Marketing Higher Education

Whenever I've thought of "marketing" in the traditional sense, I never associated it with higher education institutions. I've been aware that colleges do "recruitment" - which is marketing. But the "let's make a deal" type of marketing I've always associated with diploma mills.

Well, times must be changing. In an e-correspondence I received from Capella University today, they offered:

"Dear David, Start your Capella PhD in Human Services at Capella University during
March and we will waive the tuition for two of your required Focused Seminars for the first two years - a savings of up to 1,150. To take advantage of this offer, you must apply and be admitted and enrolled by March 1, 2002."

But Capella is not the only one making deals these days. While Walden's offer is a lot more conservative, it is still a "let's make a deal" approach. Their website offers $50 off the application fee.

Now, I'm not criticizing the schools for doing this. They are, after all, in the "business" of education and have to do what it takes to attract students. It just struck me as a departure from the traditional methods of student recruitment.

I don't mean to open another can of worms. But I'm wondering if this is a phenomenon unique to for-profit schools that are forced to compete for students in the distance learning arena.

Any thoughts?



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David F

 

Steve Levicoff has stated that this is a tactic used by degree mills, and lists this as one criterion by which to spot a mill.

Apparantly, this is not reserved only for degree mills anymore--unless there is such a monster as a RA degree mill. God forbid!

Russell

 

I suspect that this phenomenon applies especially to for-profits looking for students - but that non-profits that are "tuition driven" aren't immune.

When I say "tuition driven", I suggest you look at the percentage of a school's budget that comes from tuition. In the for-profit case this is probably very close to 100% since they typically don't have endowments or other revenue sources. Further, for profits have to cover their costs and make a profit.

But non-profits that are heavily (such as 90%) tuition driven aren't immune to this sort of thing. They need students to survive too. I'd suggest that this is less an issue with non-profits, however, as they have some alternative revenue sources (including endowments, gifts from alumni, etc.) and don't have to make a profit.

Regards - Andy

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Andy Borchers, DBA
NSU (1996)

 

LOL... I needed another good chuckle today: "RA degree mill"

I think some posters on this board would have a heart attack.




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David F

 

When I requested information from California College of Health Sciences (CCHS) last year, they sent a special savings coupon along with the catalog:

"Mail this certificate to CCHS by February 20, 2001, and get special Winter Tuition Savings of $50! Please include your low Fast Start deposit of $49.00 and your completed Student Application and Enrollment Agreement. Your remaining tuition balance will be paid in easy, low installments..."

CCHS is not a diploma mill- it is accredited by DETC.

Alex

 

Yes Virginia, there are RA degree mills.

 

The anti-RA crowd are of coarse misusing Steve's list. It has been awhile since I've read it but I believe it says the more items the institution matches the more likely it is to be a degree mill. It is very clear that matching one item does not equate to being a degree mill. I have seen offers from both Excelsior College and USOU. Both are very respected.

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Best Regards,
Dave Hayden

 

I would love to see the carefully researched list of institutions you refer to (as would the legal departments of the involved institutions, no doubt).

Jeff

 

Name one.

 

Well, since the original “Yes, Virginia” (NY Sun, 1897) was about Santa Claus, I presume that this “Yes, Virginia” should be interpreted in a similar way – i.e. a comforting myth for children.

 

$20 says he's got loads of evidence, but just doesn't want to share it with you.

Deja Vu all over again.

 

Or, that I should do my own research (to prove *his* assertion). It would be funny if it wasn't so pathetic.


Bruce

 

A. "RA Degree Mills" - In my current search for an appropriate doctoral program I have been consulting with a friend who is a professor (PhD) at a state university,part of our discussion was about the sad state of affairs in graduate education in a particular disciplene (sp?)and how all things are not equal with some programs being much stronger than others. while not stooping to caing them "degree mills" he did warn me about a couple of programs and how they were not well regarded in industry and acadamia. These are from ABET and regionally accrediated engineering schools.

B. Marketing - I recent found an ad on an industry job board soliciting Master & PhD students for a state supported, RA graduate program (edited to protect the source):

Graduate Student

Advanced Degree in Mining/Mineral Engineering
Contemplating a New Career Direction?
Facilitate Change with an Advanced Degree
Get an MS and PhD in Mining, Geological, or related Engineering field: Tuition and fees paid. Stipend. Computer included. The work includes:

Staff Engineer: Although a graduate student, you will function as an intermediate to senior staff engineer, project manager, and business developer.
Industrial Projects: Complex real-world engineering for major mining companies: project management, control of operational data, blasting, innovative stope design, rock fragmentation, drilling tools, low impact mining, mine modeling, and feasibility. Projects will be an essential part of the degree.
Industry Contacts: Mining, equipment, and engineering companies. Aggregates, construction, blasting. Metal, non-metal, coal. Mineral processing and comminution. Government agencies, professional societies, and trade organizations. Operations, business, and consulting. NGO’s, foundations, and environmental groups.
Flexibility: Construct your own program with courses in business and engineering – mining, civil, geological, environmental, geotechnical, etc. Learn skills that further your agenda. Convert your experience into university credit.
You must be a self-starter – a contributor – a professional. Read, write, and speak. Communicate with colleagues, superiors, and workers. Originate, research, write, and present proposals. Present papers that contribute new ideas to the profession and industry. Operations experience a definite plus.

