2009 NACAC Discussion Paper
Many colleges are using a variety of Web 2.0 applications to enhance their recruitment efforts, but a substantial minority (40 percent) are not using any of the tools that were studied, according to a discussion paper commissioned by NACAC. However, this is likely to change in the near future, as a large majority of those colleges that are not currently using social media are planning to do so.
The discussion paper also highlights best practices for blogging and the use of other social media applications for admission professionals who are new to these endeavors. The author also begins to explore the ethical and legal issues inherent in engaging with prospective students through these media. However, many questions remain unanswered, and it is the intention of NACAC that this paper will serve as a starting point for continued discussion and research.
- Has the use of social media strategies for recruitment been successful for colleges and what is the cost/benefit relationship? What measures have colleges enacted to improve the cost/benefit of social media strategies?
- What ethical or legal issues have colleges using social media encountered and how were these issues resolved?
- What, if any, formal policies have colleges established to guide their use of social media in the recruitment and admission process?
The report was written by Dr. Nora Ganim Barnes, Chancellor Professor of Marketing and Director, Center for Marketing Research at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.
Download a copy now.
Read NACAC's Press Release here.