Higher education is rapidly changing, and with it, student expectations for digital experiences. As more aspects of higher education shift online, it is critical for institutions to create personalized, seamless experiences. In fact, digital transformation is one of the main ways higher education can stay competitive now and in the future.
Higher education looking to create better digital experiences for their students will first need to address their data collection processes. If these workflows are manual or running on legacy systems, they will fall short of the demands of modern, technology-focused students. Effective experiences must start with collecting high-quality data and using it effectively.
5 Reasons Why Higher-Ed Institutions Need Quality Data
Quality data collection is key to improving the digital experiences of the entire student journey, from personalizing recruitment to streamlining admissions and enhancing student services. The better your data collection, the better your student experiences can be. Here’s how.
Personalization
Collecting high-quality data from a student from the moment they show interest in your school has a big impact on their experience. From the first touch to their on-campus life, quality data means you will be able to create a more personalized and engaging experience. The more specific and relevant the data you collect, the better. If you know the unique needs and preferences of an incoming or existing student, you’ll provide them with a better experience overall.
Real-World Example: Collecting data on a student’s academic or career interests via an online form enables you to recommend relevant courses, internship or career opportunities, and extracurricular activities based on goals and interests.
Efficiency
Quality data also has the potential to streamline administrative tasks by reducing manual data entry and data silos. When sourced through effective online forms, it also unburdens IT or developers by minimizing the need to clean up duplicate, inaccurate, or otherwise dirty data. Ultimately, the higher quality data your institution can capture, the more time and resources you can save. You’ll be able to rely on accurate data and put more effort and budget into creating successful student experiences.
Real-World Example: Digital forms can be used to gather data from students during recruitment, admissions, and enrollment processes as well as for financial aid and housing, all of which can be easily shared between departments.
Accuracy
High-quality data is naturally less full of errors. When collected with digital forms that have standardized fields, this improves the likelihood you’re gathering updated and accurate student data. Instead of improper formatting or duplicate data, you have a comprehensive student record that includes usable information for providing personalized experiences.
Real-World Example: Accuracy is critical for any data you collect from students, including address, social security number, phone number, emergency contact information, and financial records to ensure they have a safe, optimized experience at your school.
Analytics
Your school likely has a lot of data on students. By analyzing high-quality data, your school can gain a comprehensive understanding of student needs and preferences. The more high-quality this information is, the more you will be able to gather valuable insight into student behaviors and trends. These analytics help stakeholders make informed decisions that can improve the services and personalized experiences your school provides students.
Real-World Example: Data analytics provide insight into enrollment patterns, extracurricular engagement, academic performance and success, all of which helps determine what new programs and resources are needed.
Communication
Starting with clean, accurate data means your school can better communicate with students about their application process, course offerings and grades, and more. Quality data on students also helps ensure more personalized emails and accurate notifications. Effective communication throughout the student journey enhances their digital experiences with the potential to improve engagement and learning outcomes.
Real-World Example: Quality data allows institutions to create personalized and targeted communication for recruitment, admissions, enrollment, course options, and on-campus activities to keep students engaged and informed.
Start Building Better Experiences with Salesforce + FormAssembly
High-quality data is critical for creating personalized and efficient digital experiences for the modern student. Learn how leveraging FormAssembly’s secure data collection platform with Salesforce integration is the key to gathering quality, usable data.