Apply by sending a statement of your interests and any accomplishments you consider important along with a resume. Send your introduction quoting job source (i.e. InfoMine / CareerMine Reference Number) to:

 

Marketing in the sense of PR and self-promotion has always been a part of higher education. What I think we are seeing is more a change in style.

In its origins, Western higher education was a clerical pursuit, and it still retains a slight stylistic hint of a Benedictine cloister. That's apparent from traditional university architecture (ivy and quads) to the slightly abstracted tone, in which it is expected that academics should be absent-minded, otherworldly and dedicated to "higher things".

And until fairly recently, higher education was an elite, even aristocratic, pursuit. It was emphatically not something for the common man. (Until the early 19'th century, there were only two universities in England.)

The last century or two have seen a revolution. Women were finally accepted as fit subjects for education. Civic magnates built new colleges and univerities out of local pride. After World War II, the idea of universal higher education took hold, with an explosion of new university foundations.

I think that we still hear the reverberations of that revolution in the occasional attempts to suggest that ivy league type schools serve a higher purpose and an (in some sense) aristocratic clientele. As much as anything, they are trying to preserve the old style and the old perogatives.

And the revolution is continuing. Education is no longer something reserved only for adolescents. As education expands into a continuing pursuit, it leaves the cloister and sets up remote branch operations in office parks, on-site programs at employers and (yes) distance education.

I think that university PR has changed right along with that evolution.

Originally, universities did not advertise to the public at all. They had a system of prep-schools that fed them suitable candidates. But behind the scenes, they fought determinedly to maintain their position with those that mattered. Oxbridge had their own parliamentary seats.

As universities began to appeal to the public, you started seeing descreet and tasteful notices in suitable publications. I guess that in many cases, news stories and announcements were advertisements in disguise, since they got the school's name out there without it appearing that they were trying too hard.

After World War II advertisements multiplied and clearly became advertisements. Today you encounter ads for universities in magazines, newspapers, on public transportation, in brochures, on TV and radio, everywhere.

And as the universities expand into a continuing education market, no longer expecting adolescents to come to them but instead going out into the community to serve adults, they start to compete more openly on price and convenience. That's what we are starting to see now.

It's not as unprecedented as it seems. Schools have been in competition for decades in offering students attractive financial aid packages and plush dorms. It's just that the kid no longer has to contact the school to hear about the bargain offers. Now the schools come to you, and the offers are being made up-front in the advertising.

 

I travel quite a bit by air and have noticed that most of the ads in inflight magazines are for unaccredited schools. More recently, I have noticed some EMBA programs from regionally accredited schools.

It makes me wonder if unaccredited schools feel that the average flyer is inclined to opt for an unaccredited degree.



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David F

 

Despite the democratization of flying, I suspect the demographics of flyers are somewhat more affluent than those of the general public. (Especially true for non-budget airlines.) These people tend to have money and may be inclined to get a vanity degree. I'm sure it works.

Rich Douglas

 

Incidentally, one of the biggest advertisors have seen in inflight magazines is California Coast University. Obviously those magazines must provide them with a good number of students.

By the way, thank you, Rich, for that very insightful guest article on degree.net.




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David F

 

Yes, I've often seen CCU's ads in in-flight magazines.

I picked up an October 2001 issue of Newsweek today. (No, not in my dentist's waiting room!) There was a series of articles on the future of the classroom. Along with such special issues often comes targeted advertising related to the topic. Well, many of our DL favorites were there:

The Union Institute
Vermont College (now part of The Union)
Auburn U. (Executive MBA)
Bircham International U.
University of Northern Washington
Troy State U.
Penn State U.
UMass Lowell
Azaliah
Florida Atlantic U.
Fielding Graduate Institute
Columbus State U.
Syracuse U.
Wayne State U.
American Intercontinental U.

They also had ads for studying abroad. Interestingly, the accredited schools listed above also had short write-ups (no doubt provided by the schools themselves). But the unaccredited ones didn't. Still, Newsweek took their advertising dollars!

Rich Douglas

 

You're welcome. But don't thank me; thank Ten Speed Press. They paid for it.

Rich Douglas

 

(sarcasm is about to start)

Mike Albrecht (or should I say Ken Lewchuk)... surely you jest, a poorly regarded program... lacking respect... AND REGIONALLY ACCREDITED. RA is the gold standard man, there is no such thing as a poor RA program which is poorly regarded or lacking in respect.

Who is this professor and what schools was he referring to... he probably had some personal vendetta against these schools for they obviously cannot be poorly regarded and RA.

Or perhaps the professor doesn't exist... yah, that is the ticket... you are making this whole thing up. Unless you can tell us who this professor is so we can verify your sources, we must assume that this is merely heresay and has no basis in reality... for we all know THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A POOR RA SCHOOL!