Higher ed must learn to use student data more wisely

When it comes to recruitment and alumni contributions, how you use student data can make a big difference. According to Students, alumni, and administrators agree: Data-driven communications make a difference, a survey from software and services provider Ellucian, students are increasingly using their expectations of and actual experiences with data and personalized communications to dictate their enrollment and future giving.The annual survey, released last fall, shows that personalized communications weigh heavily in students’ decisions about which institution to attend. Eighty-seven percent of students who received personalized communications during their application process say it was an important factor in their choice of school. Forty-eight percent of students who applied to multiple colleges used poor communication as one reason not to attend a particular institution.“Today’s students expect seamless personalized experiences from nearly every organization they come in contact with—whether they realize it or not,” says Katie Lynch-Holmes, Ellucian senior strategic consultant. “These expectations and actual experiences influence their choice of institution, long-term loyalty, and future giving.”