Prospective Students

Audience

The universe of potential enrollees who would thrive and contribute at Mason and their families, includes undergraduate and graduate, full and part time, in-state and out-of-state, those of traditional college age and those who are not.

 

The Strategic Goal: inspire more of these prospects to make Mason their school of choice

 

Our Communications Goals

  • Spark interest, getting students to add Mason to their list to check out.
  • Motivate web visits and campus visits.
  • Support informed enrollment decisions with details on programs, opportunities, and life as a Mason student.

Messages

All Mason’s Key Messages apply to this audience. In particular, we should stress strengths: Academic Quality, Our Location, and the Mason Nation.

Specific points to highlight

  • Internships
  • Career support and results
  • Affordability
  • Student life opportunities
  • Mason athletics
  • Program-specific strengths (particularly for graduate students)

Notes

In our communications to prospective students, we should speak directly to prospective students, using the second-person whenever possible. We should also work to translate everything that’s great about Mason into student terms. This means explaining how a strength such as innovation will make their experience better—how they will have the chance to be innovative. We shouldn’t just say what Mason offers; we should tell prospective students what they could accomplish and experience here.

We should help future students picture themselves at Mason and as part of this community. Language such as this helps: “As a Mason student, you will have the opportunity to….”

Future undergraduates face college not only with excitement, but often with some apprehension. They want to be certain they will fit in, make friends, and handle the academic challenge. Our messages should be emphatically positive. We must also be aware that some great opportunities (undergraduate research, study abroad) may be a lot for some high schoolers to take in, and we should stress the support we provide.