Fun fact: there’s a 12-year age gap between me and my sister. To say there’s a huge difference in how we’ve been raised is an understatement. Parenting styles are different, entertainment is different, and technology is definitely different. Not to mention that we are in vastly different chapters in our lives. She’s a junior in high school starting to look at colleges, and I’m starting my career.

As I talk to her about colleges and the college experience and being away from home, there’s no denying the college experience is vastly different for Gen Z than it was for Millennials like me. Especially when it comes to how colleges communicate with prospective students. While I looked at pictures of campuses and dorms from my laptop and filled out requests for brochures online, which were mailed to my house, she can virtually tour any campus in the world with a real person (in real-time) from her phone.

If my sister had to go to the lengths I did to learn more about colleges, I think she would end up randomly picking one. It’s not that she’s lazy. She just has different preferences and expectations for her communications.

Everything About Communication Has Changed

Higher education institutions need to take note of these changes and learn the best ways to reach their students. For example, Gen Z’s mantra is instant gratification. They want things ASAP without having to wait. Take a second to think about these Gen Z facts.

• They want answers and solutions immediately. My sister would never send an email if she had the choice.
• They prefer texting because it gets their attention — and their responses — in real-time. Why would they call someone if they can get the same result with a text?
• They’re the kings and queens of live streaming (hello, TikTok). If they can get a real-time video of something, it’ll grab their attention in an instant.

Do any of these facts make you think traditional communication in higher education will entice Gen Z? Me neither.

Learning what students expect and prefer when it comes to communication in higher education is crucial for colleges looking to engage with students. The key to reaching this new generation of students is real-time communication. Let’s dive into what this looks like.

Business Texting Improves Communication in Higher Education

Pretty much anyone who isn’t Gen Z lives in their inbox (I know I do!). So, it’s hard to imagine more than half (54%) of students surveyed by EAB skip emails from their university or academic departments. In addition, 39% said they usually don’t open emails from their advisers. *Gasp* College me would never dream of ignoring emails. Especially when they have important information and reminders you need as a student.

This begs the question: how can colleges reach their students more effectively?

Business texting is a great place to start. Don’t be intimidated by the name — business texting just means sending a text from your business number. It’s nothing fancy but it’s a great way to reach students.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but students are always on their phones (even during class). Unlike email, texting provides the real-time, personalized attention students need. And you’re more likely to actually get a response.

Business Texting for Institutions

With a business texting solution (like Bubble from Broadvoice) your administrative team can:

• Broadcast texts, which replace bulk emails
• Text directly with students, which saves time
• Automatically route texts to the right person or department
• Integrate with a business phone system to keep communication channels unified and cohesive

Business Texting for Individuals

Texting with students isn’t limited to your admin team. Faculty and staff can use texting to improve their interactions with students. A business communications solution like Broadvoice b-hive lets employees:

• Engage in one-on-one or small-group conversations using their business number instead of their personal number
• Receive external texts on their desktop or mobile app so they never miss a message
• Centralize all communications on one platform instead of using various accounts

Visual Communication in Higher Education Bridges Gaps with Students

Gen Z is the social media generation. That means they’re familiar with all kinds of visual communications, especially real-time streaming videos like those on YouTube Live, Instagram Live, and TikTok. While being on camera is second nature for Gen Z, the same can’t be said for older generations.

In fact, many Boomers and Gen Xers got a crash course in video conferencing because of the pandemic. As lockdowns forced employees to work from home, many turned on their webcams and cameras for the first time to collaborate, talk, and bond with their coworkers.

Whether we like it or not, real-time video is the next best thing to being there. Here are some ways colleges can take advantage of visual communications.

Distance Learning

Video conferencing enables better online learning, which means students can attend class wherever they are as long as they have an internet connection. Visual communication takes remote learning to the next level, allowing things like:

• Real-time lectures and presentations from professors (not just assigned reading and independent study)
• Real-time interactions with the instructor, including the opportunity to ask questions and get answers
• Live discussions and debates among students
• Virtual study groups
• Video and web collaboration for group projects
• Guest lectures from subject experts around the world
• Video recording for absent students or students trying to study and take notes

Video Conferencing

Outside the virtual classroom, video conferencing plays a role in improving communications with students. Here are a few examples.

• Teachers can use video conferencing to meet with individual students or small groups
• Teachers can use external screen sharing to enhance virtual lectures or meetings
• Video call recording provides a record for notation and historical purposes if there is a question or dispute about a student interaction

The Teacher Becomes the Student

Colleges and universities may set the curriculum, but they have a lot to learn from their students. Understanding how students prefer to communicate and interact is crucial to successful communication in higher education. By focusing on real-time communications that prioritize text and video, colleges can increase the effectiveness of staff-student interactions and improve the overall campus experience.

Ready to improve your student and faculty interactions? Contact us to learn more about the b-hive all-in-one communications platform.