Revamped UM Student Recruitment

[PlayerRep]

As I stated elsewhere... I rarly see any advertising from UM in the Flathead valley.

Kittens, Mt Tech, Western... yes. Crap I even heard 1 radio ad from Rocky Mountain college.

UM... nope, seems as though they just assume all kids in western montana will only chose UM.

With roughly 1000 student graduating each year up here, Bodner needs to get this fixed.

UM is using better marketing and communication channels to reach high school students, including in the Flathead. UM is using multiple others based on the impact on the target audience. Students generally don't listen to the radio. The UM strategy is based on stakeholder groups and where they are — digital platforms, social, chat, texting and more. You wouldn't be in a position to notice those channels. There are some tv ads. With the available resources, the focus has to be on proven impact and not on perception.

 

[CDAGRIZ]

As I stated elsewhere... I rarly see any advertising from UM in the Flathead valley.

Kittens, Mt Tech, Western... yes. Crap I even heard 1 radio ad from Rocky Mountain college.

UM... nope, seems as though they just assume all kids in western montana will only chose UM.

With roughly 1000 student graduating each year up here, Bodner needs to get this fixed.

UM is using better marketing and communication channels to reach high school students, including in the Flathead. UM is using multiple others based on the impact on the target audience. Students generally don't listen to the radio. The UM strategy is based on stakeholder groups and where they are — digital platforms, social, chat, texting and more. You wouldn't be in a position to notice those channels. There are some tv ads. With the available resources, the focus has to be on proven impact and not on perception.

Those are great points, for sure. If you want to reach 16-18 year olds with a marketing message, get it on their phones somehow. I get it. I like it.

That said, and I’m not saying UM is doing this, it would be unwise to ignore the other channels that PARENTS see. Parents play a big role in college decisions. Extreme example, but I wouldn’t be enthused to foot the bill for my kids to attend a school I know nothing about, but that they only heard about via Snapchat. It’s no different from the sports recruiting principle that a lot of times you have to sell Mama on the school/program just as much as the athlete. And, kids still like getting glossy stuff addressed to them in the mail.

 

[SoldierGriz]

As I stated elsewhere... I rarly see any advertising from UM in the Flathead valley.

Kittens, Mt Tech, Western... yes. Crap I even heard 1 radio ad from Rocky Mountain college.

UM... nope, seems as though they just assume all kids in western montana will only chose UM.

With roughly 1000 student graduating each year up here, Bodner needs to get this fixed.

UM is using better marketing and communication channels to reach high school students, including in the Flathead. UM is using multiple others based on the impact on the target audience. Students generally don't listen to the radio. The UM strategy is based on stakeholder groups and where they are — digital platforms, social, chat, texting and more. You wouldn't be in a position to notice those channels. There are some tv ads. With the available resources, the focus has to be on proven impact and not on perception.

Those are great points, for sure. If you want to reach 16-18 year olds with a marketing message, get it on their phones somehow. I get it. I like it.

That said, and I’m not saying UM is doing this, it would be unwise to ignore the other channels that PARENTS see. Parents play a big role in college decisions. Extreme example, but I wouldn’t be enthused to foot the bill for my kids to attend a school I know nothing about, but that they only heard about via Snapchat. It’s no different from the sports recruiting principle that a lot of times you have to sell Mama on the school/program just as much as the athlete. And, kids still like getting glossy stuff addressed to them in the mail.

This is an absolute fact. UM MUST recruit parents as well...

Having 2 kids going thru this process, I can assure you my vote matters.

 

[MissoulaMarinerFan]

As I stated elsewhere... I rarly see any advertising from UM in the Flathead valley.

Kittens, Mt Tech, Western... yes. Crap I even heard 1 radio ad from Rocky Mountain college.

UM... nope, seems as though they just assume all kids in western montana will only chose UM.

With roughly 1000 student graduating each year up here, Bodner needs to get this fixed.

