Posts Tagged ‘universities’
Cappex.com Spring Conference Presentations
Spring conference season is always an exciting time for us here at Cappex. It’s a great way to meet with college and high school connections and share knowledge about trends in higher education. This year we have already had the pleasure of presenting educational sessions at several annual conferences including SACAC, PCACAC and IACAC and we’re looking forward to the rest of our upcoming conference schedule which includes NYSACAC (6/2-6/3), WACAC (6/9-6/11), and PACAC (6/27-6/29), among others.
One of our conference presentations this spring centers on the anatomy of a college choice, and what type of online factors play into a student’s decision making process. For those of you who are interested in our presentations, but were not able to attend any of our speaking engagements, here are some highlights.
Findings are based on an online survey of over 2,400 2010 high school grads as well as data mining of 160,000 high school seniors.
What we’re hearing from students:
- Online resources are outpacing all others when it comes to introducing students to new colleges
- Colleges’ own websites and parents are the two most influential sources when students began narrowing down college choices
- Students are most interested in learning about scholarships and financial aid information, and are concerned with the affordability of colleges
- Use of Facebook for college searching is up 17% from 2009
What we’re hearing from college admissions:
- 62% of colleges plan to dedicate more resources to social media in 2010 as compared to 2009
- 47% of colleges say that social media is important or critically important to their recruitment strategies
We are proud to announce that Cappex president Chris Long will be speaking at the Lawlor Summer Seminar on June 10, as well as the Noel-Levitz National Conference on Student Recruitment, Marketing and Retention on July 21. Be on the lookout for more coverage of those presentations closer to the dates.
To request a full copy of the presentation, “The Anatomy of a College Choice: A National Perspective from College-Bound Students Online”, please contact Alex Stepien at astepien@cappex.com. For more information from Cappex, follow us on Twitter or Facebook.
Four New Scholarship Winners Announced
Cappex.com announces four scholarship winners from our March 31, 2010 scholarship deadline. Congrats to all our winners!
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$1,000 I Don’t Want to Pay for College – Winter Winner: Kristina O., from Saint Paul, MN, is a current college freshman studying foreign language, literature and linguistics with a focus on French language and literature. In high school, Kristina served on the executive board of the National Honor Society. As an avid member of the Girl Scouts, Kristina logged over 400 hours of community service. That time included her involvement in the creation of a children’s camp program and maintaining a garden at the Gibbs Museum. Kristina was awarded with the Girl Scout Gold Award for her efforts. |
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$1,000 “A GPA Isn’t Everything” Scholarship Winner: Auset A., from Atlanta, GA, is going back to school after time off to study visual and performing arts with a focus in film and cinema studies. Auset created a performing arts company called Dualiti, which allows high school students in the Los Angeles area to become involved with productions and performances upon completion of mandatory community service on the weekends. She also volunteers at a community radio station in Atlanta. |
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$1,000 Computer Careers Winner: Eric K., from Los Angeles, CA, is a current high senior with a 3.95 GPA. Eric is the Computer Science Club Founder and President as well as the Math Club President. He is a member of MESA (Math Engineering Science Architecture) as well as a part of his high school Key Club, where he volunteers on projects such as AIDS Walk, Kiwanis Duck Splash and a rally to raise money for pediatric trauma prevention. In addition to his academic achievements, Eric was named the captain of his high school tennis team. |
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$1,000 Cappex Promoter Winner: Amanda S., from Wisconsin Rapids, WI, is a current honor roll high school junior who intends on studying biological and biomedical studies or psychology when she attends college in the fall of 2011. Amanda is the Student Council Public Relations Officer, Spanish Club President and class of 2011 Secretary/Treasurer. She also spends time volunteering with Big Brothers, Big Sisters and the Boys and Girls Club. Amanda helped sign up 26 of her friends for Cappex! |
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Cappex.com President Chris Long Featured on PBS Nightly Business Report
PBS Nightly Business Report visited Cappex headquarters in Highland Park, IL to interview Chris Long, President and COO, about how merit aid can help students make college more affordable. Planning 101: Paying for College, a PBS Nightly Business Report special, aired Friday April 2, 2010 and is now streaming online.
