Education Dynamics

Last updated

EducationDynamics (EDDY) is a privately held higher education management corporation. Founded in 2005, the firm provides market research, advertising agency, multichannel marketing, lead generation, and enrollment management for over 500 US colleges with a particular focus on adult online education. It also partners with private lenders who provide student loans, produces marketing research about adult online students, and hosts the InsightsEDU Conference, formerly known as (CALEM). [1]

Contents

History

As a member of BMO Financial Group and Halyard Capital, the company was founded in 2005 as Halyard Education Partners. The company's first inquiry portal was eLearners.com, which works to pair prospective students with colleges and universities offering online programs. [2]

In 2006, it acquired Educational Directories Unlimited, owners of StudyAbroad.com, GradSchools.com, and StudentProspector.com. [3] That same year, the company launched a multi-platform US-based contact center.

In 2007, it acquired WorldClass Strategy, owner of EarnMyDegree.com. [4]

The firm rebranded as EducationDynamics in 2007.

In 2009, EducationDynamics acquired Aslanian Market Research, a leading market research firm focused exclusively on understanding adult, non-traditional, and online college students through primary and secondary research. Aslanian Market Research was founded by Carol Aslanian, who continues to lead the market research solutions offered by EducationDynamics.

In 2010, it acquired Education Connection; [5] in 2011, the Education Connection website reportedly had 350 colleges paying for leads, with 300,000 unique visitors per month and 40,000 signing up for help. [6]

In 2015, Halyard Capital sold EducationDynamics to an investor group including Muirlands Capital, KnowledgeShares and Prudential Capital Group. [7]

In 2016, EducationDynamics acquired EdPlus Holdings, which included Unigo.com and EStudentLoan.com. [8]

In 2018 it acquired JMH Consulting, Inc, a boutique provider of marketing and bundled Enrollment Management Services. [9]

In 2019, it purchased the digital marketing, search engine optimization, and call center businesses of Thruline, a higher education marketing agency based in Lenexa, Kansas. [10]

In 2019, NBC News reported that Education Dynamics was targeting military veterans through Military-colleges.com. [11]

In 2020, the firm purchased the Quinstreet higher education vertical, which included onlinedegrees.com, and schools.com. [12] In September 2020, it also received capital infusions of $80 million from Whitehorse Capital and $12.5 million from Encina Business Credit. [13] In November, 2020 the company announced the acquisition of the higher education portal classesUSA. [14]

In 2021, it announced a strategic relationship with Nuro Retention, a company using analytics to improve student persistence. [15]

EducationDynamics announced in October, 2021 that it had been purchased by Renovus Capital Partners. [16]

Leadership

EducationDynamics is led by Bruce Douglas, who has served as CEO since 2015 and previously held the role of Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). [17] Prior to Douglas, the company was led by Tom Anderson. [18]

Services

The company focuses on delivering marketing and related enrollment/student engagement support services for online and adult-focused college programs. The firm's multi-channel marketing services include search engine optimization (SEO), digital marketing, Over-the-Top (OTT) marketing, awareness media and creative services. It provides coaching services for prospective students and for student success. It manages multiple inquiry generation websites, including gradschools.com, schools.com, elearners.com, and educationconnection.com. The company also conducts primary and secondary research on behalf of clients and releases numerous annual reports, including the Online College Students Report, Higher Ed Landscape Report and Enrollment Management Benchmarks Report.[ citation needed ]

Unigo

Unigo is a leading student search and scholarship site, acquired by EducationDynamics in 2016. [19] Unigo owns the student loan marketplace estudentloan.com and provides student loan information for Bankrate.com. [20] Unigo Student Funding partners with colleges to originate and service student loans. [21]

Research

EducationDynamics produces research and reports about online adult education, with information on marketing trends, consumer demand, industry changes, and student retention. The reports include the annual Online College Students Report, and 2020 & Beyond Student Survey and Report. [22] The Online College Students Report was part of a joint effort between EducationDynamics and Wiley Education Services(a subsidiary of John Wiley and Sons). [23]

Conference

EducationDynamics hosts the annual InsightsEDU conference. The conference was previously known as the Conference on Adult Learner Enrollment Management and changed names after the 2021 conference. [24] InsightsEDU offers higher ed leaders the opportunity to come together and discuss the latest trends and insights on attracting and engaging career-focused non-traditional students. The conference offers three tracks: Marketing, Enrollment Management, and Leadership.[ citation needed ]

See also

Related Research Articles

Strayer University is a private for-profit university headquartered in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1892 as Strayer's Business College and later became Strayer College, before being granted university status in 1998.

