TeensTALK Research 2012

Presented by
Eric Sickler
2012 TeensTALK® Findings
Associate Vice President A Comprehensive Look at Teen Trends,
for Client Services Attitudes, Lifestyles, and Knowledge with
Special Focus on College Search and Selection
eric.sickler@stamats.com
(319) 431-5043
(800) 553-8878

1 2012 TeensTALK® | © STAMATS 2012

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Teen Types


Vanessa Van Petten
Teen Type #1 - Teacups
Teacup parenting has produced teacup kids who are extremely fragile and
nuanced to their own discomforts or problems. They have a very difficult time
handling criticism or rejection and tend to fear anything in which they might not
succeed. When they get to jobs, college, or difficult high school classes they tend
to break down or need huge amounts of outside support.
Teen Type #2 - Toasties
These kids were heavily overloaded starting from a very young age. Dance class,
violin class, band, volleyball, college entrance exam prep courses…you name it
and they were doing it. They worked so hard from such a young age, they never
really had time to play. And as they get older, they become more and more burnt-
out. They tend to pick jobs and careers that sound or pay great, but have no idea
what their true passions are. They feel exhausted most of their lives.

Source: www.radicalparenting.com; Vanessa Van Petten is a CNN columnist, winner of the Mom’s Choice Award and an author with Penguin Books.


Vanessa Van Petten
Teen Type #3 - Turtles
These are kids who assume “everything will all work out just fine.” They invest
very little of themselves, and just hope for the best. They do the least that is
required of them and shirk all kinds of discomfort or responsibility by pulling into
their personal shells. They tend to be lazy, apathetic, and passionless…unless, of
course, it has something to do with their video games.
Teen Type #4 - Tyrants
Parents have spent a lifetime telling them they’re special and their poo smells like
roses. They want the best, they expect the best, and they are going to get the
best. They tend to be very aggressive and assume they are the center of
everyone’s attention and their names are on the tips of everyone’s tongues. They
are willing to work a little, but fully expect to see big rewards and be generously
congratulated on their hard work.



“Helicopter Parents” Have Created “Teacup Kids”

1. Cherished possession
2. Teacups break easily
3. Once it gets chipped, it feels ruined
4. Want to display a beautiful set
5. Want to be like the others
6. Only feed it high-quality tea
7. The quality reflects your taste and status
8. You do not want it to leave the collection
9. Must be very delicate with it
10. All teacups have essentially the same function



2012 Teen Snapshot


2012 Teen Snapshot
• Teens carry $30 and have $742.70 in their bank and savings accounts
• They primarily get money by asking their parents (51%), via an
allowance (29%), from gifts (43%), and from a job (30%) (Source: C&R Research)
• They are most likely to spend their money on eating out (25%), snacks
(23%), beverages (21%), and candy (14%) (Source: C&R Research)
• Teens are a prized demographic for marketers: they have more
autonomy over their purchases than tweens, yet also don’t have the full
responsibilities (e.g. auto insurance or transportation, meals) as their
older counterparts (Source: C&R Research)
• During the summer months, teens split their time between work, the
mall, camp, and gathering around bodies of water (Source: C&R Research)
• Teens’ favorite brands showcase their priorities: Reese’s Peanut Butter
Cups, iPod, Google, M&M’s, and Oreo’s are teens’ most loved brands,
followed by Subway, Hershey’s Milk Chocolate, Target, Sprite, and
Microsoft (Source: Harris Interactive)


2012 Teen Snapshot
• American Eagle is teens’ top clothing brand, followed by Forever
21, Aeropostale, Hollister, and Levi’s (Source: C&R Research)
• Three in four teens discuss media or entertainment brands at least once
a day (Source: Keller Fay)
• Teens are receptive to most forms of advertising; 70% recall they saw a
digital video display in the past month (Source: Arbitron, Edison Research)
• Teens’ friends wield the most influence over their preferences and
purchases
• Influential teens exist in every single peer group and are perceived by
their friends as “on top of trends and able to sway opinions”
• Influential teens also tend to have older siblings, middle- to upper-class
backgrounds, and are attractive
• The key to reaching the cool kids is similar to dating: desperation and
trying too hard are ultimate turnoffs, while being aloof and mysterious
are attractive


