In the context of education, online learning is a “make-to-order” business whereas instruction through a traditional ground campus falls under the category of mass production. Applying this to business terms, online learning uses a “pull” strategy while traditional (residential) undergraduate education uses a “push” strategy.
With the realization that each unique customer has varying needs and desires for the purchase of a product or service, most businesses today operate under the “pull” strategy such as Dell or McDonalds. However, traditional education still operates under the “push” method. Statistics show that ninety percent of all incoming undergraduate resident students have the same needs, requirements, and educational expectations, lending to an academic institution's use of systems of mass production to satisfy these similar needs. The familiarity and success with this type of education system has made it difficult for most traditional colleges and universities to successfully enter into the market of online learning.
Adult learners make up the largest segment in demand and utilization of online education. As adult learners come with a unique set of challenges, most traditional schools struggle with the implementation of the “make-to-order” model to accurately and successfully satisfy these unique educational needs.
Expectations of an adult learner include the ability to have their education tailored around their needs - courses they can take when and where they want, and at a pace that fits their lifestyle. While the vast majority of incoming undergraduate resident students arrive straight out of high school (with the exception of some transfer students) adult learners come from a variety of educational backgrounds. While some may have any combination of previous college credit to transfer, life experience, or military experience, some may have no previous college experience at all. Each of these experience levels will need to be evaluated and formatted in such a way that it can be plugged in and used toward their overall degree completion.
If an educational institution only offering undergraduate programs decides to add graduate programs into their mix, the admissions requirements and entrance expectations for their graduate programs will vary from those used at the undergraduate level. While an institution solely operating a traditional undergraduate resident program may not experience drastic investment in making this addition--if indeed much change is needed at all--when offering online education the ramifications of such an addition could be quite significant.
In addition to education expectations, adult learners come from all walks of life with varying social statuses and options for securing payment to finance their education. These additional financing options often extend beyond the bounds of the typical financial aid model, and can include Military Tuition Assistance, Deferred Corporate Tuition Assistance, Employer Paid Corporate Tuition Assistance, outside scholarships, and institutional aid.
Execution...Online Learning Is a Competitive Business
Throughout the process of online enrollment, an aggressive edge is key.
Pray, focus, execute...many schools cannot execute. In a traditional (residential) undergraduate model, the sales cycle used to turn a prospective student into a matriculated student can range from three months up to even two or three years, and often starts at the point when an individual first expresses interest in a college or education program in their sophomore or junior year of high school. From this point, numerous months of work ensue to cultivate this lead and build a relationship with the individual for potential enrollment. High-level phone sales skills aren't critical for admission counselors as campus visits; athletic programs, student life, and geography are usually the largest selling points for capturing an enrollment in the cycle.
In stark contrast to the tactics used in a traditional (residential) education setting, within the online education industry admissions counselors must be top-notch as they personally reflect your school's “campus” through their phone conversations. In addition, the duration of the sales cycle to move a prospective online student to a matriculated student is drastically shorter, ranging from a mere day to three months, not years. Admissions counselors (often referred to as agents) of an online education program place heavy focus on direct sales and must be timely, concise, and relevant when offering information and assistance during the admissions process because speed wins in the online market.
