Social media is no longer new. Neither is mobile. And yet, it still seems extremely difficult to stay current and up-to-date with what prospective students want and need. With constant changes in student preferences and behavior, how are enrollment marketers to keep up? This year's edition of the Social Admissions Report will focus on recent trends and shifts in student use of digital tools like college help sites, social media sites like Instagram and Snapchat, and mobile technology to find and access college information during their search and selection process.

1. THE MATURATION
OF MOBILE AND
SOCIAL:
THE 2017 SOCIAL ADMISSIONS REPORT
+ +
#SocAdm17

2. Join the backchannel
Tweet using #SocAdm17
Mention:
@SocialAdmission @NRCCUA & @TargetX
Or talk to the presenters:
@gilrogers & @brianwmniles
#SocAdm17

3. Data-Driven
Research
Direct
Outreach
Digital
Marketing
For Chegg Partners:
• Continued delivery of all
student data and/or digital
marketing services
• Opportunity to reach a broader
pool of students with data-
informed strategies
For NRCCUA Partners:
• Continued delivery of all
student data, access to
DataLab, Eduventures
Research, etc.
• Opportunity to enhance
traditional outreach with turn-
key digital marketing
For Partners of Both:
• All of the above + a single
NRCCUA Regional Director to
support your

4. • However, with consistent changes to algorithms and
platforms, we continue to stay on our toes
• There is a consistent shift in what platforms students
use and value most
• It’s important to stay informed and understand where
college help sites and social media influence
behavior, and the impact mobile access has
Mobile and Social Are No Longer New
#SocAdm17

5. Background: Objective is to get greater insights into high
school students’ use of social media, in general, and in selecting
a college or university
Methodology
Methodology: Survey invitations were emailed to
Chegg high school students
Survey Dates: Q4 2016
Past Social Admissions Report fielded since 2012. Trends are
highlighted throughout the presentation
High School Students:
1926 surveys completed this wave (over 7,000 in total).
Weighted data to 42% male, 58% female
#SocAdm17

6. 53%
23%
17%
1% 2% 4%
Ethnic Breakdown
Caucasian
Hispanic
African American
Native Hawaii/Pacific Islander
American Indian/Alaska Native
Prefer Not to Answer
34%
39%
19%
8%
1 - 3
4 - 6
7 - 10
+10
Number of Schools
Applied tooTop States of Residents
Respondent Breakdown
+ +

7. IT’S IMPORTANT TO
DISTINGUISH BETWEEN
WHERE DIGITAL TOOLS
AND SOCIAL TOOLS FIT
IN THE COLLEGE SEARCH
#SocAdm17

8. DIGITAL TOOLS
Students use these tools to determine:
Does this school offer what I want?
Can I afford it? How do I apply?
#SocAdm17

9. SOCIAL
NETWORKS
Students use these tools to ask: Will they like me? Will I
like them? Are the students like me?
#SocAdm17

10. STUDENTS USE A
COLLEGE
SEARCH/REVIEW
SITE WHEN
RESEARCHING
SCHOOLS
Informative Social
Specialized
9 out of 10
Which of the following online resources have you used to research colleges?
Segmenting Digital Tools
#SocAdm17

11. 85% 84%
73%
63%
57% 56%
Scholarship
information
Information about
college (e.g., specific
majors)
Admissions
information
Financial aid College ratings Information about life
on campus
Which types of content are you looking for on these sites?+ +
Type of Content Looking For
#SocAdm17

12. $$$$$
What Students Are Looking For
4 in 5 For
Scholarships
3 in 4 Looking for
Admissions Info
Students are in “discovery” mode when using digital tools.
#SocAdm17

13. Most Useful for College Research
11%
17%
28%
40%
24%
35%
41%
37%
45%
40%
28%
14%
20%
8%
2%
1%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Social media sites
Ranking sites (e.g., US News
and World Report)
College reviews and
scholarships sites (e.g.,
Chegg, niche)
College/university sites
Extremely useful Very useful Somewhat useful Not very useful
College “.edu” is a marketing vehicle for prospective student outreach
69%
Indicate
very-extremely
useful
35%
How useful were the following types of sites during your college research?
#SocAdm17

14. • Differentiate between “digital” and “social” tools. While it may be
appropriate for a youthful member of your team to manage your
social networking presence, this person may or may not be the
best fit for managing your entire digital recruitment strategy.
• Nearly all students report using at least one college search/help
site for their research. These sites are oftentimes the first
(and even last) stop on a student’s college search.
• Digital sources are used for discovery and information
gathering.
An effective digital recruitment strategy focuses on reaching
students on the channels they use, when they are using them.
Insights on Digital Tools
#SocAdm17