2012 Teen Snapshot
• Teens have pretty regular routines regarding their daily activities and
behaviors
• They spend nearly 10 hours a day sleeping and three hours engaged in
educational activities (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)
• Boys spend one more hour a day on leisure and sports activities, while
girls spend 12 more minutes eating (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)
• Among those able to join the workforce, girls are most likely working as
camp counselors or babysitters, while boys work as day laborers or
landscapers (Source: C&R Research)
• About 40% of teens spend 3 to 6 hours a day online, mostly visiting:
– Facebook (41%)
– Flickr (34%)
– YouTube (31%)
– Google (25%) and
– Twitter (21%) (Source: Buzz Marketing)


2012 Teen Snapshot
• Teens routinely watch online video and play video games, usually those
having to do with racing
• Nearly all teens have cell phones, with 38% claiming they will upgrade
to an iPhone within the next six months (Source: Piper Jaffray)
• They send 3,339 text messages a month (Source 5 Nielsen, AOL)
• 58% send text messages while on the toilet (Source: TextPlus)
• There’s little to suggest teens are getting bored with Facebook; they
continue to post, update, and check the social network every day
• Among their average 500 Facebook friends, however, there’s one teens
wish they didn’t have…

29% wish they could “unfriend”
their parent (Source: Nielsen)


Teens By The Numbers


Teen Influencers


Teen Media Habits


The Digital Teen


Teen Saving and Spending



Despite some early signs of improvement in the economy, college-bound high school students
still report high levels of concern about the U.S. economy
Source: 2011 College Decision Impact Survey | March 2011 | Maguire Associates & Fastweb


Source: C&R Research

Teen Brand Loyalties


68% of 15- to 17-year-olds
receive at least one
permission-based email a
day compared to 95% of 18-
to 24-year-olds who receive
at least one such email daily

32% of teens are fans of at
least one company on
Facebook, but only 3% of
teens with a Twitter account
follow at least one brand via
Twitter


College Search


2012 TeensTALK® Methodology

• A nationwide telephone survey of 496 high school seniors who will
attend college as first-time, first-year students in fall 2012. Based on the
national population of college-bound fall 2012 first-time freshmen, the
margin of error is plus or minus 4.4% at the 95% confidence level
– Data collected in February 2012
– Sampling at random (probability sample) to provide a rigorous data set for
accurate assessment of the college-selection process
• Main topics covered in this survey:
1. Profile of institutions considered and preferred
2. Number of admission applications submitted
3. Absolute and relative importance of specific factors impacting the college-
selection decision
4. Acceptable and preferred communication channels
5. Involvement and relative influence of others in college-selection
6. The use of—and expectations for—smartphones and mobile devices in the
college search process


Distribution of 2012 TeensTALK® Respondents

• Surveys completed in Hawaii and Alaska as well


2012 TeensTALK® Demographics – Gender and Race

Asian, 8%
African
American,
12%

Male, 45
Two or
% Female, 5
more
5% White / races, 18
Caucasian %
62%

Other %
American Indian 1%
Pacific Islander 1%
Base: All 2012 TeensTALK® respondents (n=496)
Hispanic 4%


2012 TeensTALK® Demographics – High School Rank
What is your current high school class rank?
50%

40%

30%
25%
23%
20%
20% 18%

10%
9%
5%

0%
Top 10% Top 25% Top 50% Below top 50% does not provide rank know
School Don't

• Caucasian and Asians respondents demonstrate higher class ranks than Hispanics and African Americans


2012 TeensTALK® Demographics – SAT Exam
Have you taken the SAT?
What was your combined math and critical reading score on the SAT?
100%

80%

Percent of Respondents Mean Score: 1179
Did not 60%
with SAT score of: Median Score: 1210
take
SAT, 45% 40%
Took 27%
20% 20% 18%
SAT, 55% 20% 15%

