Newsroom

What you should be doing now in your messages to students

By Catherine Mueller

November 27, 2017

Your students open, read, and respond to every message you send them.

Well, that would be true if we all lived in a fantasy world.

The truth is, just like you, your students lead busy lives and have a lot of people competing for their attention. But, financial aid and higher education is important, right? Where would they be without it?

To make sure your email messages get opened and read, use a subject line that prompts students to open it. Here are some suggestions:

• Let them know you need their response by using "response required" or "action needed" in the subject line.
• Create a sense of urgency. Don't overstate the situation because that could damage your credibility for future messages, but if their financial aid is in jeopardy – that is certainly something that should catch their attention.
• Personalize the subject line. Use their name or their word "you" in the subject line.
• Make them curious. Write a subject that makes them want to learn more. Again, don't over-promise in a subject line what you will deliver in a message. But you can use this technique to entice students to open a message.

What works for one student may not work for another – so try different techniques. Eventually, effective communication with your students will become less of a dream and more reality.