today’s students.

Gen Z grew up in a world flooded with digital content, instant communication, and social media. This generation is all about authenticity, connection, entrepreneurship, and transparency. They want to know what colleges are really about and what it’s like to live there—beyond the glossy brochures and stock photos.

What to Yeet from Your Marketing Strategy

To connect authentically with Gen Z, you must understand what they don’t vibe with. Here’s a list of things that are giving ick for today’s students:

• Overly formal language (keep it casual and relatable instead)
• Generic images that don’t reflect real students (show real imagery of your campus instead)
• Too many calls to action (keep it simple)
• Lots of emails (students don’t want to read)

Students are tired of feeling like they’re being sold to. They want real conversations and genuine connections.

Let’s dive into some common marketing channels for colleges, and why these approaches aren’t vibing with students anymore.

Email marketing: students are overwhelmed with them!

One of the biggest turn-offs for students today? The avalanche of emails.

Students are fed up with the number of emails they’re receiving, and most students don’t read them at all. The average email open rate for higher education is only 13%. Your time is likely better spent elsewhere (like Scoir Messaging 😉).

When you do email students, ensure you:

• Keep emails concise—think bullet points, not essays
• Use catchy subject lines that pop
• Focus on what’s relevant to the student’s interests

Websites: make them student-centric

Scoir students say that college sites don’t always give them a good glimpse into campus life. They’re looking for a simple navigation menu and content that reflects what it’s like to be a student there. Here’s how to fix that:

• Showcase authentic student stories—think “Day in the Life” videos
• Make your website easy to navigate
• Use engaging visuals or bullet points instead of long paragraphs

Remember, students are scrolling through tons of content. If your site isn’t catching their eye, they’ll bounce faster than you can say “college application.”

Print marketing: the good, the bad, and the ugly

While marketing mailers aren’t dead, they need to be done right. Students are receiving stacks of mail, and if it’s not personalized, it’s going straight to the recycling bin. Here’s how to make physical mail work:

• Use high-quality materials—cheap postcards scream mass mailing
• Personalize your messaging—make it feel like it’s just for them
• Engage parents too—they’re influential in the decision-making process

Print marketing can be effective, but don’t go overboard. Less is more!

What to Keep in Your Marketing Strategy

Now that we’ve covered what to yeet from your marketing approach, let’s talk about what vibes with Gen Z.

Be sure to keep in mind how you can reuse the content your campus community is already creating. Odds are, your campus is already a content-generation machine!

Connecting through social media

Gen Z lives online, and if you want to reach them, you’ve got to show up where they hang out. Use platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat to create fun, engaging content. Here’s what to keep in mind:

• Use memes and trends to connect—speak their language
• Share behind-the-scenes content that shows real campus life
• Encourage student-generated content—let them be your ambassadors

Gen Z wants to see the authentic side of your school, so don’t be afraid to have fun with your content.

Highlight campus culture and community

What’s the vibe like on campus? Students want to know what it’s like to be a part of your community. Highlight your campus culture through student stories, events, and activities. Here’s how:

• Share student testimonials and stories—let them tell their own experiences
• Create content around campus events—show the fun stuff that’s happening
• Highlight unique aspects of your community—what makes your area special?

Connecting with prospective students on a personal level can make all the difference. They want to envision themselves thriving in your environment.

Affordability matters

Gen Z is painfully aware of financial struggles. They’ve seen the impact of student debt on their families, and they want price and cost transparency. Here’s how to tackle the affordability conversation:

• Be upfront about costs
• Showcase scholarship opportunities and financial aid resources
• Use clear visuals to explain financial aid processes

Don’t shy away from the money talk—today’s students appreciate honesty and transparency.

Utilizing Data for Better Engagement

Utilize analytics to find out what topics are trending among prospective students. Here are some popular content types, according to Scoir students:

• Virtual tours—students want to see the campus!
• Major-specific content—what can they study?
• Scholarship info—make it accessible!

Tailor your content to what students are searching for. That way, you can create a more engaging experience that resonates with their interests.

Entering Your Gen Z ✨ Marketing Era ✨

Here are some key takeaways:

1. Reduce, reuse, and upcycle your online content
2. Create first-person video stories
3. Meet students where they are
4. Surface your differentiators
5. Share what makes your community and area special

Embrace these strategies, and you’ll be well on your way to authentically connecting with Gen Z students. Now go out there and show them what you’ve got!

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