0%
1000 or less 1001 to 1151 to 1301 to 1451+
1150 1300 1450
Note: Respondents who gave ‘0’ as their SAT score have been excluded
from the above calculation. (n=212)


• Caucasian, Asian, and Hispanic respondents score significantly higher than African Americans


2012 TeensTALK® Demographics – ACT Exam
Have you taken the ACT?
What was your composite score on the ACT?
100%

80%

Did not Percent of Respondents Mean Score: 23
60% with ACT score of: Median Score: 23
take
ACT, 41%
40% 31%
30%
Took
20% 14% 16%
ACT, 59% 9%

0%
<19 19 to 22 23 to 26 27 to 30 31+
Note: Respondents who gave ‘0’ as their ACT score were excluded from
the above calculation. (n=265)


• Caucasian and Asian respondents score significantly higher than African Americans and Hispanics


College/University Choice - TeensTALK®

Are you considering...?

Four-year public college or
78% 20% 2%
university
8%
Four-year private college or 22%
40% 57% 3%
university

Community or technical college 34% 65% 2%
70%
For-profit college or university like
7% 90% 3%
U of Phoenix, Kaplan, or DeVry

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% End education with associate degree
Yes No Don't know Start college career and transfer later
Don't know


• More than two-thirds of those who are considering community colleges (n=166) plan on starting
their college education there and then transferring to a four-year school to earn a Bachelor’s degree


Number of Applications Submitted - TeensTALK®
To how many schools, in total, have you applied for
50%
admission?

• Total applications
40%
39% Mean Score: 4.03 reported among
Median Score: 3.00 TeensTALK ®Spring 2012
respondents are just
30%
slightly higher than
2010 (mean:
20%
19% 18% 3.3, median: 3.0)
15%
• Of those who are
considering applying to
10%
5% more schools
2% (n=154), 25% consider
0% one additional
3 to 5 1 school 2 schools 6-8 schools 9-11 12+ schools application, and about
schools schools
two-thirds consider
applying to two or more
Base: 2012 TeensTALK® respondents (n=468) schools


Teen College/University Application Influences

• Majority report that economic concerns do influence their college application strategies



Teen College/University Application Influences

Source: 2012 Noel-Levitz E-Expectations Trend Report: The Communication Expectations of College-Bound High School. Of the 1,307 respondents, 58%
were high school seniors and 14% juniors, while 27% of the responses came from their parents or guardians. One percent of participants did not report
their status.


Top-Choice School Description - TeensTALK®
Yes No

Made final decision 51% 49%

Program length School size School type
81% 15,000 or
more 30% 72%

5,000 to
14,999 39%
students 28%
19%
Under 5,000
students 31%

Two-year Four-year Public Private

Base: 2012 TeensTALK® respondents (n=496)
• Females tend to choose public schools more often than males
• Hispanic respondents tend choose 2-year schools at a significantly higher rate than other populations
• There is no clear preference for a specific size of college or university

Top-Choice School Description - TeensTALK® (continued)

Officially admitted to this school 74%

Will live on campus 66%

Applied for admission to this school 85%

Made official, on-campus visit 57%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

• Compared to spring 2010, more students have been officially admitted to their top-choice schools (74%
vs. 56% in spring 2010)
• However, fewer have made personal visits to their first-choice campuses (57% vs. 73% in spring 2010)


Top-Choice School Description - TeensTALK® (continued)
Distance to Current Top-Choice Campus from Home
100%
• Distance-from-home
Mean Score: 204 mi preference is generally
80%
similar to those
suggested by Spring
60%
2010 respondents
40% • However, somewhat
40%
higher percentages of
20% students would prefer
20% 15% 13%
12% a smaller travel range:
1 - 30 miles: 40% vs.
0%
36% in spring 2010
1 to 30 miles 31 to 60 miles to 120 miles to 500 miles 500+ miles
61 121
121 - 500 miles: 20%
vs. 28% in spring 2010