DeVry University is a private for-profit university with its headquarters in Naperville, Illinois. It was founded in 1931 by Herman A. DeVry and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. DeVry is predominantly an online educator but does have campuses in the United States.

University of Phoenix (UoPX) is a private for-profit university headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. Founded in 1976, the university confers certificates and degrees at the certificate, associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree levels. It is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and has an open enrollment admissions policy for many undergraduate programs. The school is owned by Apollo Global Management and Vistria Group, two US private-equity firms, but is in the process of being sold to the nonprofit University of Idaho.

The Art Institutes (AI) are a collection of independently operated art schools in the United States. Since 2019, the schools have been owned by Education Principle Foundation, a non-profit that also owns South University. The Art Institutes offer programs at the certificate, associate's, bachelors, and master's levels. The Art Institutes have faced accreditation and legal issues and student loan debtors have appealed to the US Department of Education for debt cancellation through defense to repayment claims. These efforts are premised on allegations they were defrauded. The student debt group "I Am Ai" has acted as a support group for students and former students of the Art Institutes, offering advice about debt cancellation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National American University</span> University in South Dakota and Georgia

National American University (NAU) is a private for-profit online university with an additional location at Ellsworth Air Force Base. It is owned by National American University Holdings, Inc. (NAUH). In 2018, NAU acquired the assets of Henley-Putnam University and now offers strategic security programs. Most of NAU's academic programs are on the 11-week quarter system and have monthly starts. The school is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apollo Education Group</span> Corporation based in Phoenix, Arizona

Apollo Education Group, Inc. is an American corporation based in the South Phoenix area of Phoenix, Arizona, with an additional corporate office in Chicago, Illinois. It is privately-owned by a consortium of investors including The Vistria Group, LLC and funds affiliated with Apollo Global Management, LLC.

In the United States, higher education is an optional stage of formal learning following secondary education. It is also referred as post-secondary education, third-stage, third-level, or tertiary education. It covers stages 5 to 8 on the International ISCED 2011 scale. It is delivered at 4,360 Title IV degree-granting institutions, known as colleges or universities. These may be public or private universities, research universities, liberal arts colleges, community colleges, or for-profit colleges. US higher education is loosely regulated by the government and by several third-party organizations.

<i>Inside Higher Ed</i> News website focused on issues of degree-oriented tertiary education

Inside Higher Ed is a media company and online publication that provides news, opinion, resources, events and jobs focused on college and university topics. In 2022, Quad Partners, a private equity firm, sold Inside Higher Education to Times Higher Education, itself owned by Inflexion Private Equity. The company is based in Washington, D.C., United States.

MyRichUncle was a loan product that was marketed to students by the American company MRU Holdings, Inc.. Incorporated March 2, 2000 in Delaware, MyRichUncle entered the student lending market as an originator and holder of private student loans. By 2007, the company was listed on the Naqdaq composite and expanded into holding Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) loans.

Rasmussen University is a private for-profit university with multiple locations throughout the United States. It offers associate's, bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees and certificates and diplomas in career-focused areas at 23 campuses in Minnesota, Illinois, North Dakota, Florida, Wisconsin, and Kansas and offers many programs fully online.

Nelnet, Inc., is a United States–based conglomerate that primary focused on financial services including student and consumer loan origination and servicing. Additionally, the company operates an investing arm, an internet bank and owns Allo Fiber, a cable and internet provider. The company is headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Unigo is an online business matching students with colleges, scholarships, internships, student loans, majors and careers. According to USA Today, “millions of students use Unigo to assist in their college search.” Education publisher McGraw-Hill wrote “Unigo is the largest and most authoritative library of college reviews on the internet.”

For-profit higher education in the United States refers to the commercialization and privatization of American higher education institutions. For-profit colleges have been the most recognizable for-profit institutions, but commercialization has been a part of US higher education for centuries. Privatization of public institutions has also been increasing since at least the 1980s.

<i>WSJ On Campus</i>

WSJ On Campus is a brand created through a strategic partnership between The Wall Street Journal and the college website Unigo.

Purdue University Global, Inc., formerly Kaplan University, is a public online university that operates as a public-benefit corporation, and is part of the Purdue University system. Its former profit owner, Graham Holdings Company, is entitled to receive 12.5% of Purdue Global's operating revenue.

