Recently, I was talking to a friend of mine who has decided to go back to school to be able to further his career. He told me about how difficult it was to find a school in the area where he lives (in a small town north of Cincinnati) that was able to fit classes around his work schedule and still offer the courses. He needs to find tutors to teach him how to write an essay in the time frame he prefers. This got me to thinking, is he alone when it comes to the pains of being a non-traditional student, or is this a problem for many others too?
Meeting the demands of non-traditional students is becoming a bigger trend now more than ever. According to Daniel Fusch of Director of Publications and Research at Academic Impressions.com, “three-fourths of today’s college students are nontraditional, 49 percent are enrolled part-time, 38 percent work full-time and 27 percent have dependents of their own at home.” This is an extremely large percentage and is continuing to grow. What this also means is that the demand for higher education is becoming much more prevalent, and as a result, marketing techniques are changing to target this specific demographic. Fusch goes on to explain, “For many traditional students, the campus experience and the process of gaining education is an event, a rite of passage. For adult learners, it is more likely a step into getting something else—a better degree, a better job.” Many adult learners are looking to better themselves in order to obtain something to help provide for themselves and their family, and marketing needs to convey exactly that. When marketing to non-traditional students, I’ve found through conversations with peers and a bit of my own research, that it is important to focus on a few key factors : Flexibility: Being able to offer required classes at a time that works with your non-traditional students is a definite selling-point. When marketing, make sure that the ability to work with their schedules and busy lives is a priority. Not only will this attract them to want to learn more about your university, but it will convey to them that you take into consideration their ultimate goals and obstacles, and will help to build a strong relationship that will only help your reputation as a university. Acceleration: For adult learners, as Fusch previously mentioned, the desire to obtain higher education is to achieve something greater so that they may be capable of obtaining a better job or just further their degree for their own personal fulfillment. Marketing to non-traditional prospects by focusing on the speed in which you can obtain your degree is a major draw for these prospects, as many of them want to be sure that they can complete their programs in as short amount of time as possible. Capitalize on what you have to offer: Whether it be financial aid, transfer credit evaluation, online programs, help from an advisor, or amenities such as child care, capitalizing on the extras that your university has to offer adult students is the one of the best ways to market your university and provide them with the tools that they need to succeed. Focus on these suggested factors when marketing to your non-traditional prospects and you will be sure to receive a high return in fulfilling both your admissions goals, and the success of your students.
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