UW Recognized Nationally for Student Recruitment Communication

“Very informative, professional, and it is very true to what the campus really is.”

“They understand their demographics and make sure everyone knows what it is like.”

These are comments from high school students recruited by the University of Wyoming recorded in a survey by Encoura, a national company that analyzes higher education. Based upon these comments and others, UW was recognized as one of four winners from across the nation for student recruitment communication -- alongside East Tennessee State University, Mississippi State University and the University of Chicago.

“The University of Wyoming stands out to students by knowing its audience and providing relevant information. It clearly articulates why students should be interested in the institution and establishes a strong connection between student interests and what it offers,” Encoura analysts wrote. “Over half of the students who appreciated the university’s outreach specifically remembered email communications.”

Email is one of several ways UW communicates with prospective students. Encoura quoted another student from its survey, who remembered a specific email from UW: “It actually talked about the academics and the school, unlike a lot of other college emails that don’t really specify why they’re ‘great’ and yet still talk about how they’re good.”

Encoura’s student sentiment research focuses on college search behaviors and institutional outreach perceptions of college-bound high school sophomores, juniors and seniors, providing detailed insights into exemplary college communicators through a series of questions:

-- Can you think of an institution whose outreach grabbed your attention and made you want to learn more?

-- Which school was that? How did they communicate with you?

-- And, lastly, what did you love about this communication? 

Of the 2,400 respondents in this year’s survey, 70 percent remembered such a school.

Encoura selected UW and the other three universities after considering not only the total frequency of mentions by students, but also how this compared to the schools’ typical applicant pool sizes. Additionally, schools were selected based on consistent student feedback about what aspects of the outreach impressed them.

UW student recruitment via email and other platforms is a collaborative effort led by the Office of Admissions and Institutional Marketing. Through email, social media, high school visits and various in-person gatherings, UW staff members highlight academic programs; showcase what it’s like to live on campus; communicate important dates and deadlines; and more.

“Students have an abundance of options in higher education, and communicating is not enough. The University of Wyoming understands that connecting, and communicating in clear and articulate terms helps students navigate those options while distinguishing UW from other institutions,” UW Vice Provost for Enrollment Management Kyle Moore says. “Higher education can be confusing enough -- our goal is to be clear, helpful and student focused. We want to quickly and easily get students the information they want, not just information we want them to have.”

For additional information or questions about UW enrollment, call Moore at (307) 766-4286 or email kyle.moore@uwyo.edu. Students interested in scheduling campus visits should call UW Admissions at 800-DIAL-WYO or go online at www.uwyo.edu/visit.