College-Selection Process - TeensTALK®
Which of the following statements best describes you and
your college-selection process? • 2012 findings differ
from Spring
Known for years which 2010, when 49% of
college/university wanted to 18% 31% in 2010 respondents reported
attend having a preferred
option
Had a preferred
college/university, but considered 37% 49% in 2010 • In 2010, 31% of
alternatives respondents knew
exactly what
college/university
Did not have a preferred option 45% 20% in 2010 they wanted to
attend
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%



Teen College Consideration Priorities

High school seniors continue to place the greatest importance on
“value of education” as well as:
• Quality of major and students
• Career-oriented coursework/majors and future employment
opportunities
• Total costs and the availability of merit- or need-based financial aid
• Academic facilities
• Campus atmosphere
• Personal attention
• Preparation for graduate/professional school

Students’ college priorities have remained stable despite any concerns about the economy


Final Selection of College/University - TeensTALK®
Did you, or will you, involve anyone else in your final college choice, or will you make that
decision entirely on your own?
For each of the following, indicate how much, if at all, they were (or will be) involved in
helping you reach a final decision. (1 - no involvement, 4 - very involved)

3.7
Others
were
2.6 2.4
involved 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.1
36% 1.8

Made final
decision 64%
on my
own
Parents Relative other than HS friend Brothers/ Sisters
parents

Base: 2012 TeensTALK® respondents (n=496)

• Two years ago, 47% said they would make their final college choice without help (versus 64% in 2012)
• Those who seek help from others, rely on parents’ opinions more than on advice from other sources


Factors Impacting Final College Choice - TeensTALK®
MAX DIFF
Which factor is most important to you? N= 496
Quality of my preferred major or field of study 16.2%
Graduates get good jobs 13.0%
Graduates are accepted into good graduate… 11.1% *Full text:
Total cost of attending 9.9% Graduates are accepted into
Net cost after financial aid, scholarships, etc., are… 9.5% good graduate programs/
Quality of faculty as teachers and mentors 7.2% schools to pursue master’s
Feels like a good fit for you 6.2% degrees, doctoral degrees, or
Overall academic reputation 5.4% highly specialized professional
Quality of academic facilities 4.5% training like law school or
Safety of the campus 2.4% medical school
Study abroad opportunities 2.3%
The city or community where campus is located 1.9%
Variety of on-campus activities 1.8%
Distance between campus and home 1.7%
Quality of campus amenities 1.7%
College or university is widely recognized 1.5%
Variety of off-campus activities 1.0%
My family or friends have a connection to the school 1.0%
Appearance of the campus 1.0%
The school has a religious or denominational affiliation 0.8%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

• Two years ago, graduates get good jobs (17%), quality of preferred major (15%), net
cost after aid (13%), and feels like a good fit (10%) were top importance
factors, followed by total cost of attending scored (8%)

Teens Want Live College-Search Conversations

Source: 2012 Noel-Levitz E-Expectations Trend Report: The Communication Expectations of College-Bound High School. Of the 1,307 respondents, 58%
were high school seniors and 14% juniors, while 27% of the responses came from their parents or guardians. One percent of participants did not report
their status.


Acceptable Communication Tactics - TeensTALK®
For colleges to which you’ve applied for admission, do you feel it is acceptable for the
college to contact you by…? (N=496). Multiple response allowed.
2010 96%
Sending you personalized letters through the mail 2012 97%
88%
Sending you publications through the mail 92%

Sending you a personal email 95%
91%
73%
Phone calls to you 85%

Personal visits to your high school 77%
77%
Sending mass, non-personalized emails 50%
67%

Phone calls to your parent(s) 36%
65%

Text messages to your cell phone 22%
39%

Contacting you through Facebook 32%
39%

Personal visits to your home 19%
34%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

• Notable increases in the acceptability of phone calls, non-personalized emails, text
messaging, Facebook, and personal home visits


Preferred Communication Tactics - TeensTALK®
Of these items, which would you most prefer a college or university uses to contact
you after you apply for admission? (N=495). Aided.
2010 36%
Sending you personalized letters through the mail 2012 39%