UM is using better marketing and communication channels to reach high school students, including in the Flathead. UM is using multiple others based on the impact on the target audience. Students generally don't listen to the radio. The UM strategy is based on stakeholder groups and where they are — digital platforms, social, chat, texting and more. You wouldn't be in a position to notice those channels. There are some tv ads. With the available resources, the focus has to be on proven impact and not on perception.

Those are great points, for sure. If you want to reach 16-18 year olds with a marketing message, get it on their phones somehow. I get it. I like it.

That said, and I’m not saying UM is doing this, it would be unwise to ignore the other channels that PARENTS see. Parents play a big role in college decisions. Extreme example, but I wouldn’t be enthused to foot the bill for my kids to attend a school I know nothing about, but that they only heard about via Snapchat. It’s no different from the sports recruiting principle that a lot of times you have to sell Mama on the school/program just as much as the athlete. And, kids still like getting glossy stuff addressed to them in the mail.

This is an absolute fact. UM MUST recruit parents as well...

Having 2 kids going thru this process, I can assure you my vote matters.

Can you expand upon the bolded text? I find it hard to believe that you have the final say where your kids go to school - and I'm sure that isn't what you're saying.

 

[wbtfg]

UM is using better marketing and communication channels to reach high school students, including in the Flathead. UM is using multiple others based on the impact on the target audience. Students generally don't listen to the radio. The UM strategy is based on stakeholder groups and where they are — digital platforms, social, chat, texting and more. You wouldn't be in a position to notice those channels. There are some tv ads. With the available resources, the focus has to be on proven impact and not on perception.

Those are great points, for sure. If you want to reach 16-18 year olds with a marketing message, get it on their phones somehow. I get it. I like it.

That said, and I’m not saying UM is doing this, it would be unwise to ignore the other channels that PARENTS see. Parents play a big role in college decisions. Extreme example, but I wouldn’t be enthused to foot the bill for my kids to attend a school I know nothing about, but that they only heard about via Snapchat. It’s no different from the sports recruiting principle that a lot of times you have to sell Mama on the school/program just as much as the athlete. And, kids still like getting glossy stuff addressed to them in the mail.

This is an absolute fact. UM MUST recruit parents as well...

Having 2 kids going thru this process, I can assure you my vote matters.

Can you expand upon the bolded text? I find it hard to believe that you have the final say where your kids go to school - and I'm sure that isn't what you're saying.

I think he's saying he has the final say where his money goes.

 

[MissoulaMarinerFan]

Those are great points, for sure. If you want to reach 16-18 year olds with a marketing message, get it on their phones somehow. I get it. I like it.

That said, and I’m not saying UM is doing this, it would be unwise to ignore the other channels that PARENTS see. Parents play a big role in college decisions. Extreme example, but I wouldn’t be enthused to foot the bill for my kids to attend a school I know nothing about, but that they only heard about via Snapchat. It’s no different from the sports recruiting principle that a lot of times you have to sell Mama on the school/program just as much as the athlete. And, kids still like getting glossy stuff addressed to them in the mail.

This is an absolute fact. UM MUST recruit parents as well...

Having 2 kids going thru this process, I can assure you my vote matters.

Can you expand upon the bolded text? I find it hard to believe that you have the final say where your kids go to school - and I'm sure that isn't what you're saying.

I think he's saying he has the final say where his money goes.

Got it. Thanks - that makes sense. I also assume that his kids are welcome to go where they choose, but if it is different than where he wants to put his money (also fair) then they would be financing it themselves.

 

[SoldierGriz]

This is an absolute fact. UM MUST recruit parents as well...

Having 2 kids going thru this process, I can assure you my vote matters.

Can you expand upon the bolded text? I find it hard to believe that you have the final say where your kids go to school - and I'm sure that isn't what you're saying.

I think he's saying he has the final say where his money goes.

Got it. Thanks - that makes sense. I also assume that his kids are welcome to go where they choose, but if it is different than where he wants to put his money (also fair) then they would be financing it themselves.

They are free to go where they want/can. I only have so much money.

Bigger point is - I assume - most parents are involved in the process, and should be accounted for in the recruiting strategy in some form.

