Student Experience is extremely important for students and educational institutes. For institutes, a stellar student experience leads to higher advocacy and more retention. Therefore more and more institutes are focusing on measuring and improving experiences for students.

The student experience is simply defined as, “How students perceive experiences with their institution”. Student experience begins long before a student actually arrives on campus and continues even after they complete the degree.

Students are increasingly demanding a personalized experience, one that is tailored to their own requirements, preferences, and interests, as well as their preferred mode of communication.

Some students may even decide their university selection on the basis of prior student experiences at that university or college.

If an Institution can meet student needs then it can definitely expect a positive outcome in retention ratio.

The student experience has evolved alongside the advancement of smart technology, which now permits students to get quick access to a variety of information about the institution online.

The student experience comprises a wide range of academic and intellectual, social and emotional, as well as the development of cultural, political, sporting, and aesthetic interests, which defines as follows:-

• Academic and intellectual growth - It includes teaching and the knowledge students receive, as well as goal-setting and progress, assessment and feedback, etc.
• Social/Emotional activities and Networking - Extracurricular facilities provided to students during their time as a student that will nurture cultural, political, sporting, and artistic interests and peers.
• Welfare and Support Services - This covers money, housing, health facilities, counseling, pastoral care, and other resources to which each student has access.

Improving the student experience in Higher Education (HE) should not be a one-time fix or a project that is only focused on a limited time. Institutions must optimize it on a regular basis to ensure that it provides an amazing experience for students, resulting in higher retention rates and lower dropout rates.

The pandemic made universities and colleges get creative with managing student experiences, especially when everything went virtual. Today, students most likely wish to have a hybrid learning or working environment, similar to public/private-sector workers.

What Can Be Done to Improve Student Experience?

Within an increasing competition in the student-driven sector, higher education institutions face the challenge of improving the student experience, supporting student engagement, and measuring student satisfaction.

This is something that needs to be improved. So here’s how we can improve the student experience:-

1. Provide Online Discussion Forums

The rise of social media has brought the entire world closer together. Niche interest groups on social media platforms such as Facebook allow like-minded people to connect and debate issues that are important to them. In Universities, these platforms are ideal for students to build close bonds outside of the classroom.

Many students choose to keep silent during lectures, taking notes, and deferring their queries and opinions until they are in front of a computer. Students who have access to online forums can continue their studies at their own speed, collaborate on group projects, and share their expertise with a diverse set of others interested in their course topics.

Education providers can develop a strong sense of community among their students by promoting the use of online forums.

2. Create Opportunities For Alumni Engagement

Going to an institution can be an expensive and time-consuming experience. Over and above graduation, students want to know what happens at the end of the journey.

In this digital age, where individuals depend on peer reviews and endorsements. Alumni can help to promote awareness of an institution among the students.

For example - By providing opportunities for current students to chat with alumni, ask them questions and learn from their success, Institutions will be able to demonstrate just how successful their courses and teaching systems are.

3. Gather Feedback And Apply It

Student feedback is an important part of the success of Teaching Excellence, as well as a significant part of the experience students, receive at the school.

There are numerous techniques available to gather feedback, ranging from simple internal surveys sent out via email or the student portal. It’s a great method to learn what students think about the experience so far, what they are worried about, and what they like.

This provides institutions with important information and external validation on what works and what needs to be altered to improve the student experience.

If you are looking to measure and optimize student experience, then Dropthought can certainly help!

Dropthought is a user-friendly, omnichannel, and real-time student experience management platform. We empower institutions to create delightful experiences for students across their journey. Get detailed analysis and insights from data to exactly know what your students think and what actions you need to take to delight them.

With a dedicated customer success team, we would ensure that you are optimizing your Student Experience programs and strategies to create great experiences!

Learn more by simply clicking here.