ERIC Number: EJ1091918
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1066-8926
EISSN: N/A
Community Colleges Maintain Modest Response Rates to Prospective Student Inquiry
Shadinger, David; Sherry, Kristin M.; Smith, Hollie L.; Clark, Emilie C.
Community College Journal of Research and Practice, v40 n5 p385-393 2016
None of the community colleges in this study responded with a text message, as requested in the prospective student's inquiry. Only 1.38% (n = 3) of the institutions responded to the inquiry with a telephone call. This research realized a slightly higher rate of e-mail response within five working days; 54.98% (n = 116) as opposed to the 2009 results of 50.5% (n = 110) in Shadinger's (2014) study. More community colleges (n = 12, 5.5%) also had e-mail addresses or information request forms (n = 182, 83.5%) than in the original study (n = 170, 78.0%). Nearly 100% of community college websites had social media links, even when an e-mail address or information request form was not available. In an expansion of previous statements about communication, Noel-Levitz (2014a) reported prospective students were "more likely to consider schools that use e-mail, text messages or social media to communicate" (p. 4). Concurrently, the underutilization of e-mail, social media, and cell phones will simply exacerbate communication and recruiting issues for community colleges.
Descriptors: Community Colleges, Higher Education, Technological Advancement, Inquiry, Technology Integration, Social Media, College Bound Students, Web Sites, Electronic Mail, Handheld Devices, Written Language, Telecommunications, Student Recruitment, Responses, Statistical Analysis
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Two Year Colleges; Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Secondary Education; High Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A