15. DIALING IN ON
MOBILE
#SocAdm17

16. 35%
Hand
Held
Device
Savvy Consumers
14%
Desktop
50%
Laptop
Primary Device Used to Research College
Which device do you primarily use to research colleges??
#SocAdm17

17. 85%
42%
38%
20%
14% 12%
6%
Visited College
Website
Scheduled
Campus Visit
Taken Virtual
campus Tour
Downloaded App
from College
Asked Question
on Social Media
Texted with
College Rep
Live Chat with
College Rep
Actions taken on mobile when considering which
college to apply to or enroll in.
College Research on Mobile
+ +

18. What Students Are Looking For
8 in 10 Students Visit
College Websites on
Mobile
4 in 10 Schedule a
Visit or Take a Virtual
Tour #SocAdm17

19. More than half
of students
access
college sites
on a mobile
device at least
weekly
17%
65%
11%
7%
Excellent
Okay
Challenging
Not Applicable
Quality of Experience on Mobile Site
College Websites on Mobile
Once a
Day
18%
Once a
Week
41%
Once a
Month
13%
Every
Once in a
While
28%
Frequency of Visiting College Websites on Mobile
How frequently do you visit college websites on a mobile browser?
How would you rate your mobile experience interacting with the college websites?

20. Which of the following have you done on a mobile device when considering which
colleges to apply to or where to enroll? (select all that apply)
The Application Process Rarely Ends on Mobile
+ +
SUBMITTED AN
APP THROUGH
A MOBILE
DEVICE
13%

21. Track Conversion from the Initial Click…
#SocAdm17

22. Track Conversion from the Initial Click…
Track Conversion
from other devices
after the first view

23. 60% OF STUDENTS EXPECT A
RESPONSE WITHIN THE SAMEAfter you contact a college representative, how soon do you expect to hear a response??
#SocAdm17

24. 92% AGREE
“I WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE COMMUNICATION
FROM COLLEGE ADMISSIONS
TAILORED SPECIFICALLY TO ME”
I would like to receive communication from college admissions tailored specifically to me
#SocAdm17

25. Email Preferred Mode of Communication;
One in Four Students Want Text
13%
13%
26%
32%
53%
76%
37%
24%
32%
38%
33%
20%
29%
23%
19%
19%
9%
3%
21%
40%
23%
11%
5%
1%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Phone call
Messaging
App
Text
In-person
Mail
Email
Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Down
from 20%
How Often Would You Prefer to Receive the Following Types of
Communication from College Admissions?

26. Email and Mail Preferred Communicated Modes
47%
66%
67%
67%
75%
45%
21%
27%
26%
19%
1%
2%
1%
1%
1%
2%
5%
2%
2%
3%
5%
5%
2%
4%
2%
0%
1%
1%
0%
0%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Admissions
decision
Housing/
roommate
assignment
Receipt of
transcripts
Financial aid
information
Application
completion
Email Mail Social Media Text Messaging App
How Do You Most Likely to Receive Communication from
Colleges About the Following?

27. APP HAPPY
#SocAdm17

28. Mobile Browsing vs. Mobile Apps
Your institution’s website
is the first marketing tool
for attracting and
engaging prospective
students.
Mobile browsing is a key
element during the
discovery phase of
college search.
Improve student
experience through
the funnel.
Faster, easier access to
information and people
once students have
demonstrated interest
in your institution.
Provide a two-way, direct
form of communication
thanks to push
notifications, student
preferences etc.
#SocAdm17

29. 63%
39%
36%
11%
5%
1%
7%
Kik GroupMe WhatsApp Whisper WeChat FireChat Other
Private Messaging
Have you used any of the following messaging apps?
Private Messaging Apps
Continue to Gain Ground
Over HALF of Students Use
WhatsApp or GroupMe
Other:
Faceboo
k &
Skype

30. TAKE NOTE:
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PEER-TO-PEER
AND STUDENT-TO-SCHOOL INTERACTIONS.
#SocAdm17

31. Mixed-Use
Mobile Apps
Specialized
Mobile Apps
What is it? Mobile app experiences
for everyday life
“De-bundled” mobile app
experiences for admissions
interactions
Who is it for? Reserved for friends
and family
Other admitted and current
students, admissions staff
Actions
Text messaging, private
messaging
Personal admissions info,
virtual campus tours,
private message with
admissions rep
Examples
WhatsApp, GroupMe,
SnapChat
Native apps for your institution
(e.g. Schools App)

