<p>"… “In order to focus on our core competency and core mission, we decided to focus on the market segment that is the best strategic fit…”</p>
<p>hyeonjlee, if you know marketing, you must also know that an organization must balance market segment competitiveness with market segment size. </p>
<p>The more UofC moves in a mainstream direction, the more it becomes one more option in a crowded segment, and an option disadvantaged by poor name recognition (i.e. not a “prestige” name), midwestern location, financial aid limits and so forth. Maybe they get more apps, but maybe the yield even drops due to more competition.</p>
<p>contrast that with the status quo, where UofC has little competition in its segment.</p>
<p>Cue7 may respond by saying they had poor results a few years back. But more recent years suggest that the poor results were not due to how the segment was defined, but due to the execution - that is to say, lack of attention to the college. Without changing its defined market segment, college stats have improved markedly in recent years. </p>
<p>I would go so far as to say that Zimmer’s efforts will backfire. UofC will see a rise in applications, but a drop in yield as it becomes just another top 20 college to apply to. Maybe the faculty will revolt, too, when they find a sea of faces more interested in high GPA than an intellectual challenge?</p>