Today GoalQuest Inc. and Harding University announced that applications for undergraduate admission at the institution
increased sharply following the introduction of GoalQuest eCRUIT™, a Web-based recruiting and real-time prospect intelligence
tool.
Enrollment management administrators at Harding saw the greatest increase when comparing the first 11 weeks of their
GoalQuest usage with the same period in 2005, before Harding had deployed the eCRUIT program.
“It was obvious to our admissions office right from the start that GoalQuest was having a positive impact on the number of
applications we received,” said Glenn Dillard, assistant vice president for enrollment management at Harding. “During the
first 11 weeks of the eCRUIT campaign, more students applied for admission than in those very same weeks one year earlier.”
As part of its eCRUIT program, Harding has implemented and continues to add a range of standard, customizable services and
features, including:
- Expert-written editorial topics, such as creating a list of college consideration criteria, seeking out an education that
incorporates faith, navigating the application process and asking relevant questions when visiting college campuses. In
addition to helpful hints and tips to guide them through the consideration and application process, the program also immerses
students in key aspects of Harding University -- from academics to campus life to getting involved in extracurricular
activities.
- Award-winning Web design, customized according to Harding’s distinct communication standards and desired look and
feel.
- UBlog™ — Using GoalQuest’s proprietary blogging tool, Harding assigned six of its current
undergraduates to act as “virtual ambassadors” and connect with prospective students. The bloggers update their live journals
with information on everything from preparing for exams to choosing among available student activities to getting ready for
summer break. UBlog lets each prospect add comments or pose questions to any blog entry.
- Student Service Center — Harding utilizes GoalQuest’s Student Service Center through a feature known to prospects
as “Ask Harding.” Ask Harding encourages students to ask questions and provide feedback on a variety of topics (e.g.,
admissions in general, financial aid and residence life). Questions are then time-stamped and sent to pre-determined campus
administrators. Students themselves are promised a speedy response from the school personnel best equipped to help them,
while administrators can analyze question and answer flow to determine the types of questions students send most frequently
as well as the average response times of the various university departments.
- Real-time user trajectory data, which enables colleges and universities to identify prospective students whose activity
may recommend itself to a more personalized follow-up by the admissions staff. The GoalQuest Reporting Center analyzes a
range of key metrics to help institutions better allocate their enrollment management resources, including students’
responses to embedded survey questions — developed by GoalQuest editorial and research teams.
According to Peter Kraft, GoalQuest chief executive officer and co-founder, “We are delighted at the substantive results that
eCRUIT has yielded in its debut year at Harding. We expect even greater results from eCRUIT’s combination of outstanding
content and powerful real-time intelligence indicators as we begin planning for year two.”
Harding University
Harding University is a private Christian institution of higher education committed to the tradition of the liberal arts and
sciences. The University serves a diverse, co-educational student body from across the United States and around the world,
although the primary constituency for students and financial support is the fellowship of the churches of Christ. Harding
believes that the freedom to pursue truth and high academic achievement is compatible with the Christian principles to which
the University is committed. The faculty is dedicated to excellence in teaching, scholarship and service, and to their role
as models of Christian living. The University community seeks to provide an environment that both supports students and
challenges them to realize their full potential. Harding's mission is to provide a quality education that will lead to an
understanding and philosophy of life consistent with Christian ideals.
About GoalQuest
GoalQuest, Inc. is a New York City-based software company specializing in innovative solutions for higher education. The Company's proprietary software assists colleges and universities in maximizing recruiting, enrollment yield, retention, parent communication and advancement efforts. Its suite of products, including eCRUIT™, FYRe™, PICS™, AlumNet™ as well as its Universe™ tools such as UPeers™ and UPortfolio™, are based on a revolutionary technology that immerses participants in highly interactive content. The tools provide clients with a full-featured reporting center and automated activity alerts that monitor the real-time interest trajectory of users. GoalQuest is a NASPA strategic partner. For additional information about GoalQuest, please visit the Company's Web site at http://www.goalquest.com or e-mail info@goalquest.com.
