The document summarizes key findings from a national study on high-achieving college seniors. It finds that (1) what matters to students is not "one size fits all" as different factors are important to different students, (2) the way students learn about colleges has shifted from passive to active research, and (3) the recession's impact on college choice will persist as students focus more on cost and career outcomes. It also notes the strong influence of parents throughout the entire college selection process.

1. The New Rules in College Choice: Findings from Lipman Hearne’s
National Study on High-Achieving Seniors
y g g

2. Donna Van De Water, Ph.D. Tom Abrahamson
Managing Director & Principal Managing Director & Principal

3. About Lipman Hearne
• Established in 1966, now the
nation’s largest marketing firm
serving
colleges, universities, and
nonprofits
• Expertise from
academia, global agencies, and
nonprofit organizations
• 77 staff members in Chicago
and Washington, D.C.
• Best practices and thought
leadership
3

4. 4
An Integrated Approach
• Research
• Brand Strategy
• Enrollment Marketing
• Integrated Marketing
• Creative Development
C ti D l t
• Interactive
• Advertising
• Media Planning and Buying
• Public Affairs

5. 5
The new rules
• Rule #1: What matters to college-
bound students is not “one size fits all”

6. 6
The new rules
• Rule #1: What matters to college-
bound students is not “one size fits all”
• Rule #2: The way students now learn
about colleges has changed from push
to pull.
p

7. 7
The new rules
• Rule #1: What matters to college-
bound students is not “one size fits all”
• Rule #2: The way students now learn
about colleges has changed from push
to pull.
p
• Rule #3: The recession’s impact on
college choice will stay with us a long
g y g
while.

8. 8
The new rules
• Rule #1: What matters to college-
bound students is not “one size fits all”
• Rule #2: The way students now learn
about colleges has changed from push
to pull.
p
• Rule #3: The recession’s impact on
college choice will stay with us a long
g y g
while.
• Rule #4: Mom and dad are “all-in” at all
stages of the enrollment decision
t f th ll td i i

9. First a little
background on
g
the study…

10. 10
The 2009 study sought answers to these questions:
• Why are these high-achievers going to college?
• Where are they going (public vs private)?
• What college features and factors closed the deal
and which ones didn’t?
didn t?
• What features are they willing to trade-off?

11. 11
The 2009 study sought answers to these questions:
• How important is “fit?”
• What information sources broke through at
decision time and were most valued?

12. 12
The 2009 study sought answers to these questions:
• In what cases will students travel for their
education?
• How do students factor in financial aid and
scholarships into their decision process?
• What role do parents play in the process?

13. 13
Survey respondents
• 1,264 college-bound high
school seniors
• Solid-performers and
Academic Superstars
• NRCCUA database and
screening
• Applied to and accepted
by at least three colleges

14. 14
Ability Level*
Level
Academic
Superstars
66%

15. 15
Solid performers: SAT M+V = 1150 1290
performers 1150-1290
Superstars: SAT M+V 1300 - 1600
Ability Level*
Academic
Superstars
S t
66%
*SOURCES:
Please indicate the college entrance exam that you took and earned the highest
combined/composite score?
**SOURCE: NRCCUA database
What was your combined SAT I verbal and math score (out of 1600)?
What was your combined SAT II verbal and math score (out of 2400)?
What was your ACT composite score?

16. 16
The survey participants:
24% Northeast
32% South
21% Midwest
22% West
SOURCE: NRCCUA database

17. 17
Ethnicity
• 64% White
• 15% Asian
• 6% Hispanic
• 3% African American
• 6% Other
• 9% Unknown
Gender
• 65% Female
• 35% Male
SOURCE: NRCCUA database
NOTE: Multiple responses were allowed

18. 18
What we measured
• 30 information sources: usage and influence

19. 19
What we measured
• 30 information sources: usage and influence
• 29 college attributes: importance in p
g p picking
g
schools to apply to/ at time of decision

20. 20
What we measured
• 30 information sources: usage and influence
• 29 college attributes: importance in p
g p picking
g
schools to apply to/ at time of decision
• Values

