Earlier this week, I led a focus group of current students as part of our strategic discovery process for a community college client. After comparing notes on laptops (yay, macbook pros!), smartphones (boo, iPhones!), and browsing habits, we got to talking about their personal experience at the institution. The following themes emerged in that conversation:
- The primacy of personal. Many people I talked to said that their first introduction to the community college was not the website or print piece, but the recommendation of a friend or family member who attended the school … and loved it! Those testimonies sold students on enrolling even before their first visit to campus or their initial conversation with a counselor.
- The importance of educational efficacy. These students were particularly concerned about value, affordability, and a clear path to a job. They wanted smaller classes, a convenient location, and reasonable tuition. And they wanted to know that their credits would transfer to a four-year institution for their chosen field of study.
- The surprise of service and access. Students repeatedly commented about the ways in which the community college provided more resources than they had anticipated. They were particularly stunned and grateful for highly dedicated and approachable faculty members who cared about their personal success. As one student said, “They want you to be here, and they want you to get out of here.”
- The underestimation of activities. Students said that the community college offered a large number of student activities and provided multiple ways for people to get involved. More, in fact, than they ever expected.
- The weird factor. The running joke of our conversation was “it’s so weird!” how friendly everyone was — students, faculty, and staff alike. And how much of a community the college really was.
I hear this a lot, but it never gets old. In focusing on the transactionality of a site (apply, schedule an appointment, register), institutions sometimes fall short in revealing how deeply human an educational experience can and should be. It’s those stories, however, that community colleges should tell.
And speaking of those stories … When I asked those students about what they’d like to see on the new site, they said:
- More pictures. “Bright things. Shiny lights.”
- Pictures of events to show “that students actually do something instead of just taking classes and going home.”
- A more accurate search function.
- An easier way to update their college-sponsored web pages.
- A better calendar.
Uhm, that sounds eerily Groundhog Day. Can I get an amen?