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Why Student Outcomes Matter in School Storytelling

The effectiveness of higher education is in question, and higher education needs to answer that question.

With student debt crippling Millennials far into their fledgling careers, higher education needs to prove the ROI of the college experience … because the ROI is usually there.

As NPR reported earlier this year, “Going to college may cost you, but so will skipping it.” In the article, reporter Jennifer Ludden demonstrates that although college graduates are burdened with debt, they still make more than their peers with no college education – and they overwhelmingly say that the college experience was worth the cost.

So how can higher education institutions bring these realities to life?

One way to do so is through branded storytelling.

Many higher education institutions glaze over student outcomes as if they are a given, and instead focus on highlighting the college experience. By increasing the importance and prominence of student outcomes in branded content, higher education institutions will not only showcase the college experience, but also the results of that college experience.

Here are a few ways to make student outcomes meaningful:

  • Focus on telling creative, compelling stories that demonstrate relatable graduate success stories. Highlight alumni successes in specific professions, and outline the paths they took to succeed.

 

  • Make it easy for alumni to stay connected with the university by asking for input on a regular basis. For example, create a hashtag that prompts alumni to share their professional wins on social media. Applaud their successes – share, retweet and pin their personal achievements, and you’ll create a social hub of student success.

 

  • Give statistics meaning. Look at the professions in which you have the most success, and highlight those results in easy-to-digest content packages using infographics or videos.

 

  • Identify areas of question or concern and address those issues directly through honest and transparent content – even if the answers are not necessarily in your favor. Help students make the right decisions for their future career paths, and you’ll be seen as a student ally.

By addressing the questions regarding student results directly, with relevant statistics and compelling alumni stories, higher education institutions can begin to honestly and thoughtfully demonstrate their ROI.

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