In this episode of the Changing Higher Ed podcast, host Drumm McNaughton is joined by Chris Gilmore, VP of Education Dynamics Enrollment Management. With extensive experience in online higher education and various leadership roles, Chris shares valuable insights into the evolving landscape of student demographics and the strategic approaches institutions need to adopt to effectively engage nontraditional students.
Key Discussion Points
The Changing Definition of Nontraditional Students
- Evolving Definitions: Chris elaborates on how the term "nontraditional students" has expanded beyond age differences to include individuals integrating education into their already full lives, such as younger online students or older adults managing work and family commitments.
- New Terminology: Emphasizing the evolution in terminology, Chris refers to nontraditional students as "nontraditional modern students" or simply "modern students," recognizing their diverse and dynamic educational needs and lifestyles.
- Demographic Shifts: The discussion highlights how these shifts demand flexible educational offerings that cater to diverse life situations, reflecting broader societal changes in work and lifestyle integration.
Adopting the Product and Consumer Mindset for Modern Student Enrollment
- Education as a Product: A significant shift towards viewing educational offerings as products designed to meet specific consumer needs, aligning with how modern students assess their educational investments.
- Consumer-Centric Approach: Emphasizing the need for higher education to adopt a consumer mindset, focusing on the value, return on investment, and outcomes that educational programs offer to students.
Institutions Must Provide Three Clearly Stated Value Propositions
- Career Advancement: Ensuring programs are directly aligned with the career aspirations of students, demonstrating how education can advance or change their professional trajectory.
- Speed to Completion: Highlighting the importance of offering programs that allow for quicker completion to accommodate the immediate needs and goals of students.
- Affordability: Making a strong case for the cost-effectiveness of programs, ensuring students understand the financial commitment and the expected return on their investment.
How to Design a Strategy for Marketing to Nontraditional Students
- Data-Driven Marketing: Utilizing data to understand where and how nontraditional students gather information and make educational decisions, particularly emphasizing the importance of a strong digital presence.
- Targeted Engagement: Tailoring marketing strategies to the unique needs and behaviors of nontraditional students, ensuring that messaging around flexibility, cost, and outcomes resonates clearly.
Shifts in Prospective Student Concerns Over the Last 20 Years
- Consistent Concerns: Despite changes in the education sector, nontraditional students consistently prioritize affordability, time commitments, and clear outcomes.
- Adapting Strategies: Higher education institutions must evolve their engagement and support strategies to remain responsive to these enduring concerns.
Moving Nontraditional Students from the Attraction Phase into the Recruitment and Enrollment Phase
- Enhancing Recruitment Tactics: Adapting recruitment processes to be more responsive and flexible, recognizing the pre-existing knowledge and research prospective students bring to their enrollment journey.
- Streamlining Processes: Emphasizing the importance of quick and efficient application and enrollment processes to meet the expectations of modern students for swift action.
Retention and Persistence of Nontraditional Modern Students Looks Different
- Unique Retention Challenges: Addressing the specific risk profiles and life circumstances of nontraditional students that affect their persistence and retention in educational programs.
- Support Systems Adaptation: Developing support systems that are flexible and responsive to the complex life dynamics of nontraditional students, facilitating their continued engagement and success.
Three Takeaways for University Presidents and Boards
- Recognizing Unique Needs: Understanding that nontraditional students require different engagement and retention strategies, which should be a critical element of institutional planning.
- Prioritizing Staff Training: Investing in training for staff to effectively interact with and support nontraditional students, enhancing the overall student experience.
- Utilizing Third-Party Services: Considering partnerships and collaborations to extend capabilities and reach in supporting nontraditional students effectively.
This episode provides a comprehensive look at the strategies and mindsets that higher education institutions must adopt to succeed in a changing educational landscape, focusing particularly on the needs and expectations of nontraditional students.
Read the transcript and extended show summary on our website →
About Our Podcast Guest
Chris Gilmore is responsible for leading all aspects of the EducationDynamics Enrollment Management Services Contact Center operations. This includes internal enrollment advising teams working on behalf of EducationDynamics' Enrollment Management Services client institutions. Chris has spent his career in the online higher education field and has held various leadership roles at institutions, including the University of Phoenix and DeVry University. During his time as Chief Operating Officer of Educators Serving Educators, a higher education consulting division of Excelsior College, Chris partnered with institutions seeking to enhance their online operation by investing in enrollment management, student services, and innovative program development. Chris has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, a Master of Business Administration, and a Doctorate of Education in Education Leadership through the University of New England.
About the Host
Dr. Drumm McNaughton is a consultant to higher education institutions in governance, accreditation, strategy and change, and mergers. To learn more about his services and other thought leadership pieces, visit his firm’s website: https://changinghighered.com/.
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