PS&L Blog

The issue of value vs. cost is a stand out memory of the training I had when I was a High School Recruiter and then later on when I trained staff as an Admissions Director.

The explanation of my school’s tuition price and the ways to afford it were scripted. We memorized and rehearsed how to talk about the numbers and payment solutions and how to tie it back to the value of the education. Through conversations with faculty and alumni we stayed current on the stories about our value and how exceptional the school was. Parents often complimented my staff and me for being direct, honest and well informed.

In my role as a consultant, I’ve noticed that how colleges communicate value vs. cost varies greatly from one school to another.

The most obvious missteps I’ve observed are :

o Staff cannot articulate the mission statement or the essence of the school’s value proposition.
o Graduate statistics and success stories are elusive, both of which are key selling points for a college’s value
o Staff inherently feels that tuition is expensive and overpriced and apologies are made when stating the tuition cost.
o Ignorance about the costs, expenses, payment plans and policies because it is someone else’s job.
o Passing the buck by saying “Go to our website to find the tuition costs.”
o Tuition information on the school website is hard to locate and buried beneath many clicks or on multiple pages.
o Inconsistent information with what is said by staff and what is in print

When knowledge of value and cost is sketchy, convincing someone of value vs. cost is impossible.

3 Good things to know:

1. Value and cost are on the buyer’s mind so the issues must be anticipated and the responses must be prepared.
2. Tuition cost expressed in dollars is fact – yet the explanation of the value is described with emotional words and body language.
3. Avoiding the topic of cost is perceived as dishonest and negative.

The significance of value vs. cost is prevalent when the economy is bad and when the press continues to talk about the rising student loan debt. It’s an elephant in the
room and it won’t go away, so be proactive.

Focus on value when recruiting new students. Everyone on the front lines (as well as the language on your college website) must employ a consistent message about the school’s value. Everyone must be able to accurately describe the cost of tuition and the information must be easy to find on your website.

This is easier said than done. You might want to consider some higher education professional staff development for your recruiters, so you can develop your message and your staff can hone its skills. Also, since prospects refer to your website, you might want to consider an objective assessment of your college website and analyze the content from your audiences’ viewpoint.