“You might have a sticker price of a private institution of about $30,000 a year,” stated Long. “If you consider the merit aid that they might grant a student to go there, tuition can actually be cut by 30, 40, even 50 percent. So, the net cost to the student to go to a private institution might approach that of a public institution.”
The segment explores everything related to paying for college, including costs, savings plans, loans and more. Planning 101: Paying for College interviews a variety of college professionals as well as students and parents to get a well-rounded look at how to finance college educations.
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March Scholarship Winners Announced
Cappex.com announces three scholarship winners from March 2010. Congrats to all our winners!
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$1,000 I Don’t Want To Pay For Grad School Scholarship Winner: Christina H., from East Lansing, MI, is studying biological and biomedical sciences with a major in physiology. She is currently on the executive board of the Pre-Student Medicine Association as well as a member of the Michigan State University health advocate peer mentoring program, which promotes awareness of health issues on campus. Christina also serves as the Secretary of the Student Advisory Council. Outside of school, Christina was a hurricane relief volunteer in New Orleans, LA through Alternative Spring Break and Habitat for Humanity. To prepare for her future career in medicine, she has also attended a D.O. job shadow which gave her two full days of exposure to surgical procedures, hospital rounds and patient examinations. |
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$1,000 #1 Cappex Facebook Fan Scholarship – Winter II Winner: Caitlin H., from Spring Valley, WI, is interested in majoring in social sciences, natural resources and conservation, and environmental studies. Caitlin was the 2008 MVP Intern for the National Guard Documentary program, where she led a film crew and produced several student films. She also has volunteered at her local women’s shelter, coordinated community service projects, including leading groups of high school student volunteers at the Leech Lake Indian Reservation, and helped run the Midwest Organic Farming Convention. Currently, Caitlin serves meals at a local soup kitchen and teaches English to Ethiopian and Somali refugees. In her spare time Caitlin also participates in her school’s drumline! |
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$1,000 Create a Cappex Ad – Print Winner: Eric C., from Rigby, ID, is studying biological and biomedical sciences with a major in biochemistry/biophysics and molecular biology and medicine. You can view Eric’s winning print ad here. |
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$1,000 Create a Cappex Ad – Video Winner: Phil D., from Imperial, MO, is a digital communication and journalism major. His goal is to attend a graduate program where he can continue his passion for new media and digital studies. He is currently a WebsterLEADS scholar and spent time in Phetchaburi, Thailand teaching English in 2009. You can view Phil’s winning video ad here. |
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Cappex Presents its 2010 Social Media and College Admissions Study
Cappex.com has released its Social Media and College Admissions study, which explores social media usage and trends among college and university admission offices. The study was conducted in January 2010 and polled 170 college admission contacts in both public and private institutions that range from 56 to 40,000 undergraduate students.
The study generated six key findings:
- The use of social media in the college admission process is on the rise – with 62% of colleges reporting they will dedicate more resources to it, though tried and true methods such as college fairs still take priority.
- The social media tool that admission officers use most frequently is Facebook.
- Colleges’ Facebook fan pages are directed at three audiences including prospects, enrolled students and alumni, and have goals of providing campus news and answering questions.
- Admission departments typically post to Facebook at least once per week.
- Admission officers believe that prospective students use Facebook to get a realistic view of what a college is like.
- Anecdotal evidence suggests that the biggest benefit of social media for admissions is the ability to connect with students where they are most comfortable, and the biggest drawback is the time it takes to maintain.
Social media allows college admission offices to interact with prospective students in a way that is authentic through a medium that is familiar and comfortable to those students. The challenge of social media will continue to be finding a balance between time, resources and return on investment.
For more information, read the complete Cappex 2010 Social Media and College Admissions Study.
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Three New Scholarship Winners Announced
Cappex.com announces three scholarship winners from February 2010. Congrats to all our winners!
