Good Schools Using Marketing Ploys

by Sandy Womack, Ed.D., Director, EduPlan   www.eduplan.org

I was disappointed that a good school, Arizona State University, has started using marketing ploys when someone is searching their online degree plans.  I was searching for a online graduate Engineering degree for a client and knew that ASU had online programs.  However, when I looked at their online degree section, there was no program curriculum or admission information.

There was a Chat Line but I had to put in my personal information before I could talk to a rep.  I usually put in false information except for a phone number.  I wanted to see how many times I was called and if the calling became annoying, as it does with many of the online schools. 

I don't know why a very good school such as ASU thinks they have to resort to this type of aggressive marketing.  Maybe there are statistics showing a huge increase in enrollment.  I like the personal touch of being able to talk personally to a rep, but I don't like to put in personal information before I get a simple question answered, such as "What are the classes needed for this degree?".