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Mar11Written by:Ananda Jones
3/11/2010 8:38 AM  Institutional positioning as the more attractive
alternative to the for-profit colleges has become a challenge for many public
and small non-profit colleges.
For-profit colleges now represent about 7% of the nation's roughly 19
million students who enroll at degree granting institutions each fall. Accordingly, the University
of Phoenix is now the second
largest higher-education system in the country, with 455,600 students as of
this month.
These staggering rates of growth are certainly reason for
pause and evaluation. However, a closer
examination of the strengths of such programs makes finding ways of becoming more
attractive to these students, and ultimately to increase enrollment, a more
promising endeavor.
- Reaching out to adult students - As
the number of adult learners returning to school significantly
increases, these students are in search of programs that accommodate
their work and family responsibilities
- Online programs - Offer a convenient way for students to complete a course of study with increased flexibility
- Enrollment speed - From point of inquiry to application
for enrollment and financial aid, for-profits get their students up and
running in their programs at a record pace
- Focus on retention - Using systems like "early alert" to
identify struggling or at risk students and get them back on track towards degree
completion
Additionally for-profit institutions have the advantage,
in most cases, of large marketing budgets allowing for a significant
presence
in the market space, as well as the agility to adapt to new careers on
the rise by expanding the number of courses available to fit the
demand. But it does seem that their significant focus
on the needs of the learners, and the flexibility that they require is
the
biggest driver in their success.
Many public and small non-profit colleges are competing in this market
with powerful degree completion programs for adult learners, either
online or in the classroom. These
programs offer both convenience and flexibility.
From our experience here is where you can really set your institution apart from your for-profit counterparts. Your top three critical success indicators beyond what the for-profit institutions do are as follows:
- Cost - Particularly
in today's economy cost of degree completion plays a major role in an
adult student's choice of program. Many students find for-profit
institution programs far too expensive to complete.
- Customer Service - At
your institution you see your students as people, not numbers. Adults
are more comfortable in an environment where they are respected as an
individual and appreciate a personal interaction with their institution.
- Community - Private institutions have the opportunity to build significant relationships in the
community with local businesses, which can increase enrollment and further the
mission of an institution.
Clearly
there is great opportunity for public and non-profit colleges to
reposition themselves in the online and adult learner market as unique
and strong competitors. Establishing a very "learner centered" adult
degree program, either online or in the classroom, and communicating
this opportunity well to the potential market is a great place to start. |
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