schools

Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education, Higher Education EdTech April 18, 2018

What Does A Future Ready University Look Like?

The face of education and the workforce has been steadily changing over the years. By 2020, the focus of students around education is expected to shift drastically. Universities need to adapt and cater to the market to compete.

What does that mean for brick and mortar institutions? And, how can universities be future ready? Here are some insights into the changing climate of education and needs of future-ready students.

How are students changing?

High school graduates face increased competition entering university and the workplace. The world has become entwined in a global economy. This global competition makes success difficult to grasp for anyone without the proper tools.

Future-ready students have the right competencies to compet e in the global career market. Lifelong learning skills, adaptability, and resourcefulness are only some of the necessary traits to compete for the jobs of the future. In today’s economy, there are more paths than ever to a successful career and a formal education is only one of the possibilities. Universities must understand the evolving job market to help students compete.

Some schools, like Griffith University, have begun focusing on empowering students to be ready for the challenges awaiting them in the workplace. However, holding seminars and workshops is not enough to attract the students of tomorrow.

Adapting the University Model

Universities will need to evolve their teaching models, offer different courses and degree paths, and embrace online learning to compete with other education options.

Coventry University, in the U.K., is embarking on a journey towards future readiness over the next five years. The program will offer over 50 degrees, entirely online. While online degrees are not a new idea, most mainstream universities have shied away from offering degrees entirely online. However, the students of the future will demand more flexibility in their education, something online study grants them.

Future-ready universities will also need to embrace online discussion groups, lectures, and technology to compete in the changing educational market. Students are more ingratiated in technology than ever before and accommodating that change will spell success for institutions of higher learning.

With the advent of Coursera, universities are already becoming involved in global education sharing. However, the landscape of education will continue to develop with a higher value being placed on lifelong learning for individuals to stay competitive in their careers. Universities who embrace short courses, online lectures and adaptability will see an increase in professional students. Career minded people are looking for quick ways to boost their market value, making resources like Ted Talks increasingly popular.

The other issue many universities need to address in their quest for future readiness is the type of degrees offered. There is an increasing demand for diverse STEM professions and medical specialties. Many students have turned to technical colleges and specialized programs to engage in hands-on learning which will prepare them for a career. Meanwhile, traditional universities are being left behind. Future-ready universitie s will put a greater emphasis on technology and hands-on learning which can lead to a career in STEM.

Blazing a Unique Path

Universities need to develop individual plans to cater to future-ready student s. Specialization, innovation and personalized degree paths are all ways to separate your school from the pack. Each year more students are choosing alternative education paths. It’s the job of the future-ready university to build value for students.

Universities need to employ social media and digital marketing to display new offerings to students. Competing in the higher education market will require schools to be tech savvy and intuitive to students changing needs.

How has your university embraced future readiness? What ideas do you have to produce future-ready students? We want to hear your thoughts.

Matthew Lynch published in Diversity, Trending Topics April 16, 2018

6 Things That Educators Should Know About Multicultural Education

In order to understand today’s classrooms and improve the culture of schools, the primary components of American culture must be identified and understood. Culture and education are intrinsically connected: American culture shapes education, and education subsequently shapes American culture. By understanding the relationship between the two, schools can improve culture-based education, and can reflect and promote different cultural worldviews.

Another aspect of culture is school culture. School culture consists of shared values and beliefs, as well as shared meanings of the community as a cohesive unit (Hobby, 2004). As teachers, it is essential to incorporate both community and diverse worldviews into your teaching. A number of resources are available to ensure students maintain a strong sense of cultural identity. When you incorporate culturally based materials and content into the curriculum, students learn not only about their culture, but also the diverse cultures around them.

Early in the history of the United States, there was a focus on segregation and assimilation when it came to differences between ethnic groups. Those who were of northern European heritage were often assimilated into the culture of the United States and those who were of an obviously different heritage, such individuals of African or Asian descent, were excluded from participation in dominant-culture America. This focus has changed: today, the goal is one of recognizing and celebrating cultural and ethnic differences. Still, more change needs to occur and American classrooms are on the front lines of making this goal a reality.

