Studying for a degree now costs more than it ever has in the past. We’ve come a long way since the 70’s, where you could get a year of tuition for under $500, in some cases. Modern students want to make sure they’re spending their money wisely. Here’s how you can make them feel their degrees are worth what they’re paying.
Integrate career readiness into their degree
For recent graduates, the current unemployment rate is 7.5%. That’s worrying for students, as they want to be sure they’ll be able to get a job after graduation. Teachers feel that their job isn’t about professional training, but some needs to be implemented in every course.
You can do this by implementing professional training, such as communication and interview practice, through the course. You can also build in internships and job experience. These will give students a good footing to find the role they want after graduation.
Offer student coaching
Many students now are facing real issues as they try to study. They may be from a low-income background or have children to raise as they’re working towards their degree. It’s no wonder, then, that many of them find college challenging.
You can offer one to one coaching, in order to help them with all aspects of student life. A Stanford study showed that such coaching improved retention rates by up to 15%. If you can help your students with non-academic issues as well as the academic ones, they’ll see the value in staying on.
Look at how you communicate with students
The way people communicate is changing all the time, but not all universities and colleges are keeping up with this. It can make an institution look outdated and out of touch if they don’t. Look into the best way of communicating with your students. Would it be better if you could send them text messages, emails, or messages on social media?
The best way of doing this would be to get students themselves involved. Ask what would be easier for them. It could be a good idea to create focus groups and research how they want to communicate with the school.
Help students understand their degree isn’t all about money
With costs rising, it’s easy to forget that students aren’t at college just to ensure they’ll get a job. No matter what they study, they should be able to engage with the whole student experience. It has been seen that most traditional-aged students leave as they don’t feel that connection.
Make sure you’re offering a well-rounded experience that every student can benefit from. If they understand that their degree will help them learn more efficiently and create lasting friendships and contacts, they’ll see the worth in it.
Try putting these points into practice, and make sure you involve your students. They’ll soon see the worth in continuing their studies with you, no matter the cost.