21. 21
What we measured
• 30 information sources: usage and influence
• 29 college attributes: importance in p
g p picking
g
schools to apply to/ at time of decision
• Values
• Tradeoffs

22. 22
What we measured
• 30 information sources: usage and influence
• 29 college attributes: importance in p
g p picking
g
schools to apply to/ at time of decision
• Values
• Tradeoffs
• Perceptions of college cost

23. 23
What we measured
• 30 information sources: usage and influence
• 29 college attributes: importance in p
g p picking
g
schools to apply to/ at time of decision
• Values
• Tradeoffs
• Perceptions of college cost
• Parental impact

24. 24
Rule #1
What matters to college-
college
bound students is not
“one size fits all.”
24

25. 25
Why are these high-achievers
high achievers
going to college?

26. 26
Top reasons for going to college
(All respondents)
• Prepare for career
• Learn to be an independent person
• To contribute to social and professional success
• Make “best” friends
• Access to diverse people and backgrounds
• Make family proud

27. 27
Why College:
You want to go to the college that will best prepare 95%
you for a career 89%
It's best to go to a college where there are many 62%
people who have different backgrounds and points
of view from yours 70%
You want to go to college to make your family 57%
proud 50%
Where you earn your undergraduate d
Wh d d t degree i not
is t 38%
nearly as important as where you earn your
graduate degree 49%
It's b t t
It' best to go to a college where most people
t ll h t l 40%
share your views and interests 30%
#REF! Performers
Academic
Solid
It's best to go to a co ege where you know you will
ts college ee o 25% Superstars
Solid Performers
be one of the very best students 17%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%100%

28. 28
Which is more important?
Intellectual growth or career preparation?

29. 29
Did type of college selected change
between 2006 and 2009?
Academic Superstars Solid Performers
2006 2009 2006 2009
N=300 N=828 N=300 N=433
Public 46% 47% 57% 63%
Private 52% 51% 37% 35%
Indeterminat
2% 2% 6% 0%
e

30. 30
Most important in determining where to apply
SOURCE: What was most important to you in deciding where to apply? [Open-ended responses.]

31. 31
Most important in final college decision
Not at all important Very important
SOURCE: Please rate how important each of the following were in your decision to enroll at [SCHOOL] instead of another
college or university.

32. 32
Least important factors in the final college decision
Not at all important Very important
SOURCE: Please rate how important each of the following were in your decision to enroll at [SCHOOL] instead of another college or university.

33. 33
Superstar’s Comment on “Fit”
“It was not just one thing.
Everything h d t come t
E thi had to together;
th
from the atmosphere to the academics
to the price it all had to fit ”
price, fit.

34. 34
2/3 of respondents said they are attending
their top choice school. Yet, among these
students…

35. 35
2/3 of respondents said they are attending
their top choice school. Yet, among these
students…
• 1/3 say they’re enrolling at a school that is not a
very good fit

36. 36
2/3 of respondents said they are attending
their top choice school. Yet, among these
students…
• 1/3 say they’re enrolling at a school that is not a
very good fit
• 1/3 say that they are at their “perfect fit” (rating
10/10 for their choice)
So, just how important is “fit”?

37. 37
Decision factors by level of “fit” achieved
fit
TOP 5
TOP 10
Not at all important Very important

38. 38
Top 5 Decision factors by level of “fit” achieved
fit
Not at all important Very important

39. 39
Decision factors by level of “fit” achieved cont
fit cont.
Not at all important Very important

40. 40
Bottom 10 Decision factors
by level of “fit” achieved cont.
Not at all important Very important

41. 41
Trade off factors in the enrollment
decision
SOURCE: If you have to pick one characteristic, which of the two played a greater role in your decision to enroll at [SCHOOL]?

42. 42
Reputation Trumps Location

43. 43
Reputation Edges-out Cost

44. 44
Cost Beats Location

45. 45
Reputation (major) Trumps Location

46. 46
Overall Reputation and Program Reputation
Both Matter

47. 47
Reputation of Major Trumps Cost

48. 48
Rule #2
The way
students now
learn about
colleges has
changed from
push to pull.