 

[AZGrizFan]

Can you expand upon the bolded text? I find it hard to believe that you have the final say where your kids go to school - and I'm sure that isn't what you're saying.

You're damned right I had the final say. There were a couple colleges my daughter wanted to go to that I absolutely wasn't going to pay for. There were 2-3 that she could have chosen from that I was ok with....

Bottom line: my kids could go wherever they wanted. If they wanted MY money to follow them, I had to approve of their choice.

 

[PlayerRep]

Can you expand upon the bolded text? I find it hard to believe that you have the final say where your kids go to school - and I'm sure that isn't what you're saying.

You're damned right I had the final say. There were a couple colleges my daughter wanted to go to that I absolutely wasn't going to pay for. There were 2-3 that she could have chosen from that I was ok with....

Bottom line: my kids could go wherever they wanted. If they wanted MY money to follow them, I had to approve of their choice.

Did you need those colleges on your approved list, or that got on it, to market to you?

While I don't disagree with the comments made on this subject, I wonder how much marketing to parents who live in MT needs to be done. That being said, I notice the tv ads of the schools. I don't recall hearing college ads on the radio. I sometimes glanced at brochures that my kids were mailed, but the brochures had no influence over what I thought of the school. 2 of our kids chose UM, 1 MSU, and 2 out of state. My wife and I had virtually no influence over our kids' choice of the MT schools.

After a kid shows interest in a school, I can see follow up that might include something that parents would see.

I'm on the East Coast, so my dog isn't being responsive to my questions.

 

[MissoulaMarinerFan]

Can you expand upon the bolded text? I find it hard to believe that you have the final say where your kids go to school - and I'm sure that isn't what you're saying.

You're damned right I had the final say. There were a couple colleges my daughter wanted to go to that I absolutely wasn't going to pay for. There were 2-3 that she could have chosen from that I was ok with....

Bottom line: my kids could go wherever they wanted. If they wanted MY money to follow them, I had to approve of their choice.

Easy there - I think you missed my earlier response, which I find fair. I was just genuinely curious:

Got it. Thanks - that makes sense. I also assume that his kids are welcome to go where they choose, but if it is different than where he wants to put his money (also fair) then they would be financing it themselves.

 

[argh!]

I'm on the East Coast, so my dog isn't being responsive to my questions.

perhaps your dog has no answers that will make you happy, just the reality of the situation, and thus is dodging communications?

 

[SoldierGriz]

Can you expand upon the bolded text? I find it hard to believe that you have the final say where your kids go to school - and I'm sure that isn't what you're saying.

You're damned right I had the final say. There were a couple colleges my daughter wanted to go to that I absolutely wasn't going to pay for. There were 2-3 that she could have chosen from that I was ok with....

Bottom line: my kids could go wherever they wanted. If they wanted MY money to follow them, I had to approve of their choice.

Did you need those colleges on your approved list, or that got on it, to market to you?

While I don't disagree with the comments made on this subject, I wonder how much marketing to parents who live in MT needs to be done. That being said, I notice the tv ads of the schools. I don't recall hearing college ads on the radio. I sometimes glanced at brochures that my kids were mailed, but the brochures had no influence over what I thought of the school. 2 of our kids chose UM, 1 MSU, and 2 out of state. My wife and I had virtually no influence over our kids' choice of the MT schools.

After a kid shows interest in a school, I can see follow up that might include something that parents would see.

I'm on the East Coast, so my dog isn't being responsive to my questions.

The themes and messages are different for parents and the applicants.

Parents want to hear about value, four-year grad rates, job placement rates and processes, financial aid and scholarship realities, safety, distance from home etc...practical matters.

Applicants might be interested in the above, but my kids are far more interested in the majors offered, campus life stuff, off campus activities and night life, dorm opportunities and whether or not they can have a car. Some might be drawn to Greek life etc...

Just my experience so far.

 

[grizband]

Can you expand upon the bolded text? I find it hard to believe that you have the final say where your kids go to school - and I'm sure that isn't what you're saying.