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$1,000 “GPA Isn’t Everything” Scholarship (Winter) – Winner: Melissa M., from Merced, CA, is a current high school senior who wishes to study education and major in special education and teaching. She is currently the President of the PACIFIC club, after serving as the Secretary for three years. Melissa has played a woodwind in the band for nine years and is currently Secretary of the band council. She has 2,200 hours of community service with 1,700 of those hours dedicated to volunteering with organizations such as the SPCA and Toys for Tots. |
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$1,000 Cappex International Students Scholarship – Winner: Lu Xu, from China, is a current high school senior who plans to study architecture. In her free time she enjoys painting, photography and playing badminton. Lu is the Secretary General of the student league at her high school, class head of Public Relationship and Recreation Activities, Secretary of youth league as well as manager of preparation for School Art Festival and Drama. She is also the editor of her high school class newspaper as well as a local community newspaper. Lu also held a personal exhibition at the Realizing Dreams in Calligraphy art exhibition at a Shanghai library. |
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$1,000 “Review My School” Scholarship – Winner: Natalie I., from Greenfield, WI, is a college freshman at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. Her intended major and area of study is biological and biomedical sciences. Natalie is a member of the 2009 Hunger Clean-Up Public Relations team as well as the S.T.A.R. (Students Taking Active Roles) leadership program at Marquette. She is also involved in a variety extracurricular programs including being a patient companion at Aurora West Allis Memorial Hospital, volunteering at the Village at Manor Park Nursing Home and participating in the Biomedical Sciences Student Association. Natalie reviewed her school, Marquette University, “I am at Marquette and love it because it is personal, not too big or small, and has endless opportunities.” She also likes it because “There are so many opportunities to volunteer through your classes and through the Office of Student Development.” Read Natalie’s complete review on the Cappex Marquette University profile. |
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Five New Fall and Winter Scholarship Winners Announced
Cappex.com announces five new scholarship winners from Fall and Winter 2009-2010.
Congrats to all our winners!
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$1,000 Cappex “I Don’t Want To Pay For College” Scholarship – December 2009 Winner: Jacob R., from Saint Helens, OR, is a current college freshman who plans on studying psychology and heath related sciences. In high school, Jacob held a 4.0 GPA, played golf, soccer and swimming and also participated in the band and drama programs. He was also the National Honor Society President, Key Club Secretary and member of his high school’s student council. Jacob also spent time volunteering with organizations such as the Kiwanis club, UNICEF and March of Dimes. |
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$1,000 “#1 Cappex Facebook Fan” Scholarship – Winner: Juliana P., from Chandler, AZ, is a current high school senior. She is the founder and President of the Doctors Without Borders club, Science Research Club President and Key Club Secretary. She also plays golf and tennis. Outside of school, Juliana is a section leader of the Phoenix Youth Symphony and tutors nine Korean immigrant students in English. |
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$1,000 Cappex Business Careers Scholarship – Fall 2009 Winner: Patrick C., from Port Huron, MI, is a current high school senior and honor roll student. He is a Key Club Division 6 Lieutenant Governor, overseeing nine key clubs around Michigan, and is President of his high school senior class. Patrick is also a volunteer for the Youth Advisory Council, his local soup kitchen and church. He intends on studying business, management or marketing and would like to major in business administration and management. |
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$1,000 Cappex Psychology Scholarship – Fall 2009 Winner: Cassandra B., from Samson, AL, is a current college freshman. She plans on majoring in psychology, pre-medicine or pre-medical studies. During high school she held a 4.0 GPA and was valedictorian of her class. She was also President of the National Junior Honor Society, Spanish Club President, Band President and Student Government Treasurer. Cassandra is currently part of her college’s Medical Careers Club and Student Sociological Association. |
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$1,000 Cappex Health Careers & Nursing Scholarship – Winner: Cynthia U., from Reseda, CA, is pursuing her Master’s degree in public health. She held a 4.0 GPA while at California State University, Northridge. Cynthia is bilingual, and serves as an interpreter for Hispanic patients. She is interested in furthering her education to help the Hispanic community. When she is not working at her hospital, Cynthia also volunteers at the Braille Institute in Los Angeles. |
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Seven New Scholarship Winners Announced
Cappex.com announces seven new scholarship winners from Fall 2009.