49. 49
Most influential sources at decision time
SOURCE: Please rate how influential each of the following were in your decision to enroll at [COLLEGE FROM Q. 6]
instead of another college or university.

50. 50
Important sources of college information
that could potentially be more impactful

51. 51
Information source breakthrough opportunities

52. 52
In what cases will students
travel far for college?

53. 53
Proximity to home was among the least
important factors among high achievers at decision
time.
They are more concerned with:
• Fit
• Academic opportunities
• Career opportunities
• Reputation (both overall and within their major)

54. 54
Enrollment results by location type
Solid First time undergrads, recent
Academic performers HS grads
Total
superstars
(N=1,261) (N=433) (N=2,272,255)
(N=828)
Location
Large/mid-
68% 70% 67% 56%
sized city
Urban fringe 17% 18% 17% 24%
Town/rural 10% 9% 11% 20%

55. 55
Rule #3
The
recession s
recession’s
impact on
college choice
will stay with
us a long
while.
hil

56. 56
How the economy affected college choice this year
• 53% will enroll in a less expensive school
• 44% will rely more heavily on financial aid
counseling
• 38% will obtain a larger loan
• 38% will attend a college closer to home
g
• 25% will visit fewer college campuses
• 24% will change from a p
g private to a p
public
• 21% will live at home while attending college
Source: 2009 Report on the Impact of the Economy On College Enrollment by Longmire and Company

57. 57
How d students
H do t d t
p
perceive costs?

58. 58
A low-priced college = Median Cost of $15,000
A high-priced college = Median Cost of $35,000
high priced

59. 59
Total costs by area of study
Social
STEM Humanities
H ii Business
B i Education
Ed i Professional
P f i l
Science
A low-priced
college costs less $15,000 $15,000 $15,000 $15,000 $15,000 $15,000
than…
than
A high-priced
college costs more $35,000 $40,000 $36,500 $40,000 $30,000 $40,000
than…
SOURCE: How would you define the following terms? (Median)

60. 60
How do students factor in
financial aid and
fi i l id d
scholarships into their
p
decision process?

61. 61
Scholarship and tuition have different
meanings for students attending private
vs. public institutions
Not at all important Very important

62. 62
Money offered trumps prestige
Not at all important Very important

63. 63
Rule #4:
Know that
mom and dad
are “all in” at
every stage of
the college
decision.

64. 64
Do "helicopter” parents really exist?

65. 65
Students said parents were involved in:
•Identifying colleges to consider (75%)
•Determining where to apply (75%)
•Managing applications (62%)
•Deciding where to visit (
g (75%))
•Deciding where to enroll (69%)
SOURCE: Which family members, if any, were involved during each of the following stages of your college decision?

66. 66
Ranking of parents’
influence in final decision,
among all information
sources used
• Conversation with your
p
parents ( out of 30)
(#2 )
• Letters/mailings to
your parents from
colleges (#22 out of of
30)
SOURCE: Please rate how influential each of the following were in your
decision to enroll at [NAME OF COLLEGE FROM Q. 6] instead of another
college or university.
NOTE: Ranks based upon top-two-box ratings

67. 67
What
Wh t are th k
the key
observations of
the study?

68. 68
What are the key observations from the study?
• Expectations are sky high

69. 69
What are the key observations from the study?
• Expectations are sky high
• Power of people and experiences must be
harnessed

70. 70
What are the key observations from the study?
• Expectations are sky high
• Power of people and experiences must be
harnessed
• Economic realities can take some schools out of
the game too soon

71. 71
What are the key observations from the study?
• Expectations are sky high
• Power of people and experiences must be
harnessed
• Economic realities can take some schools out of
the game too soon
• Strive to “flip the communication pyramid”

72. Discussion
72

73. Additional analysis available:
• Comparison of findings to
2006 study where relevant
t d h l t
• Different approaches used
to achieve success in life
• High-achieving seniors
choosing liberal arts
colleges
• High-achieving seniors
choosing metropolitan
research universities
• High-achieving seniors
choosing faith-based
colleges
• Custom analysis possible
upon request
73