Admissions Jeopardy used at the KY ACAC conference March 2011

1. Admissions Jeopardy
Presented at KYACAC 2011
Trent Gilbert, Chief eXperience Officer
Below you will find the Jeopardy answers, questions, and explanations that we used
during the KYACAC conference. We believe that this knowledge is a must for anyone
working in an admissions office today.
Jeopardy provided a fun way to learn and review the information. If you want to create
your own Jeopardy game similar to the one we did at KYACAC, you can do that for free
at: http://www.superteachertools.com/jeopardy/editgame.php You can use some or all
of our questions or create your own. Just make sure you phrase your answer in the form
of a question.
Admissions Jeopardy! KYACAC March 10, 2011
Presented by: Trent Gilbert, CXO, TargetX

2. Recruitment Marketing
This category takes players through the history of Recruitment Marketing.
A: This period ushered in recruitment marketing. It corresponds with the shift from the
Baby Boomer generation to Generation X.
Q: What is late 70‘s/early 80’s?
Explanation: Prior to this era, colleges really didn’t do marketing. You got a letter of
acceptance or denial, and if you were accepted, you got a catalog. This period is noted
by the generational shift that also happened during this time.
A: Pioneers in higher ed viewbook printing; these two companies originally served the
financial industry, but saw the opportunity in higher ed.
Q: Who are Stein and Stamats?
Explanation: Stein is now Atlanta-based Stein Communications,a division of R.R.
Donnelley & Sons Company, the largest printer in the world; Stamats, based in Cedar
Rapids, IA, still produces award-winning viewbooks.
A: In the 80’s, this Richmond-based direct mail company became the main search
player.
Q: Who is Royall & Company?
Explanation: Also the inventor of the Fast or VIP application; 200 employees.
A: This company was founded on a napkin in the late 90’s to help schools send
broadcast emails.
Q: Who is TargetX?
Explanation: Overthrowing Dead Culture by CEO, Brian Niles. SRM-based on the
Salesforce.com platform. We are educators and offer a lot of free resources.
A: With an estimated $582 million in revenue, this not-for-profit membership
organization is known for testing, research, and advocacy.
Q: What is the College Board?
Explanation: Founded in 1900. Headquartered in New York City, not Reston, VA.
Admissions Jeopardy! KYACAC March 10, 2011
Presented by: Trent Gilbert, CXO, TargetX

3. The Campus Visit
Research shows that the campus visit is important. This category educates players on
aspects of the campus visit.
A: 71% of students surveyed say this is the most trusted source of information when
researching a college.
Q: What is the campus visit?
Explanation: According to research done by EduVentures among about 8,000 high
school juniors and seniors, 84% percent said they use the web most heavily when
researching a college and consider the campus visit the most trusted source of
information.
A: In August 2009, The New York Times did a story about this topic that lit up the
blogosphere?
Q: What is walking backwards?
Explanation: When guides walk backwards, they tend to “talk at” families instead of
“talking with” them.
A: There is no basement in the Alamo, but San Antonio will be invaded by this
association’s annual conference in June.
Q: What is CIVSA (Collegiate Information & Visitor Services Association)?
Explanation: Conference just focused on the visit experience. Schools should join the
group and attend the conference. More information at: http://www.civsa.org/
A: Research confirms the majority of us learn from these and your student guides
should be telling theirs.
Q: What are stories?
Explanation: We haven’t met a student that gets in the car after a tour and says, “15:1
student-faculty ratio! Sign me up!” Stories not stats. Stories are how most of us learn
and get inspired.
A: Our research shows it is the most frequently asked first question of your guests.
Q: What is “Where is the restroom?”
Explanation: This space is often the first place a visitor to campus needs to visit and
often the last pit stop before getting in the car. A clean one can help seal the deal, a
dirty one leaves families flushing your school off of their list.
Admissions Jeopardy! KYACAC March 10, 2011
Presented by: Trent Gilbert, CXO, TargetX