32. Text Messaging & Private Messaging
#SocAdm17

33. 76%
72%
66% 65%
58%
53% 51%
48%
40%
10%
Stay Updated
on Admissions
Info
To Manage
Schedule,
Check Grades,
Etc.
Be Informed of
Campus News
& Events
Learn about
Types of
Programs
Offered
To View
Campus Map
Submit
Application
Communicate
with College
Rep
Take a Virtual
Tour
Interact with
Admitted and
Current
Students
I Wouldn't
Download an
App
Top Reasons to Download an App
Half of students would
download an app to
communicate with college reps
For what purpose would you download an app from a college?
(select all that apply)

34. Key Findings on Mobile
The path to application is fragmented. Students stop and start their search
across multiple devices. Connecting the dots is a challenge but important.
Students want mass personalization. 9 out of 10 students want information
tailored specifically to them within 24 hours of requesting it. “Students want
what they want, when they want, where they want it”.
There is a difference between student-to-student and student-to-school.
With respect to each platform and channel it is important to understand intent
versus use.
#SocAdm17

35. LEVERAGING
SOCIAL
PLATFORMS
#SocAdm17

36. 9%
26%
32%
50%
57%
7%
9%
16%
13%
10%
9%
5%
10%
6%
4%
5%
3%
4%
1%
1%
18%
13%
13%
7%
6%
51%
44%
26%
23%
22%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Pinterest
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
Snapchat
Multiple times a day Once a day Once a week Once a month Every once in a while Never
How often do you use the following different social media websites?
Frequency of Use: OVERALL
-19%
Use daily or
more often %
change YOY

37. 3%
8%
12%
12%
14%
16%
3%
8%
8%
10%
10%
12%
4%
11%
6%
14%
15%
15%
4%
5%
3%
7%
8%
7%
11%
14%
13%
20%
21%
17%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
Pinterest
Twitter
Snapchat
Facebook
YouTube
Instagram
Multiple times a day Once a day Once a week Once a month Every once in a while
Frequency of Use: COLLEGE SEARCH
How often do you use the following social media sites during college research?

38. 40% 20% 16% 13% 7% 8% 7% 5%
42%
27%
24%
18%
12% 10% 8% 8%
Watched a video
from a college
Watched a video
from a current
student
Read a student
blog
Searched for a
specific hashtag
Participated in a
live chat
Posted a question
to a college
representative on a
social media site
Posted a question
to a current student
on a social media
site
Tweeted with a
specific hashtag
Visual Activities
Have Done in Past Week Have Done in Past Month or Longer
Discovery vs. Decision Engine
4 in 5 students have watched
a video during their college search
How often have you done the following during your
college research process?

39. 48%
87%
51%
31%
64% 63%
82%
54%
37%
81% 80% 79%
66%
51%
77% 78%
74%
56%
49%
Instagram Snapchat Facebook Twitter Pinterest
Use of Social Media (Trended)
2013 2014 2015 2016
Shifts in Social Media Usage
Q4. How often do you use the following different social media websites?

40. 28%
60%
31%
14%
48%
26%
67%
46%
20%
70%
48%
67%
56%
21%
71%
53%
68%
50%
28%
Instagram Snapchat Facebook Twitter Pinterest
2013 2014 2015 2016
1 in 2USE 5+ PLATFORM
S
Year over year comparison: How often do you use the following social media sites during college research?
Increased Growth and Fragmentation of
Social in College Search

41. Yes, 37%
No, 63%
1 in 3 Have Used Social Media to Research
College/Universities
Discovery vs. Decision Engine
Did (or will) you use social media to research colleges that you have
applied to (or to which you are considering applying)?
60%
have liked or
followed a school
in their
consideration set.
#SocAdm17

42. Not at all
Relevant, 3%
Slightly
Relevant, 21%
Moderately
Relevant, 40%
Very Relevant,
21%
Extremely
Relevant, 7%
Only 1 in 4 find content on college social media
accounts relevant
How relevant is the information posted on colleges'
official social media accounts or posts? #SocAdm17

43. Interactions Matter
Nearly 40% of students say interactions
they have on social media influence where
they enroll.
#SocAdm17

44. Key Findings for Social Media
Social is Visual: The majority of students use YouTube most frequently
when researching colleges online.
Networks consistently shift: Twitter is down, SnapChat is up – But still
not the #1 platform used by students to specifically research colleges.
Interactions matter: Decisions to enroll are influenced by the
interactions they have with other admitted/current students.
#SocAdm17

45. Thank You!
Gil Rogers
gil@chegg.com
@gilrogers
@socialadmission
Brian Niles
niles@targetx.com
@brianwmniles
@TargetX
#SocAdm17
Recording, slides and the full whitepaper will be available shortly
at http://edu.chegg.com/downloads