The higher education market is going through a sea change, but time is truly running out for a whole sector of it. Recent reports suggest that more than a quarter of the 1700 private four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. may have less than a decade before they are forced to merge with other institutions or close entirely.
This follows a sad trend in which these smaller, more personalized routes to a degree have shrunk by 20% since 2012. As interest in a two- or four-year program has dropped across the board, the small schools are the most vulnerable as recruitment falls away and budgets dry up.
Some are already through, like the seven liberal arts schools and agricultural ‘work colleges’ that have closed in the last decade in the state of Vermont alone. Their neighbors fear the loss of business and a disappearing young population will turn thriving communities into ghost towns. However, it’s never too late to fight back.
We’re not talking about trimming costs or ditching unprofitable programs. That is rarely the winning strategy, although it can be part of a temporary one. We’re talking about infusing new energy in your storied school – and we have just the tool to do it.
Building community and upping recruitment is the only way out.
Any school can cut expenses, but only large schools can pull it off for long. Think of how education budgets have been slashed in the last year – and how much those cuts make future progress difficult. The only institutions that can survive on a bare-bones budget are the more complex ones with deep pockets and wide alumni networks.
The real key is a school’s community. Activate alumni networks who can help avoid cuts and closures. Cultivate local and regional sponsors for programs, events, and scholarships. Most importantly, build your recruitment efforts. The only way to avoid cuts is to have more income, which means more students. That’s where CustomViewbook comes in.
Small colleges are personalized by definition.
The “liberal arts” college model comes from an early desire to create good citizens with a well-rounded approach to life. What defines these schools, including the ones nested in big universities? Small classes. Faculty mentors. The combination of arts, sciences, and humanities. The approach is universal – and success depends on how well a school responds to the needs of its students.
Where better to show the individualized education of a smaller school than CustomViewbook? The responsiveness of the platform and its Viewbooks drive home how adaptable a student’s time there can be, as well as how dynamic a degree can be once they’ve graduated.
Your uniqueness is your strength.
Small colleges can pretend they’re something other than what they are, but engaged prospects will see right through it. Liberal arts schools have research departments but not R1 research grants – so generic images of students in lab coats looking through test tubes may not be on-brand. But a small, caring campus with a breezy lifestyle and manageable classes is more accurate – and more attractive to prospects who would attend.
The CustomViewbook platform offers the best visual storytelling options in higher education marketing. You can leverage unique images of campus, programming, and staff in a way that is customized without your staff having to customize it. Prospects can choose the right visual journey with a few clicks on subjects that interest them.
How does CustomViewbook help small schools shine?
The CustomViewbook approach sparks the expectation for individualized attention from the first click. The CVB Wizard tool combines easy user experience for prospective students with the customization that usually takes longer interactions to achieve. At the end of a day, when young people have looked at 10 or more schools, a Viewbook in their email helps them to retain what they learned and liked about your school.
CustomViewbook is one of the most changeable tools in higher education recruitment as prospects move through different parts of the process, from discovery to attendance. Blast tools can create a large number of Viewbooks in seconds based on prospects’ interests or schools’ campaigns so the result remains personalized as you address requests for information, applications, and admission deposits. Students who find small schools through CustomViewbook can be up to four times more likely to attend than general yield rates.
Schools with the CustomViewbook iFrame wizard can streamline prospects’ journey to applying even more. This popular feature allows future students to register their interest and receive their own Viewbook in seconds – without interrupting the flow of their visit to the school’s website. The seamlessness of this digital research suggests the easy flow of their future personalized education at a small school.
Conclusion: CustomViewbook helps preserve small schools’ identity and their student’s legacy
The next ten years are crucial for many small schools, and many will not survive as they are today. The colleges that will control their own future will find a way to stay relevant and strong as others give up their individuality to survive or simply fade into history.
The rise of AI-powered college search can marginalize smaller institutions of all sorts, especially if their digital resources aren’t optimized for the new era. CustomViewbook is the “anti-AI,” using personalized content to give prospects an authentic experience within moments. Don’t risk your school’s future. Give your upcoming students the best chance at making the right decision for them and for you.
