Original Post Week 1

I work part-time at the Admissions office here at Clark. We give campus tours and organize information sessions for prospective students as well as having one-on-one conversations with them. The other day, one of our admissions counselors proposed the implementation of conversations between prospective students and Clark students currently studying abroad via Skype. He argued that such a system would allow prospective students to see the many opportunities Clark provides.

This made me wonder how the increasing usage of social media in college marketing will affect the experience of prospective students and what impact it will ultimately have on their decision. Clark is currently in the process of building a new Admissions office that will include several flat screen televisions, interactive computer screens, and other equipment that will provide families with information and reduce the need for a large staff. There are also plans to set up live-feeds of information sessions on the screens if groups get too large to all attend.

I’m quite unhappy with many of the new proposed plans. Although these proposed changes are simply reflective of the advantages social media technology offers, it is becoming more apparent to me that our interactions with others are becoming seriously limited as a result. There is plenty of existing research that shows how our virtual interactions are becoming much more significant than time actually spent with others. Participants of Second Life certainly demonstrate a desire to live in cyber reality.

It would be naïve to assume that technological advances would not change the college search process. It was only a few decades ago when the only marketing tool colleges had were pamphlets and alumni. Now colleges have Twitter accounts that inform prospective students of application deadlines. They have Facebook pages that current students can become fans of and answer any questions. Clark has a live webcam of Red Square available on their website. Many of these advancements benefit prospective students who are able to learn so much about colleges without even visiting campus.

But I would argue that being able to speak with current students instead of “Skype-ing” with a counselor and walking around campus as opposed to taking a virtual tour create a much different and more significant experience for prospective students. It is always important to do everything in moderation and it appears as though the advancement of social media makes us underestimate the importance of personal connections. I fear that marketing sometimes goes too far in utilizing social media strategies and such heavy reliance of technology could have negative effects. Especially concerning something as important as picking a college, one’s feeling about the campus, its students, and general tone of the college are integral in making the right decision. Therefore elimination of such opportunities would result in many unhappy students.