This university wanted to know how to stand out to prospective non-traditional undergraduate and graduate degree seekers amid competition from other universities. To do that, the university had to know what was driving student’s choices and how that compared to key competitors.
Research showed that the most important factors were the same across segments. Perception of affordability, program structure (on campus, online program), and great career development were the three consistent themes that were found to be essential to brand growth. Some specific factors for adult undergraduate and graduate degree seekers included program availability, financial aid/scholarship availability, affordability, and excellent academic reputation.
Prospective students who decided to attend another university seemed to find importance in the same factors as above when looking at other universities, however there were some factors that were unmet that this university could capitalize on. Affordability, highly ranked degrees, and family/friends’ recommendations were some of the unmet needs in both the undergraduate and graduate degree seeking criteria and its key competitors but could be met with improvement in these areas.
Misconceptions about pricing were apparent as prospective students believed tuition was higher than actual costs. As a primary decision factor, communicating cost differently was critical to increasing brand equity.