Sending you a personal email 38%
29%
12%
Phone calls to you 14%
3%
Sending you publications through the mail 5%

Personal visits to your high school 5%
4%

Text messages to your cell phone 1%
3%

Sending mass, non-personalized emails 2%

Phone calls to your parent(s) 1%
2%

Contacting you through Facebook 0%
1%

Personal visits to your home 2%
1%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
• Notable decrease in the preference for personalized email
• Modest increases in the preference for personal letters, phone calls, publications, and text messaging


The Digital Teen and College Search


Use of Mobile Devices - TeensTALK®
When seeking information about a college, how likely is it
that you're using your smartphone or mobile device, like an
iPad, to do so? Aided. Single response.
Mobile user (n=256) profile:
50% • Male 56%
40% • White 56%
40%
• Choose four-year public
schools 68%
30% 27%
25%
• Choose to live on
20% campus 76%
• Similarly split among top
9%
10% 10%, top 25%, and top
50% in their graduating
0% classes
Very likely Somewhat likely Somewhat Not at all likely
unlikely • Average ACT score of 21
• Average SAT score of
Base: 2012 TeensTALK® respondents (n=496) 912


College Information On Mobile Devices - TeensTALK®
What information about a college is important to you to be able to easily find and
view on a smartphone or mobile device? (N=256). Multiple response allowed.

Academic program information 25%

Cost information 19%

Financial aid information 12%

Admission standards 10%

Contact information 8% Other Number

Athletic program information 7% Location 6
College / class size 5
Housing information 6%
College activities 5
Other 10%
Application status 5
0% 20% 40% Student / teacher ratio 3
Reviews / enrollment 2

• Information preferences generally mirror college selection factor importance
ratings, with the exception of placement/outcomes evidence



• Students who prefer private colleges or universities are generally more likely to have used digital
channels/social media to communicate with schools



Source: 2012 Noel-Levitz E-Expectations Trend Report: The Mobile Browsing Behaviors and Expectations of College-Bound High School Students. Findings
from a survey of nearly 2,300 college-bound high school students regarding the use of devices to search for colleges. 94% said they use a mobile device
(such as a cell phone, smartphone, or tablet) at least once per week.



50% said they
would “like” a
school’s Facebook
page so postings
would appear on
their walls

83% responded
they would view
the Facebook
page of a school
they were
considering if
given the chance




Much like mobile site
content, your Facebook
pages must provide value
for prospective student as
they define value

Keeping content fresh
and relevant is key to
creating a positive
Facebook experience




Source: 2012 Noel-Levitz E-Expectations Trend Report: The Communication Expectations of College-Bound High School Students. Of the 1,307
respondents, 58% were high school seniors and 14% juniors, while 27% of the responses came from their parents or guardians. One percent of
participants did not report their status.



69% of students and 72% of parents said they have had online video conversations using a
webcam; both groups showed fair interest in communicating with campuses via webcasts
respondents, 58% were high school seniors and 14% juniors, while 27% of the responses came from their parents or guardians. One percent of participants
did not report their status.



respondents, 58% were high school seniors and 14% juniors, while 27% of the responses came from their parents or guardians. One percent of participants
did not report their status.


Teens Consideration of “Alternative” College Options

Students’ willingness to consider alternative arrangements for college is not significantly
correlated with their concerns about the state of the U.S. economy.

Presented by
Eric Sickler
Discussion
Associate Vice President
for Client Services

(319) 431-5043
(800) 553-8878


Presented by
Eric Sickler
Thank You!
Associate Vice President
for Client Services

(319) 431-5043
(800) 553-8878


Additional Slides


Teens Who Prefer A Private College/University

About two-thirds of students who preferred a private education will (1) weigh heavily the
makeup of financial aid offers from institutions, particularly in terms of the amount of grant
awards relative to loans and work study assistance in making their enrollment decision; and
(2) are more concerned with the net cost of an institution after financial assistance from all
sources has been determined. Only one third of those who prefer a private college reported
that the listed tuition had a big impact on whether or not they would apply.

TeensTALK Research 2012

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Editor's Notes