In an age when 4-year-old children are surfing the Web, it's only natural that many institutions are taking advantage of the increasingly popular use of the Internet.
Universities are now utilizing this powerful tool and are replacing books, pamphlets, and other traditional college recruiting materials with interactive Web sites aimed at enticing prospective students en masse.
Like most universities, Boston College devotes an area of its main site to providing information to prospective students, which neatly lays out the logistics of applying.
"Prospective students want to know three things; what the admission requirements are, the specific majors and programs of study offered, and what we call 'quick facts' about the school," said John Mahoney, director of undergraduate admission at BC.
The important information required on college sites has been figured to a science. BC is part of a research collaborative that has studied the different types of marketing tools used to portray schools.
"The research that we've looked at reinforces that while [prospective students] are interested in virtual tours, we don't find that they spend lots of time at Web sites. They usually come to a site with specific questions in mind, and then move on to other colleges' Web sites," Mahoney said.
Students echoed the importance of simplicity in a Web site.
"I feel like it's hard to find anything on the computer. Emory's Web site was impossible; due dates should be right up front," said Kristin Demafeliz, A&S '11.
"The Web sites were really the only way I searched for schools," said Sarah Oneri, A&S '11. "I'm from South Carolina, so I couldn't come to BC directly."
While BC maintains a fairly simple and direct approach, other schools have extensive visual and interactive features on their Web sites. The prospective student homepage on Notre Dame's Web site, for example, features a short documentary that follows a day in the life of a female anthropology major, complete with panning images of the school and changing background music. College Web sites often serve as means of comparison in the last-minute decisions students face.
"If other schools are using advanced technology, BC needs to step up," Oneri said. "I know Harvard has an interactive tour. If Harvard has this, BC needs this."
This kind of Internet recruiting has had several effects on the applicant pool of competitive universities throughout the country. There has been a huge increase in what Mahoney calls "stealth" applicants, students whose first contact with the university comes through their Web-based application. Until this point, admissions offices were familiar with applicants on a personal level before they applied.
Prior to the era of the Internet, a necessary dialogue existed between students and the admissions offices at colleges and universities. Traditionally, students requested information directly from the school, and high school counselors engaged in regular contact with admissions offices regarding the student. Before the application was ever received, offices had student information already on file.
"These 'stealth' applicants are people's response to being bombarded by literature and marketing pitches," Mahoney said. "That blizzard of info became overwhelming, and people don't want that."
The easy accessibility of important information works to the student's advantage, as one can customize the college search for only that information which pertains to the student's interests.
If students and parents want more comprehensive information about BC, that is available on the Website as well.
"Five years ago, hardly anyone looked at the BC Web site, and many of the department Web sites were not in great shape," said Bonnie Jefferson, director of undergraduate studies and communications professor. "Now, the department wants kids to look at the site. One huge plus is the level of detail that can be found on the sites. I just did an Eagle Admission session for students and parents. What I gave them was overview, overview, overview, and at the end I talked to them about the Web site, especially the A to Z index."
College Web sites can offer unique insights into universities which were previously unavailable. Prospective students may tap into BC resources before even applying, including access to live-Webcam videos of the University and the Boston skyline.
"There is so much more information about the college on the main site," said Miles Benson, Web developer at BC. "We put stories up so people can see the kinds of things [that] are happening at BC."
Although all of these features are available to the public, they generally are not the primary focus of prospective students.
"Front Row is updated every week, and lists the lectures, events, and people that are coming to the school," Bensen said. "At this point, though, it is primarily utilized by alumnae."
Although students may not choose to utilize all of the features offered on university Web sites, these sites do encourage students to take initiative in their college searches while connecting them with their future universities better and more easily than ever before.
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