Last Spring, we conducted a series of focus groups on college campuses with students who had recently completed the college selection process and were now enrolled in college.
While we were exploring their individual experiences, one student wearing a t-shirt with the college’s logo raised his hand and said, “I remember the EXACT moment I knew this college was the right one for me.” Intrigued, we asked him to explain.
He went on to describe how he had whittled his short list down to three colleges but was still uncertain. They all had what he wanted and all were going to be affordable for his family, he said. On a whim, he decided to visit one of the campuses again. “I was alone,” he said. “I didn’t tell anyone. I just wanted to walk around.”
He described how he was walking through one of the academic buildings. The halls were empty because students were in class. “Then,” he said, “class let out and I was in a sea of college students streaming through the hallway.”
He continued. “I just flowed along with them. I looked around, saw all these people, and felt like I belonged here. Right then I made my decision. I can’t even explain it. I just knew it was right.”
Other students in the focus group had been listening intently and nodding their heads. We asked if anyone else had a similar experience. Hands shot into the air.
That day, nearly every student in the focus group shared a specific story about their “AHA!” moment. They didn’t explain it in rational terms. They described it as an emotional epiphany. They remembered the moment in great detail; where they were, who was with them, the time of day, the weather, even what they were wearing.
Most of all, they remembered the wave of excitement they felt at that instant. They had found their college.
Next week, we will release the findings from a groundbreaking study, The Excitement Factor, which explores how students arrive at that decision point. And what colleges do to cultivate it. Our deep dive on the topic provides even stronger proof that yield is closely associated with student feelings.
Joining in this nationally co-sponsored study were forty institutions including four-year public and private not-for-profit institutions, as well as community colleges. More than 12,000 students participated in the research. Each co-sponsoring institution received proprietary data specific to their institution, but we will share the aggregate report and key findings. If you would like a copy of The Excitement Factor as soon as it is released, you can CLICK HERE to send us an e-mail to put you on the distribution list.
The findings offer valuable insights and specifics that you can use to create student excitement about your college that will drive enrollment. We will delve into many of The Excitement Factor discoveries on this blog, too. There will be findings that validate what you have always suspected, and there will be quite a few surprises as well.
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Bob Longmire is President of Longmire and Company, Inc. He is a recognized expert on the topic of how prospective students and parents form their college selection decisions – and how colleges can use that knowledge to grow and control their enrollment. He can be reached at (913) 492-1265, ext 709 or at blongmire@longmire-co.com.
Karen Full is a highly-respected higher education professional who has held positions in admissions and enrollment management at several institutions in the Midwest and Florida. With her vast experience working with large and small, public and private colleges, Karen brings a valuable perspective to her role as an Enrollment Strategist at Longmire and Company. Call Karen at 913/492.1265 x.711 or email her at kfull@longmire-co.com. Follow Karen on Twitter @KarenAFull.
The reason most counselors don’t ask these questions is because they are afraid to. Counselors often hold themselves back from asking penetrating questions because they’re afraid students will perceive them as being intrusive. That’s so unfortunate. For both the counselor and the student.