All children go through the same or similar feelings and experiences as they grow up. All children have a desire and a need to test boundaries. All children are curious and mischievous, and can be at times kindhearted and at other times blunt when they speak. These traits can sometimes make working with children a challenge. However, it is the differences and diversities that make teaching children an even greater challenge, and yet a blessing at the same time. This is a challenge that every teacher in today’s classrooms must face, in order to give children the best support possible as they pursue their education. In this article, we will discuss all of the things that educators should know about multicultural education.

What does “culture” mean in the United States? Culture in the United States can be separated into several elements, including behavior, beliefs, traditions, and values. In the early years of the republic, American culture was indelibly associated with European-derived, English-speaking Protestant culture. More recently, however, the influx of new languages, religions, and other cultural ingredients has created a more diverse and challenging environment.

Many elements of personal freedom, including freedom of religion and speech, are protected by the legal system. However, a conflict between autonomy and assimilation exists: is it preferable to press students into a mono-ethnic mold or to celebrate their diversity?

What role does ethnicity play in our schools? Determining ethnicity can be complex, and includes factors such as race, religion, customs, and culture. The United States is becoming increasingly diverse. Americans of Asian, African, and Hispanic origin are on the rise: this is reflected in classroom populations. Furthermore, individuals who are multiethnic (who associate with more than one ethnic group) form an increasingly large portion of the student population. Laws have changed in the United States to reflect the value of cultures and languages other than the traditional European ones. It is important that teachers are aware of and are prepared to deal with racism in the classroom.

What part does multiculturalism play in today’s school? Multiculturalism is the acceptance of multiple cultures coexisting in a society by providing equitable status to distinct ethnic groups. The former “melting pot” ideology is being replaced by a “patchwork quilt” mentality, in which cultural identity and language are preserved. A number of theories have been floated, including the cultural deficit theory (students don’t do well because of an inadequate home environment), the expectation theory (teachers have lower expectations of certain students), and the cultural difference theory (students from different cultures have different ways of learning), to explain the variety of performance levels in children of different backgrounds.

How can teachers embrace their multicultural classrooms? Thirty-seven percent of U.S. students currently view themselves as coming from multicultural backgrounds, and the percentage is increasing. By 2040, children of color will make up a majority of students. Schools are currently engaged in producing more inclusive curricula, which reflect the backgrounds of their student population. It is preferable for teachers to be “color aware,” rather than “color blind,” and teachers should encourage students to share and celebrate their diverse backgrounds and experiences by being inclusive and particularistic.

How religiously diverse are our students? Today, only 51 percent of U.S. students are Protestant. Groups such as Hindus, Jews, Muslims, and Buddhists make up around 5 percent of the population, though this percentage is growing rapidly. The separation of church and state in the educational sphere has grown more pronounced in recent years, and it is now against the law, for example, to have school prayers. However, it is important to encourage students to share about their religious experiences, and to celebrate all forms of religious experience.

How linguistically diverse are our students? In the early part of the 20^th century, laws were passed limiting the teaching of languages other than English. More recently, however, those laws were challenged. Students may now be taught in languages other than English, and transitional services are offered in many schools.

Does America promote linguistic and intellectual diversity in the classroom? The United States does not have an official language. About 80 percent of Americans speak English at home. Other families speak languages such as Spanish, Tagalog, Hmong, French, and Chinese. As a result, most schools now include language programs for non-English speakers. The Bilingual Education Act and similar legislation stipulate that ELLs must be provided with the tools to acquire English. Models vary, however, and include the immersion model, the transition model, and developmental bilingual education.

Is there anything else that we should add?

Click here to read all of the articles from this series.

Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education April 7, 2018

How Accreditation Tricks Potential Students

Potential students want the most bang for their buck when it comes to getting a college degree. Considering that the average bachelor’s degree can cost $100,000 or more, that’s a wise decision.

Finding the right university is about finding the right program as well as the right fit, and you want a degree that’s from a respected university. College accreditation can help to assure you that your school has merit and that your degree has value.

Reviewing a school’s accreditation status can help when choosing a university, but accreditation can trick potential students.

How accreditation works

A regional or national stamp of approval, known as accreditation, is an affirmation that the school’s educational program meets quality standards.

A university may seek accreditation for its overall academic program, but its doesn’t stop there. Colleges/schools and their departments/programs must also become accredited. For instance, a college/school of education worth its salt will seek CAEP accreditation, and its individual departments/programs will also seek accreditation via CAEP.

