Paint Like Picasso

In a world where college admissions hasn’t changed in over 50 years, the pandemic may have modified the course forever. When the tried and true, reliable test scores are no longer available or grade point averages are missing critical high school semesters and on-site visits are down, innovation is required.

For years, students have been crying out that they are more than test scores and GPAs; they are people with personalities, dreams and possibilities. High school students have long since felt the pressure to test better, have more activities and service hours on their résumé, all the while the infamous bar was constantly being raised, and for many, especially socioeconomically disadvantaged students, to an unattainable expectation.

Then 2020 happened. All bets were off as college admissions across the country scrambled to find new and innovative ways to sort and compare their applicant pool as well as recruit a full freshman class. This has actually benefited many high school students. They are now being viewed in a new light and are examined more closely for who they are and what they may offer a university as well as their uniqueness that will add to the college’s freshman class. Admissions offices are also relying more on social media such as ZeeMe, Scoir and LifeStream to connect with students and get a glimpse of the type of student they will become. Other colleges are getting creative and embedding short video questions into their applications to get an unjaded look at a student.

I believe these nontraditional approaches will improve compatibility between students and colleges, hopefully driving the transfer rate in a downward direction. While this may all sound well and good, it is not easy by any means. Such a drastic shift in evaluation and enticing students to apply has sent many admissions counselors into a tailspin, as well as students wondering if a gap year might be a better use of their time.

It has also transformed how students and parents view community colleges and trade schools, giving them more attention and thought. Students are thinking twice about the cost of education and what it’s worth. As the pandemic continues, the quality and value of service will make or break it for some of the smaller institutions that lack national branding. Being remote or in person could also have a heavy impact on a college’s intake of applications, although in talking with high school seniors, expense seems to carry greater weight, adding additional strain to the small college that still needs tuition revenue to keep its doors open.

In a time of great uncertainty is opportunity -- the chance to reimagine a process and culture of college admissions and create a better path forward allowing for diversity and compatibility to take precedence over scores. It is also altering how the smaller private institutions market themselves in order to attract the same number of applicants.

Recently I interviewed several high school guidance counselors, who echoed these concerns. Keri Lawrence, head of school guidance at a private high school, said, “Our state schools … still saw a rise in applications. I think this means that if anyone is suffering … it is our smaller, private schools that don’t have the 'brand name' to stand behind to encourage applications. This has left both college admissions counselors and high school counselors like myself to try to encourage students to those schools … through virtual visits and digital means. At the end of the day, that has not been incredibly successful, as there is a dramatic decrease of students who have attended college visits with me this year than in the past. Plus, those private schools, even with significant scholarship adjustments, can’t meet the price tag of a state school or community college.”

Students are not as willing to explore the unfamiliar. Therefore, something has to change. Long-term survival is at stake in a time when the number of college admission applicants was already predicted to shrink by 2026. The answer will most certainly be linked to marketing and personal connections. Emails and mailers are not going to cut it anymore. Small private colleges can no longer afford to “paint within the lines” -- they have to take risks and interact with prospective students in a way they never have before, which is incredibly hard to do in a pandemic and with limited staffing. Live virtual visits, student chats and info sessions via Zoom or other media platforms and utilizing current students to recruit and connect with prospective students from their hometowns are just some of the changes taking place.

Social media has seen an uptick in use over the last 10 years and is more important than ever. With our current lack of human interaction, parents and students are researching and making decisions based on information found on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. This is a slippery slope for colleges and students alike. The opinions are just that, opinions, and one unhappy parent or student can set a negative tone, causing hundreds of prospective students to think twice about a college that could be their perfect fit.

So, what is a small institution to do? Paint like Picasso! No idea should be off the table. Admissions is a relationship game. Students need to see themselves on campus. Instead of photoshopping Bernie, get students to photoshop themselves at your institution and post it! Build relationships with every applicant as though they are your only one. Students are looking for a place to call home, a sense of “I belong here.” The first college to make them feel like that wins. There is no magic formula, and the recruiting ways of the past are useless now. The higher education institutions that accept this and embrace this new attitude are the ones that will see applications flourish and students who are right for their college commit. It is a matter of painting outside the lines!