It’s no secret that the events of 2020 posed some serious challenges for higher education. From canceled in-person recruiting events and campus tours to increased financial strains for many American families, the COVID-19 pandemic forced colleges and universities to rethink their standard recruitment practices. What’s more, Gen Z students across the country were watching to see how institutions responded to issues of racial injustice, and higher ed was no exception. To get a better idea of the impact of 2020 on college recruitment, Tallo asked 30 college admissions professionals to weigh in. This survey was conducted from December 14-28, 2020.
The vast majority of college recruiters feel that COVID-19 is still a top-of-mind concern for prospective students and their parents or guardians:
- 33% strongly agree that prospective students are highly concerned about their college or university’s approach to COVID-19 and 50% slightly agree.
- 57% strongly agree that prospective students’ parents or guardians are highly concerned about their college or university’s approach to COVID-19, and 23% slightly agree.
COVID-19 closures may lead to decreased interest in higher education:
- 70% believe that prospective students will lose interest in their college or university if they fail to remain open during the spring semester due to COVID-19.
- 83% feel that the parents or guardians of prospective students will lose interest in their college or university if they fail to remain open during the spring semester due to COVID-19.
The jury is out on how COVID-19 will impact bringing prospective students to campus:
- When asked whether or not they agreed that colleges and universities will base their COVID-19 restrictions around their ability to bring prospective students to campus during the spring semester, the response was split right down the middle: 50% agreed, and 50% disagreed.
The 2020 admissions season brought both challenges and strengths:
- When asked about their biggest challenges during this admissions season, college admissions offices responses’ included: travel limitations; the cancelation of events on campus and at high schools; the loss of parents’ jobs and families’ finances getting tighter; and lack of engagement and interest with virtual meetings (aka, “Zoom fatigue”).
- Admissions offices also reported their greatest strengths during this admissions season, including: an increased focus on digital marketing; the utilization of online recruitment platforms and events; the ability to try new things quickly; agility, flexibility, and creativity; increased communication; the ability to still conduct on-campus events/tours.
Diversity and Inclusion was also a big factor for higher ed in 2020:
- 87% agree that their college or university is actively working to end structural racism in higher education.
- 40% reported that their admissions team has changed their approach to diversity and inclusion initiatives in the past year.
- 70% agree that their college or university has implemented higher standards and/or expectations for diversity and inclusion due to social unrest around the country.
- 70% agree that racial and ethnic diversity is clearly reflected on their college or university’s admissions team.
- 93% agree that racial and ethnic diversity is clearly reflected in the recruitment materials used by their college or university’s admissions team.
- 50% say that their admissions team asks prospective students for their preferred gender pronouns during the recruitment process.
Communication between college and universities is mostly online:
Despite getting creative with online recruitment events and platforms, college admissions offices feel the strain of the pandemic on their communication with prospective students. In fact, 63% believe that their ability to communicate with prospective students has been impacted by COVID-19. Additional details about communication methods with prospective students and their parents or guardians, as well as a timeline for this admissions season are included below.
Next Steps
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