You're damned right I had the final say. There were a couple colleges my daughter wanted to go to that I absolutely wasn't going to pay for. There were 2-3 that she could have chosen from that I was ok with....

Bottom line: my kids could go wherever they wanted. If they wanted MY money to follow them, I had to approve of their choice.

Just out of curiosity, what were the reasons you wouldn't allow certain schools? I don't have children myself, but am honestly curious.

 

[AZGrizFan]

Can you expand upon the bolded text? I find it hard to believe that you have the final say where your kids go to school - and I'm sure that isn't what you're saying.

You're damned right I had the final say. There were a couple colleges my daughter wanted to go to that I absolutely wasn't going to pay for. There were 2-3 that she could have chosen from that I was ok with....

Bottom line: my kids could go wherever they wanted. If they wanted MY money to follow them, I had to approve of their choice.

Just out of curiosity, what were the reasons you wouldn't allow certain schools? I don't have children myself, but am honestly curious.

Out of state tuition that was 3x what Texas Tech’s tuition costs were, with no discernible increase in value of the degree.

My take is this: for certain degrees, there are certain schools you should go to if at all possible. You want a journalism degree? University of Missouri is the school (surprisingly, UM used to be very highly ranked as well). You want a Cyber Security degree or a Data Analytics Masters, UTSA in San Antonio has top 5 rated programs in both of those areas....but for the most part, unless you’re going to an Ivy League school, Duke, Stanford, or a couple other schools, the degrees are basically interchangeable. If you move to LA (like my daughter) nobody cares if you went to Arizona, Texas Tech or North Carolina Greensboro. If you move to Texas, it doesn’t matter if your degree is from UW, Oregon, or Montana (again, with a few exceptions). Why pay $40,000/year out of state tuition at Arizona when virtually the SAME degree can be achieved at Texas Tech for $10,000 tuition....

 

[GrizzleMoose]

My son who is now a freshman in college, not U of M, received zero correspondence from the U. He had letters in the mail consitelntly fro MSU, Carroll, NDSU, and many others but never received one piece of mail from the U. With my wife and I both being undergraduate alums and my wife being a law school graduate, we were very disappointed that he didn’t receive even one piece of mail from the U. I surely hope things are changing because I know most of his classmates, from a large AA school, didn’t receive much or anything from the U as well and most went other places. When I was a senior in high school, U of M was the place to. Apparently not so much any more.

 

[AZGrizFan]

My son who is now a freshman in college, not U of M, received zero correspondence from the U. He had letters in the mail consitelntly fro MSU, Carroll, NDSU, and many others but never received one piece of mail from the U. With my wife and I both being undergraduate alums and my wife being a law school graduate, we were very disappointed that he didn’t receive even one piece of mail from the U. I surely hope things are changing because I know most of his classmates, from a large AA school, didn’t receive much or anything from the U as well and most went other places. When I was a senior in high school, U of M was the place to. Apparently not so much any more.

Agreed. And that’s not something that should have taken 18 months to figure out and correct. There were obviously some low hanging fruit but for some reason they seem to have elected to leave those alone and instead start with recreating the wheel....

 

[CatGrad-UMGradStu]

Can you expand upon the bolded text? I find it hard to believe that you have the final say where your kids go to school - and I'm sure that isn't what you're saying.

I think he's saying he has the final say where his money goes.

Got it. Thanks - that makes sense. I also assume that his kids are welcome to go where they choose, but if it is different than where he wants to put his money (also fair) then they would be financing it themselves.

They are free to go where they want/can. I only have so much money.

Bigger point is - I assume - most parents are involved in the process, and should be accounted for in the recruiting strategy in some form.

I tend to agree. My five kids and their choices? Oldest son
went to the Naval Academy and Idaho. Second son went to Georgia Southern (based solely on his desire to play college football) and Georgia. Oldest daughter went to College of Charleston, Medical College of Georgia, Baylor and then back to the Medical College of Georgia. Youngest daughter went to the University of Montana. Youngest son went to Rocky and Montana State.