Ultimately, accreditation can assure potential students that the university and its colleges are respected institutions of higher learning.

The university is accredited; the program is not

Problems can arise when the school has been accredited, but specific colleges or programs within the university system have not been certified.

Students assume their chosen degree will be honored upon graduation, but there is no guarantee the diploma will be respected unless the program is also accredited. Be aware of disclaimers like “accreditation pending.” The accreditation may never come, leaving your engineering or law degree worth no more than the paper it was printed on.

National or regional accreditation?

For some potential students, the tricks don’t end there.

Regional accreditation assures that you are receiving a premium education, but the drawback is that your degree will cost more – if you meet the admission requirements.

Schools with national accreditation are often more affordable, and they are easier to gain admission into. The caveat here is that not all credits and degrees are transferable, nor do all corporate tuition programs provide reimbursement.

What benefits will accreditation provide?

By choosing an accredited school, potential students can reap several benefits. These include:

More opportunities to seek financial aid
Receiving an education of higher quality
Earning a degree that will be recognized by other institutions if you choose to pursue graduate-level work
Acceptance by industry professionals

The U.S. Department of Education (USDE) or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) are the two organizations who certify accrediting agencies.

Potential students who look carefully at university and individual accreditation are less likely to be tricked when selected their colleges.

Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education April 6, 2018

10 Ways to Encourage Kindness in Kids

While parents often think they are raising kind children, a glimpse at the adults around us proves this isn’t true. Sadly, kids are surrounded by adults who are cruel, mean, and selfish. Since children learn from what they see, parents must make every effort to encourage their children to be kind.

Many parents think they are teaching their children to be kind, but studies show this is not the case. According to a new study by Richard Weissbourd, a Harvard psychologist, “About 80 percent of the youth in the study said their parents were more concerned with their achievement or happiness than whether they cared for others.” It is common for parents to place more emphasis on success rather than kindness. Let’s look at some ways you can redirect your focus today.

Be a Kind Adult

First, you must be a kind adult yourself to raise kind kids. Children learn more from your example than from your words. Therefore, you must strive to be kind. Be kind to yourself, your family, and others. Your children will notice.

Speak Kind Words

When you are upset or frustrated, remember to watch your words. A gentle word in a difficult situation is a great way to show your children how to be kind. Simply using kind words when dealing with people rather than losing control or speaking harshly is a wonderful way to encourage kindness. Avoid negativity at all costs.

Compliment Freely and Regularly

Some adults feel uncomfortable giving and receiving compliments. If you are one of these adults, you need to change this habit today. Compliments are easy ways to be kind. Whether you are complimenting your children or the store clerk, a kind compliment goes a long way.

Have a Family Motto

As I mentioned earlier, consider what key lesson you are teaching your children. Are you teaching them that success in the classroom is more important than being kind? If so, take some time to reevaluate. For example, talk with your kids about what matters the most to you. Consider developing a family motto that you can recite. It can be something as easy as, “Be loving and kind.”

Practice Gratitude

Cultivate an attitude of gratitude by regularly practicing thankfulness. Teach your children to say, “Thank you” whenever someone does something for them. Grateful children are kind children.

Engage in Random Acts of Kindness

As a family, come up with a list of simple ways you can show kindness. Then, put these ideas into practice. Engage in random acts of kindness such as paying for the car behind you at the drive-thru, giving away bubbles at the park, or taking a plate of cookies to your neighbor.

Serve the Community

Make it a point to volunteer in your community. The practice of serving just for the sake of helping others is a fantastic way to encourage kindness in children. There are many opportunities to serve with children such as delivering meals or sorting clothing at a shelter.

Read Books About Kindness

Kids learn from examples. If you need some immediate examples of people who are kind, go to the library to find books with characters who are kind. For instance, Have You Filled a Bucket Today? A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids by Carol McCloud is a great resource.

Foster Empathy

Help your children to see the world beyond your door. When we encourage our children to consider the needs of those around them, it helps to foster empathy. These feelings will then lead to kind acts.

Catch Your Kids in the Act

One of the best ways to encourage kindness in children is to catch them in the act. Whenever you see your child being kind, praise him or her! Let your child know you saw what he/she did and how much it meant to you.

In a world filled with unkind people, you can encourage kindness in your kids. The changes the world needs, start in your home.

Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education April 4, 2018

Dear Governors, Here Is How You Can Help More Poor Students Attend College

If you’re looking to improve the quality of life for those living in your state, begin by helping more poor students attend college.

Here’s how:

Provide financial aid to those who need it the most

Scholarships, loans, and grants can help to make college more affordable for those who need it the most. Governors, make sure that these forms of aid are based on need or performance, but most importantly, help poor students understand that if they want to go to college, there is a way. Some of these opportunities include:

State grants
Teacher education assistance
Military service grants
Offsets for additional expenses

Students can’t apply for them if they don’t know they exist

Eliminate the limbo of remedial courses

Remedial classes are an expense poor students can’t afford. Three out of every five students enrolled at a community college are required to take at least one remedial course.

Classes designed to bring students up to par with university learning standards are built on good intentions, but in reality, are more detrimental than helpful. Remedial courses cannot be taken for college credit. As a result, they waste time and money that could be spent pursuing a college education.

If students could take their remedial classes outside the university system, the bridge between high school and college would be less costly and more effective.

Low income does not mean low cost or low prestige

Far too often, poor students set their sights low because they don’t want to incur more debt than necessary. While that’s a smart way to mitigate financial risk, students from low-income households are selling themselves short when selecting their colleges.

They may be surprised to know they qualify for more financial aid if they choose to attend universities with more prestige and higher tuitions. The return on investment can offset the initial expenses of their degrees.

Students need to know what their options are, and you Governor can assist with that by funding outreach programs that address the issue in high school.

Cutting money from education budgets mean eliminating opportunity

People get it. Times are tough, but reducing the amount of funding allocated for schools may resuscitate the bottom line, but it doesn’t help the average citizen get ahead. Improving one’s outlook is even harder for poor students, and cutting funding for higher education virtually eliminates a poor student’s prospects for going to college and creating a better life for himself or herself, much less the surrounding community.

Begin early

Preparation for college doesn’t commence in one’s junior or senior year. Even 9^th and 10^th grades are too late.

Helping disadvantaged students attend college begins in early childhood. Students from low-income backgrounds need high-quality early childhood education as a way to level the playing field and give them the start they need.

Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education March 30, 2018

Why Academics Should Stop Writing and Speaking in Jargon

Academics seem to write exclusively for themselves. Their writing includes selective phrases and other oddities that prevent them from being understood rather than increasing their communication effectiveness.

In short, academics are their own worst enemies.

The problem is that academics often tend to forget who their intended audience is. They use jargon that sets them apart and makes them appear unreachable. Instead of using pretentious words and phrases, they should stop writing and speaking in jargon and start using language everyone understands.

There are plenty of reasons why common language is better than jargon.

Jargon isolates

It’s as accurate in academia as it is in the workplace: jargon creates distance. An unusual word or phrase can get in the way of understanding what the real message is. Unclear communication, whether written or spoken, can make meaning inaccessible.

Jargon can also turn away potential students who don’t understand what their professors are talking about.

Who is your audience?

When academics write and speak for other academics, it makes perfect sense to write in jargon. The jargon of academia is not dissimilar to a mysterious code. It’s the secret handshake between distinguished scholars. Because that code is understood by both the sender and the receiver, it’s perfectly okay to speak and write in jargon that is exclusive to the field of study.

If you are not a part of that selective, group, however, jargon makes the message more difficult to understand.

“Edu-speak” is a disease

Letting edu-speak to take over academic communication is like allowing a disease to spread. You didn’t mean for it to happen, but once it took hold, it permeated everything.

As a result, academics speak in acronyms exclusive to their own fields. Buzzwords, clichés, and empty phrases fill the gaps in thoughts and sentences when precise language can provide more meaning, especially for those outside the ivory tower of academia.

Practical tips to improve writing clarity

Ponderous language bogs down understanding. In his rant about James Fenimore Cooper’s Deerslayer, Mark Twain offered a panoply of advice for improving one’s writing, including:

Say what he is proposing to say, not merely come near it.
Use the right word, not its second cousin.
Eschew surplusage.

It would seem that the same advice holds true today for academics seeking to communicate.

Ordinary and more colloquial language has its benefits

According to George Orwell’s “Politics and the English Language,” clear writing comes from clear thinking. If academics wrote and spoke less in jargon, perhaps their thinking would come across as more clear. It’s certain they would reach a wider audience.

Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education March 26, 2018

2018 Top Teacher Education Programs in the U.S.

Nearly two thousand universities and colleges in the United States offer teacher preparation programs.

It’s a good thing there are plenty of options for teacher training because there likely will be a continued teacher shortage – enrollment in teacher preparation programs has dropped 35%.

The areas of math and special education especially need top talent in the classroom, but highly skilled teachers are always welcome in every subject.

With so many choices, where does a future teacher go for the best teacher prep in America?

Texas A& M University

This university in College Station, Texas, offers outstanding teacher training in fields like bilingual education and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). All teacher candidates learn impressive leadership skills at this school. The elementary education teacher preparation program has consistently been one of the top teacher training programs in the U.S.

University of West Alabama

Achieve your career goals with an online education degree designed for your budget and your schedule at the University of West Alabama. You’ll develop the skills and knowledge needed for advancement inside or outside the classroom, in a convenient online format from one of Alabama’s oldest and most prestigious universities.

Fort Hays State University

Consistently in the top three of secondary education teacher programs, Fort Hays State gives students the hands-on experience they need to be immediately successful their classrooms. Without practical application, theory is useless, so these professors make sure students get plenty of both at Fort Hays State.

The school is making an educational impact. It’s also one of the fastest growing universities in Kansas.

Brown University

One of the top private Ivy League, teacher preparation programs, exists at Brown University in Rhode Island. Faculty members focus on teaching, and as a result, students report being highly satisfied with their degrees. Brown offers multiple pathways in their teacher training program; the flexibility assures that candidates are on the right track for training and certification.

Exceptional teacher candidates may be invited to apply for the Rhode Island Teaching Fellows Program. This fast-track program accelerates instruction to get teacher candidates into the classrooms where they are needed the most.

Also, the value of a degree from Brown University may be hard to pass up. The tuition is considered highly affordable for the quality of instruction and the likely return on investment.

Vanderbilt University

You can also head to Nashville, Tennessee, to enroll at Vanderbilt University. Here, the Peabody College of Education and Humanities requires faculty and teaching assistants to research and practice their instructional skills, and undergraduates students benefit from the heightened focus on everything instruction.

Vanderbilt has been instrumental in identifying the skills of highly successful teachers and aligning them with national learning standards; teachers graduating from this program will likely be some of the best educators in our schools.

Top teacher preparation programs in the U.S. are paving the way for improved teaching and learning. You can be a part of it by choosing one of these schools.

Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education March 19, 2018

Why Is Financial Aid So Complicated?

The process of applying for financial requires tax returns, an internet connection, and an intimate knowledge of the federal government and FAFSA that no one but the policy wonks who designed it seem to have. And the government keeps it that way so it doesn’t have to tackle bigger issues like the economic and social problems that prevent Americans from reaching higher education.

In case you haven’t filled out a FAFSA form recently, the paper allocation includes over 100 questions and dozens of pages of directions. If you’re filling it out online, the system uses responses to automatically determine what questions you need to answer. But you’re also dealing with a website that is far from user-friendly, uses ‘you’ and ‘your’ to refer to parents and students interchangeably, and even logging on can be a pain because of the confusing terminology.

More importantly, filling out FAFSA doesn’t tell you what you qualify for until you’ve chosen a school, leaving you in the dark even after all that work, and the vast majority of the questions contribute nothing to how aid is targeted.

The government is aware of the unnecessary complexities of the FAFSA application. In fact, Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee introduced a new act in 2015 that would make it easier for students to apply for aid through the Financial Aid Simplification and Transparency Act (FAST Act).

The act would have cut red tape and required only two questions to make aid easier to apply for and the outcomes more predictable. Unfortunately, the bill never went to a vote.

Why Keep the System Complicated?

Students are encouraged to apply for FAFSA as soon as possible to maximize the amount they receive because there’s more money to give away earlier in the application season. Being at the front of the line prevents students from reaching the counter and finding the bank has run out of money.

This is the key to understanding why FAFSA is so complicated.

There’s only so much money to be given away, and if everyone has the time, patience, and general capability of applying for financial aid, it will run out sooner. Indeed, research has shown that those most affected by the complexities of FAFSA are students with fewer resources – those who would also qualify for greater amounts of aid based on their family income.