4. Alphabet Soup
Higher ed is full of acronyms. In this category, we give you the acronym, players give us
the definition.
A: NACAC
Q: What is National Association for College Admission Counseling?
Explanation: Conference, membership, practices and good standards.
A: ETS
Q: What is Educational Testing Service?
Explanation: Administer the SAT.
A: FAFSA
Q: What is free application for federal student aid?
Explanation: Just fill it out! And it is free...Great TargetX webcast that helps educate the
staff called “Financial Aid for Admissions Dummies.”
A: EA & ED
Q: What are Early Action & Early Decision?
Explanation: We need to define what these mean to our schools. Different everywhere.
A: SAT & ACT
Q: What are Scholastic Aptitude Test or Scholastic Assessment Test & American
College Testing?
Explanation: SAT now means nothing, but it is important to know the history. There are
differences in the tests. Geographic differences (some regions favor one test over the
other). More entering freshmen took the ACT than the SAT—1,568,835 versus
1,547,990.
Admissions Jeopardy! KYACAC March 10, 2011
Presented by: Trent Gilbert, CXO, TargetX

5. Industry Insights
This category gives players added insights into higher ed admissions.
A: According to the U.S. government, the number of post-secondary institutions. (+/-
300)
Q: What is 7300?
Explanation: All post secondary schools. University of Phoenix has 532K students.
A: The estimated overall average acceptance rate in the United States. (+/-5%)
Q: What is 73%
Explanation: Most schools are in the acceptance game, not in the denial business.
A: US News & World Report rankings divides colleges and universities into this many
primary categories (not counting geographical or tier rankings within each of these).
Q: What is four?
Explanation: National Universities, National Liberal Arts Colleges, Masters Universities,
Comprehensive Colleges.
Do you know your school and your competitors?
“Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be
counted.” Preface to Lloyd Thacker’s College Unranked
A: This publication is considered The New York Times or Wall Street Journal of the
higher education industry.
Q: What is the The Chronicle of Higher Education?
Explanation: Beyond the jobs section, you need to read it, get the daily email blasts,
great resource, Eric Hoover is the main admissions and student life reporter.
A: The average higher education endowment in the United States. (+/- $3,000,000)
Q: What is $18,000,000?
Explanation: 80% of the total of all higher ed endowment(s) is owned by about 200
schools and they are also the most highly selective of schools. Most schools must
“recruit or die.” They are tuition driven, and what really matters is “Heads in beds, butts
in seats.”
Admissions Jeopardy! KYACAC March 10, 2011
Presented by: Trent Gilbert, CXO, TargetX

6. Potpourri
Everyones favorite category from the TV show.
A: Current KYACAC President-Elect
Q: Who is Ingrid Allen?
Explanation: Associate Director of Admissions Transy.
A: Estimated number of schools that charge over $50,000 per year to attend. (+/- 10)
Q: What is 100?
Explanation: Schools over the 40K mark is the number people aren’t talking about. In
2010, the College Board reported that tuition has increased faster than inflation.
Compared to 2009 costs, privates increased tuition an average of 4.5% and and publics
increased 7.9%. Four years ago, only four schools charged over $50,000 per year.
A: These authors have written extensively about generations, including Millennials
Rising: The Next Great Generation and Millennials go to College.
Q: Who are Neil Howe and William Strauss?
Explanation: Spoke at NACACs; required reading; coined the terms helicopter parent,
stealth parent, and Millennials.
A: Kentucky’s 2008-2009 high school graduation rate (+/- 5%)
Q: What is 83.9%?
Explanation: National graduation rate during the same year: 68.8%
A: TargetX Campus Visit Consulting methodology is derived from these two books by
Joe Pine and Jim Gilmore.
Q: What are The Experience Economy and Authenticity?
Explanation: Harvard Business School Press; TEE - 100 Best Business Books of All
Time; Authenticity - Time Magazine 10 Big Ideas Changing the World.
Admissions Jeopardy! KYACAC March 10, 2011
Presented by: Trent Gilbert, CXO, TargetX

7. Final Jeopardy-Student Indebtedness
A: The estimated average undergraduate student loan debt of degree-earning students.
(Excludes PLUS loans; +/- $3,000)
Q: What is $24,000?
Explanation: 2007-2008. Predicted this was going to happen. Mortgage crisis is going to
hit college campuses. Fear because mainstream media is talking all about it.
Admissions 101 needs to be Admissions and Financial Aid 101 in today’s market.
Admissions Jeopardy! KYACAC March 10, 2011
Presented by: Trent Gilbert, CXO, TargetX