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$1,000 Cutting Edge Careers Scholarship – Fall 2009 Winner: Mennen K., from San Jose, CA, is a current high school Junior, President of the American Red Cross club, Co-Vice President of Key club and Activities Commissioner for her school’s associated student body. She has also volunteered at O’Connor Hospital and was captain of her school’s Relay for Life team. Mennen is interested in health and nursing majors. |
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$1,000 Culinary Arts Scholarship – Fall 2009 Winner: Lindsey H., from Escondido, CA, a current college freshman, was a 4.0 honor roll student in high school. She spent two years as Rotary Club President, two years as a National Honor Society member and one year as a Teen Leader for the Community Service organization COMPACT. Lindsey hopes to use her culinary degree in a rewarding career, possibly by opening a wedding and decorative cake business. |
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$1,000 “A GPA Isn’t Everything” Scholarship – Fall 2009 Winner: Steven R. from Missouri City, TX, is a recent high school graduate, Varsity basketball captain, community service volunteer and youth AAU basketball coach. Steven is the first private school basketball player to play on the Texas High School Coaches Association (THSDCA) All-Star Team in 2009. |
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$1,000 Computer Careers Scholarship – Fall 2009 Winner: Ruth N., from Baton Rouge, LA, a current college sophomore, was a 4.0 GPA high school student. As a high school junior, Ruth participated in a high performance computing boot camp where she built a supercomputer with a group of three other students. She is working towards a computer and information sciences degree. |
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$1,000 Cappex Promoter Scholarship Winner: Tina C., from New York, NY, is a current high school senior, Co-President of a local community garden and Co-Captain of her church volleyball team. Tina is also an active volunteer, taking part in AIDS, breast cancer and March of Dimes walks for the cure. She is interested in studying biological or biomedical sciences. Tina promoted Cappex and got 40 of her friends to sign up! |
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$500 Cappex Promoter Scholarship (Friend) Winner (Provided to one friend of the winner of the Cappex Promoter Scholarship): Yimei M., from New York, NY, is a high school senior on the honor roll with a 3.8 GPA. Yimei has participated in the philharmonic orchestra for four years and is interested in studying biological and biomedical sciences, account and business management or family medicine and pharmacology. |
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$1,000 “I Don’t Want To Pay For College Scholarship” Winner: Mary M., from Troy, AL, is a 3.9 GPA honor roll, college freshman, 2009 Co-President of her County 4-H Council, 2008-2009 Tri-Omega Service Club President and 2008-2009 President of FCCLA. Mary has over 1200 volunteer hours in the past four years which include volunteering at her church and a high school mentoring program. She is interested in majoring in business, psychology or social work. |
Congrats to all our winners!
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Has the Impact of College Fairs Changed? New Cappex Study Explores Student Views.
As students live more of their lives online and become more wrapped up in online social activities, we asked: Do students still go to college fairs, and how do they feel about them?
To find out, Cappex surveyed more than 850 high school seniors in December 2009, a time when most had decided which colleges to apply to and were in the process of sending in their applications.
Do students still go to college fairs?
Students reported that they had attended traditional college fairs primarily in their first semester of senior year (54%), and secondarily during junior year.
Two-thirds of seniors surveyed said that second-semester junior year was the ideal time to attend college fairs. It appears that in hindsight, seniors wished they had attended a college fair earlier in high school.
Of those who had been to a college fair, just 19% said they had been to an online college fair. So, surprisingly, online college fairs are still a nascent category, but some students are attending.
Do college fairs change minds?
Students reported that they typically talked with one to five colleges at fairs, and about 25% of those colleges were already in their top choices. That means they go to a fair with one or two ideal colleges in mind.
About 43% of surveyed students said college fairs did change their minds about colleges that were not already in their top choices. So college fairs still present an opportunity for colleges to expose their schools to students and for students to explore and engage.
What are the top four things to make college fairs more useful to students?
- Having more information about specific majors, according to 68% of responders. This is likely because specific degrees appeal to students’ passions and, in most cases, are the reason for going to college.