More students applying for and being eligible for more money would put even more pressure on the resources the government is willing to make available for higher education. That would force it to tackle issues like poverty and growing income inequality, and those problems require more than cutting the number of questions on an application.

FAFSA applications are hard – and everyone, including the government, knows it. Unfortunately, college and college access are unlikely to get any easier anytime soon.

Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education March 17, 2018

3 Signs Your College Is on the Path to Closing

Back in July 2014, Corinthian Colleges agreed to close or sell nearly all its campuses. The move left 72,000 students wondering what next.

While Corinthian Colleges Inc. was a special case, and its closure related to fraud, more and more colleges and universities are struggling to operate on ever-shrinking budgets.

Losing your spot in school because it’s closed presents enormous challenges for students: financial aid becomes even more complicated, transferring credits is difficult, and students may be stuck in limbo in mid-semester without time to transfer or apply to a new school before the start of the next term.

Being pro-active is the best solution in the event your school closes. And there are ways to predict whether your school is in trouble.

The Department of Education Gives It a Poor Financial Rating

The U.S. Department of Education measures the financial strength of American institutions in what is called the financial responsibility composite score.

The score is on a scale of 1.0 to 3.0 where 3.0 is positive. If your school is ranked 1.5 or higher, the school is financially responsible, which means it doesn’t carry too much debt or misspend its money.

If your school is ranked under 1.0, then it is considered to be financially irresponsible.

The School Is About to Merge

According to a report by the Boston Globe, college mergers that were unthinkable 100 years ago are becoming more and more common as small schools with small budgets struggle to stay afloat.

While elite level institutions or those sitting on valuable urban real estate are considered to be well-positioned to weather the storm, less-elite schools might suffer.

A merger isn’t a sign that your school will close; some mergers benefit students at both schools. However, not all mergers go through, and the failure of a merger can lead to collapse.

The Administration Is Acting Irresponsibly

When Burlington College closed at the end of the school year in 2016, it was the result of the financial difficulties, including debt and the loss of the school’s line of credit, and poor decision-making by the college administration that led to threats to its accreditation and to closing.

Look at what your college president and administration is aiming to do in the next few years; are critics questioning its feasibility? If so, your college may be starting down the path to closure.

As colleges try to deal with a greater number of financial issues and competitiveness, there will likely be more closures in the future. Surviving them may, unfortunately, involve getting out ahead of them. Were you a student at an institution that closed? Share your stories below.

Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education March 9, 2018

How to Rate a University’s Value Proposition

Universities are no different than any other service trying to market itself. Higher education continuously seeks to market their degrees by showing the benefit of earning them with that particular school.

Colleges have found them in a position where they have to develop positive student perceptions in spite of rising costs in obtaining a degree. Students want to earn degrees from schools that offer respected diplomas. These three strategies show how to rate a university’s value proposition.

How well does the school’s marketing funnel work?

Good marketing strategy is based on using a funnel to attract potential consumers and convert them to clients.

Universities begin by casting a wide net for interested students. These students become applicants, and from there, the school can measure their progress toward creating conversions by the number of applications completed, how many students were accepted, and the number who decided to matriculate.

Retention rates

Staying in school can be harder than getting accepted, making freshman-to-sophomore retention rate an integral part of a school’s value proposition. It’s critical to find out why students are leaving higher education before their sophomore year.

Freshman who perceive that their freshman courses have little value will likely leave the institution and enroll in a different school or leave higher education altogether.

Return on investment

After spending four to six years earning a bachelor’s degree, students want to know the return on their investment (ROI). They want to get the best bang for the buck, and with good reason since tuition costs are continuously rising.

One of the most common ways to determine ROI is to compare the cost of tuition against median earning power for university graduates.

More than facts

Creating a value proposition should be about data, and universities generate plenty of big data they can use in analyzing their marketing success. Facts, however, do not always support student and community perception.

Colleges with the best value proposition are also the ones who can best meet their students’ needs. For some enrollees, that means financial aid. For other students, the value proposition may come in the form of personalized learning experiences or bespoke degree plans that will set them apart from other graduates.

Ultimately, students want a degree from a respected university; often the value of that degree is deeply personal.

Attention to building the right value proposition can help universities meet those goals for the degree candidates.