For high school seniors deciding to attend a university, March is a turning point. The majority of colleges have closed their applications and sent out decision letters with financial aid packages.
With all the information in their hands, these inbound freshman must make a final choice.
Universities do not remain absent from this step. After advertising year-around for students to apply to their institutions, they continue to lobby potential students to seal the deal.
The UA is no different.
According to Kasey Urquidez, vice president for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs Advancement and dean of Undergraduate Admissions, the UA has a staff of regional recruiters stationed in California, Colorado, Illinois, New York and New Jersey, as well as locally in Tucson and Phoenix.
“We have team members meeting with students and parents at schools and events constantly through the year, in addition to the countless mailings, emails and phone calls,” Urquidez said.
In Pima County, the university begins talking with students in junior high school and continues outreach efforts into high school.
“We also continue to recruit students post-admission,” Urquidez continued in an email.
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The UA encourages students to tour campus to gain insight into the academic programs and social opportunities on campus to determine if the UA is a good fit for them.
The university is active on social media recruiting students, and once a student has been accepted, the university reaches out to parents, hosts events nation-wide and calls admitted students to help them develop a plan to attend.
According to Urquidez, the marketing budget varies year to year but the money is well spent.
“We spend funds to do mailings, website updates, photos, surveys and more to share with prospective and admitted students,” Urquidez said. “We know the power of print mail is so important to keep doing, even in this technological age.”
The UA is exploring the opportunity to market more online.
“As a state university, we will always focus on our Arizona students,” Urquidez said.
When the UA markets to out-of-state students, it focuses on the unique aspects the UA offers for each region of the country.
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The Dean of Admissions office is not only responsible for encouraging students to apply and enroll but also for helping them obtain a degree.
Retention teams, under the Student Affairs and Enrollment Management and Academic Initiatives and Student Success offices, partner closely to ensure student success.
As part of a strategic initiative, the UA plans to boost applications and admissions of freshman and transfer students. They also have a plan laid out to boost retention of all types of students into 2025.
Urquidez and the UA’s marketing team use data from the Survey of Admitted Students, as well as national and state data sources, to shape new marketing material.
“The UA brand is our ‘A’ and stands alone to represent the full college experience—from world-renowned faculty, top-notch academics, DI sports programs and a college experience that will create lifelong memories and dedication to the institution,” Urquidez said.
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