Best Practices for Attracting Graduate Students (Based on UF-MSE Model) Reza Abbaschian

Publicize Identify Time Convince Host Recruit Graduate students like athletes

Source: ASEE Engineering Statistics 2001

- Promote the quality and diversity of your graduate program and its faculty, students, research, funding, and industry partners –Media mix of newspapers, magazine, newsletters, and the web –Program-specific grad brochures, posters, and cards –Investing in web design and database freelancer –Marketing through ambassadors: students, faculty, and alumni at other schools and national conferences (Crucial for diversification) –Electronic/paper marketing materials to ambassadors; including power point presentations and promotional items (tee shirts, tote bags, pens, etc.) –Hosting tours for students, teachers, counselors, parents, and employers Publicize

– Follow up and contact all referrals from public relations campaign –Subscribe to GRE Search Service –Secure fellowship consortium lists (National Name Exchange, GEM, NACME/Sloan, etc.) –Database applicants’ info including competing offers and each contact with student –Disseminate summary of applicants to faculty on scheduled basis from January – April –Scan files of all targeted recruits to give faculty electronic access Identify

- Recruit as if every day is National Signing Day –Define quality, quantity and mix at the beginning of recruiting class so applicants may be tiered (blue chip, red chip, needs) –Recruiting budget for marketing, recruiting weekend, travel, assistantships/fellowships –Respond to your mail within time parameters –Resolve application issues quickly –Streamline evaluation process so that targeted applicants are admitted in one day to one week time frame –Extend your admission and financial offer by /fed ex as soon as possible Time

– Assign each applicant a recruiting liaison; personalize all contact –Communicate with targeted applicants through continuous s and phone calls –Seek permission to contact the applicant on weekends; cell phone numbers of Academic Services Office staff given to recruits for after hours/weekends –Expedite contact between individual faculty and applicants via hardcopy files and contact windows –Arrange itineraries (book and pay airfare/hotel room) for top applicants Convince

– Keep your recruiting promises –Coordinate across the college to maximize exposure of college resources/personnel –Emphasize additional opportunities with research presentations form large cross section of faculty –Invite entire faculty to a departmental luncheon honoring all external and internal recruits –Utilize graduate students as ambassadors for campus, department and city life –Conduct exit interviews with each recruit to receive feedback on visit and financial offer –Encourage early acceptance of financial offers with incentives and without pressure –Assist recruits who commit with housing search –Provide customer service at the level of the recruiting experience after the student enrolls Host

Additional resources