It was dear old dad (me and my 23 years as an Army Infantry Officer that convinced my oldest son to go the Navy route and keep the other kids out of the military). I'd glady do it all over again but I wouldn't wish the military lifestyle on another if they didn't believe in a life of service to their fellow man. I did tell the oldest when he told me he was accepted into law school that he'd have to change his last name and not attend another family reunion if he went there. Thank God he listened.

 

[BadlandsGrizFan]

Can you expand upon the bolded text? I find it hard to believe that you have the final say where your kids go to school - and I'm sure that isn't what you're saying.

You're damned right I had the final say. There were a couple colleges my daughter wanted to go to that I absolutely wasn't going to pay for. There were 2-3 that she could have chosen from that I was ok with....

Bottom line: my kids could go wherever they wanted. If they wanted MY money to follow them, I had to approve of their choice.

Did you need those colleges on your approved list, or that got on it, to market to you?

While I don't disagree with the comments made on this subject, I wonder how much marketing to parents who live in MT needs to be done. That being said, I notice the tv ads of the schools. I don't recall hearing college ads on the radio. I sometimes glanced at brochures that my kids were mailed, but the brochures had no influence over what I thought of the school. 2 of our kids chose UM, 1 MSU, and 2 out of state. My wife and I had virtually no influence over our kids' choice of the MT schools.

After a kid shows interest in a school, I can see follow up that might include something that parents would see.

I'm on the East Coast, so my dog isn't being responsive to my questions.

Have you tried the whistle yet??? Maybe argh can go over to your house and scream negative thoughts at it?

 

[BadlandsGrizFan]

My son who is now a freshman in college, not U of M, received zero correspondence from the U. He had letters in the mail consitelntly fro MSU, Carroll, NDSU, and many others but never received one piece of mail from the U. With my wife and I both being undergraduate alums and my wife being a law school graduate, we were very disappointed that he didn’t receive even one piece of mail from the U. I surely hope things are changing because I know most of his classmates, from a large AA school, didn’t receive much or anything from the U as well and most went other places. When I was a senior in high school, U of M was the place to. Apparently not so much any more.

Agreed. And that’s not something that should have taken 18 months to figure out and correct. There were obviously some low hanging fruit but for some reason they seem to have elected to leave those alone and instead start with recreating the wheel....

Did anyone ever figure out what Engstrom was doing when all this was going to shit, besides having his wine parties???

 

[BadlandsGrizFan]

Can you expand upon the bolded text? I find it hard to believe that you have the final say where your kids go to school - and I'm sure that isn't what you're saying.

You're damned right I had the final say. There were a couple colleges my daughter wanted to go to that I absolutely wasn't going to pay for. There were 2-3 that she could have chosen from that I was ok with....

Bottom line: my kids could go wherever they wanted. If they wanted MY money to follow them, I had to approve of their choice.

Just out of curiosity, what were the reasons you wouldn't allow certain schools? I don't have children myself, but am honestly curious.

Out of state tuition that was 3x what Texas Tech’s tuition costs were, with no discernible increase in value of the degree.

My take is this: for certain degrees, there are certain schools you should go to if at all possible. You want a journalism degree? University of Missouri is the school (surprisingly, UM used to be very highly ranked as well). You want a Cyber Security degree or a Data Analytics Masters, UTSA in San Antonio has top 5 rated programs in both of those areas....but for the most part, unless you’re going to an Ivy League school, Duke, Stanford, or a couple other schools, the degrees are basically interchangeable. If you move to LA (like my daughter) nobody cares if you went to Arizona, Texas Tech or North Carolina Greensboro. If you move to Texas, it doesn’t matter if your degree is from UW, Oregon, or Montana (again, with a few exceptions). Why pay $40,000/year out of state tuition at Arizona when virtually the SAME degree can be achieved at Texas Tech for $10,000 tuition....

IDK about the Texas Thing, In my experiences those channels that Texas alumi groups hold around DFW especially are massive. I would say 95% of the company I work for are UT, TA&M , Texas Tech or Baylor grads.

Those Texas universities hold a ton of weight in Texas.