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Authenticity, Interactivity and Integration Are Hallmarks of Effective Social Media Outreach to Bolster Business School Recruiting Efforts, Says Veritas Prep
Veritas Prep White Paper Identifies Trends and Best Practices for Leveraging Social Media to Connect and Engage With MBA Applicants
| Source: Veritas Prep
MALIBU, CA--(Marketwire - December 11, 2009) - The proliferation of the Internet and the
subsequent emergence of social media platforms have significantly altered
the MBA admissions landscape, most notably the ways in which business
schools connect and engage with applicants. Veritas Prep, a leading GMAT prep and MBA admissions consulting firm,
today released
"Social Media in the MBA Admissions Process," a white paper compiling
best practices of MBA programs that have effectively leveraged social media
tools to bolster the admissions process, examples of those principles in
action and insights from admissions directors at leading business schools
regarding their admissions-centric social media outreach.
The white paper, now available for download at
http://www.veritasprep.com/whitepapers/VP_Social_Media_Audit.pdf, is based
on the findings of the "Audit of Social Media in MBA Admissions," a
comprehensive evaluation of social media outreach among the top 50 business schools
nationwide, according to bi-annual rankings compiled by BusinessWeek. The
research found that despite business schools' heightened use of social
media in general, a significantly smaller subset of MBA programs leverage
homegrown and third-party platforms to bolster recruiting efforts and
communicate meaningful information to applicants. Among those schools
recognizing the benefit of leveraging social media in the MBA admissions
process, a series of best practices emerged for effectively using social
media tools to connect with a wider pool of increasingly tech-savvy
applicants, including:
Communicate from an authentic voice. Consistent with applicants' desire to
"get the real scoop" in MBA admissions, business schools' tactics tend to
be more successful when they use a credible, authentic voice as opposed to
"brochure speak" or overly polished language. Soojin Kwon Koh, Director of
Admissions at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business, has
found that the more applicants learn about the school from sources other
than the traditional glossy prospecting brochure, including sentiments from
admissions personnel and current students via social media, the more
interested they become in the program.
Implement a push/pull communication philosophy. To capitalize on the wide
variety of engagement opportunities afforded by social media tools, schools
benefit most from a push/pull communication philosophy that offers a
balance between distributing meaningful information to applicants and
encouraging an interactive dialogue. Rose Martinelli, Associate Dean of
Student Recruitment and Admissions at the University of Chicago's Booth
School of Business, recommends pushing messages out through platforms like
Facebook, Twitter and blogs, and using calls to action to pull applicants
back into the MBA program's greater website to engage with admissions
personnel via chats, blog comments and other tools.
Think integrated. An effective social media strategy is deliberate and
integrated, combining homegrown and third-party tools that work together
with traditional prospecting tools including print brochures, websites and
in-person events. Peter Johnson, Director of Admissions at UC Berkeley's
Haas School of Business, encourages heightened collaboration with business
schools' marketing departments to establish a meaningful presence on select
social media platforms and help maintain the integrity of recruiting
messages online and in print.
"Despite observed challenges such as staffing and accurately tracking
results, our research confirms that emerging social media platforms offer
significant advantages to both MBA applicants and the business schools
themselves," explains Scott Shrum, Director of MBA Admissions Research at
Veritas Prep and co-author of "Your MBA Game Plan." "Applicants benefit
from real-time access to non-promotional, uncensored communication from
authentic, credible sources, while MBA programs are able to directly
communicate with the applicants whom they are trying to attract.
Additionally, the results of the audit reveal that there is still plenty of
room for a business school to take the lead in social media, possibly
leapfrogging the competition in terms of attracting high-potential
applicants."
For more information on the emerging social media trends in the MBA
admissions process or to download the complimentary white paper in its
entirety, visit
http://www.veritasprep.com/whitepapers/VP_Social_Media_Audit.pdf.
About Veritas Prep
Veritas Prep is the world's fastest-growing test preparation and admissions
consulting provider, offering industry-leading programs to help applicants
improve their test scores and gain admission to the world's best graduate
schools. Founded in 2002 by graduates of the Yale School of Management,
Veritas Prep now offers live GMAT prep instruction in more
than 80 cities worldwide, as well as interactive online courses available
everywhere. Additionally, Veritas Prep offers industry-leading admissions
consulting services for applicants seeking admission to the most
competitive business schools, law schools, and medical schools in the
world.