- What comes second is no surprise given current economic conditions. 57% of surveyed students want more information about financial aid at the booth, such as more information about merit scholarships and how to apply.
- It is interesting that 53% of surveyed students want applications available at the booth. This makes sense. If, as a student, you’ve had a good conversation with a rep, you’ll be more jazzed to explore the application requirements – including essays or special items that the college requires – and mentally prepare for the online app.
- Lastly, students are seeking more well-rounded college booths including better-informed representatives, more recent grads and more pictures of campuses.
How do college fairs stack up to other recruiting channels?
The strongest influencer by a mile is a campus visit (according to 74% of surveyed students) followed by a college’s website (59%). This is predictable, and Cappex has observed this with other studies we’ve done.
Students reported that college fairs don’t come close to those top two sources of information in terms of influence. College fairs rank significantly lower, neck-and-neck with virtual tours and videos and high school counselors, with only about a third of students saying they were very influential or their main influence.
Online college search sites (46%) rank in the middle of the range, substantially higher than college fairs and very close to admission officers (48%). College search sites can be a good complement to both college websites and college fairs and provide colleges a way to influence a greater number of students.
Where do you find college-bound students online?
On Cappex.com. With 1.6 million+ student users, Cappex is a highly cost-effective way to reach students as they are researching colleges online and generate quality inquiries. To learn more, click here, or contact Alex Stepien at astepien@cappex.com.
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More than 40 percent of college bound students choose their ideal college before senior year, new Cappex study says.
Online tools are helping students choose colleges earlier.
It is commonly thought that students arrive at a choice for their ideal college during their senior year, but is that always the case? A recent Cappex survey of more than 260 college freshmen says it is not. Surprisingly, 43 percent of survey responders said they chose their college before senior year, and a good percentage said they chose their ideal college even earlier than junior year.
The study found:
- 57% chose their ideal college senior year
- 23% chose their ideal college junior year
- 20% chose their ideal college sophomore or freshman year
“It is imperative that colleges make students aware of their institutions early in high school and continue to maintain awareness through senior year,” said Chris Long, President of Cappex.
What are the main influences inspiring first choice?
The study also looked at the main factors about a college that inspire an ideal college choice. School attributes like reputation, size of school, and campus appeal topped the list. Of course these days, financial assistance is also a very important driver.
To probe on the influencing factors, the Cappex study used answer choices that mirrored the larger 2008 CIRP study by The University of California at Los Angeles Higher Education Research Institute.
The students in the Cappex study said:
- The school had a good reputation: 50%
- My visit to campus: 48%
- The school offered me financial assistance: 35%
- Size of school: 33%
- Overall cost of attending: 30%
- The school had a good reputation for its social activities: 19%
- Graduates from the school get good jobs: 17%
“A visit to campus appears to be one of the major influencing factors, and it is one that colleges can affect from a recruiting standpoint,” said Long. “For those students who may not be willing to travel to visit, colleges should aim to give them a taste of that on-campus experience online through their websites, college search sites, and social media.”
What are some perks offered by colleges that tip the scales in deciding where to enroll?
In addition to the typical things like scholarships and extracurricular programs, it is interesting to see that attributes like having a green campus and free Wi-Fi can help students make an enrollment decision.
Students said these perks tipped the scales for them:
- Had great extracurricular programs: 61%
- Provided non-departmental or general merit scholarships: 51%
- Offered opportunities for paid work study: 54%
- Free Wi-Fi: 53%
- Provided a departmental merit scholarship: 35%
- Had new classroom facilities: 32%
- Had a green campus: 30%
- Had new residence halls: 28%
- Offered in-state tuition to out-of-state students: 22%
- Provided free laptops: 8%
So, how can colleges tip the scales in their favor? They can start by reaching out to college-bound high school students online early and often, give them a three-dimensional feel of what their college is about, and have a recruiting hook.
“By the way, at Cappex, we’ve observed that it is never too late for colleges to recruit seniors,” said Long. “Many seniors add colleges to their lists well into spring semester.”
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