Higher education in the United States is an optional stage of formal learning following secondary education. Higher education, also referred to as post-secondary education, third-stage, third-level, or tertiary education occurs most commonly at one of the 4,360 Title IV degree-granting institutions in the country. These may be public universities, private universities, liberal arts colleges, community colleges, or for-profit colleges. Learning environments vary greatly depending on not only the type of institution, but also the different goals implemented by the relevant county and state.

As part of the EdTech boom, Online Program Managers (OPMs) provide bundled products and services on which educational institutions can run online courses. The two most notable OPMs are 2U and Academic Partnerships.

For-profit colleges, also known as proprietary colleges, are post-secondary schools that rely on investors, and survive by making a profit. They include for-profit vocational and technical schools, career colleges, and predominantly online universities. For-profit colleges have frequently offered career-oriented curricula including culinary arts, business and technology, and health care. These institutions have a long history in the US, and grew rapidly from 1972 to 2009. The growth of for-profit education has been fueled by government funding as well as corporate investment, including private equity.

Academic Partnerships(AP) is a major for-profit online program manager (OPM) owned by Vistria Group, a private equity firm. Established in 2007 by entrepreneur Randy Best, it claims to serve more than 50 colleges and universities, providing technology, marketing services, and student support services to mid-level brands. Because of its early start as an OPM, it has been considered "a pioneer" in the business. APs clients, which are mostly regional public universities, are lower in price than elite colleges, but face significant financial and enrollment challenges. According to Academic Partnerships, the company has served 270,000 students and converted more than 4000 campus-based classes to online courses.

References

  1. ↑ "InsightsEDU Conference for Higher Education Professionals to be Held February 25-27 in Denver, CO". AP News. August 18, 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  2. ↑ "Halyard Capital Acquires Majority Interest in eLearners.com". www.elearners.com. Archived from the original on 2007-08-17. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  3. ↑ "Halyard Capital Acquires Majority Interest in Educational Directories Unlimited" (PDF). www.halyardeducationpartners.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-07-09. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  4. ↑ "HALYARD EDUCATION PARTNERS ACQUIRES WORLDCLASS STRATEGY" (PDF). www.halyardeducationpartners.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-07-09. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  5. ↑ "EducationDynamics Acquires Education Connection Services". www.careercollegecentral.com. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  6. ↑ Pappano, Laura (4 November 2011). "The Online-College Crapshoot". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  7. ↑ "Halyard Capital Announces Sale of EducationDynamics to Investor Group led by Muirlands Capital, KnowledgeShares and Prudential Capital Group". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  8. ↑ "EducationDynamics Announces the Acquisition of Unigo and EStudentLoan.com". www.prweb.com. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  9. ↑ "EducationDynamics Announces the Acquisition of JMH Consulting". GlobeNewswire. June 12, 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  10. ↑ Collins, Leslie. "Thruline Marketing sells off two business units". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  11. ↑ Przybyla, Heidi; Strickler, Laura. "Veterans could be first to pay as DeVos rolls back for-profit college oversight". www.nbcnews.com. NBC News. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  12. ↑ "EducationDynamics Acquires QuinStreet's Higher Education Vertical". newyork.citybizlist.com. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  13. ↑ "FocalPoint Advises EducationDynamics on Refinancing by WhiteHorse and Encina". www.abfjournal.com. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  14. ↑ "EducationDynamics Acquires Higher Education Portal ClassesUSA". PR Newswire. PR Newswire. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  15. ↑ "EducationDynamics and Nuro Retention Form Partnership". www.prnewswire.com. PR Newswire. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  16. ↑ "EducationDynamics Announces Acquisition by Renovus Capital Partners". PR Newswire. PR Newswire.
  17. ↑ "Bruce Douglas CEO Of EducationDynamics". EducationDynamics. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
  18. ↑ CSG (2012-01-17). "EducationDynamics Names Bruce Douglas Chief Marketing Officer". GlobeNewswire News Room. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
  19. ↑ "EducationDynamics Announces the Acquisition of Unigo.com and EStudentLoan.com". PRWeb. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
  20. ↑ "New Partnership Simplifies Student Loan Process with One-Stop Shopping | Reuters". Reuters . 2015-04-28. Archived from the original on 2015-04-28. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
  21. ↑ "Index". www.kccllc.net. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
  22. ↑ "MARKET RESEARCH". www.educationdynamics.com. Education Dynamics. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  23. ↑ "Wiley Education Services and Aslanian Market Research Offer Universities Insights to Forge a Path Forward with Online Learning". www.businesswire.com. Business Wire. 18 June 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  24. ↑ EducationDynamics. "InsightsEDU Conference for Higher Education Professionals to be Held February 25-27 in Denver, CO". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.