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U-CAN 2.0 Launches Today

NAICU Washington Update

September 17, 2008

“U-CAN 2.0" goes live this week, with some important new features.

The re-launch of the University & College Accountability Network on September 17 includes two major upgrades to a Web site already recognized for providing prospective college students and their families with free access to rich and consumer-relevant information in a colorful, user-friendly format:

• An enhanced search function, increasing the number of searchable fields from three to 17. 
• A new directory of online sources, providing guidance for preparing for college, searching for and selecting the best college fit, and navigating the admissions and financial aid processes.
  
  

U-CAN's new features are the result of consumer focus group conversations conducted across the nation this spring, and feedback from site users over the past year. The findings show that consumers value the kind of transparency, guidance, and user-friendly structure that U-CAN provides – and want even more.

Since its original launch on September 26, 2007, more than 358,000 users have visited the site, viewing more than 850,000 pages.

Over the past year, participation in U-CAN has grown by 21 percent, from 600 nonprofit, private institutions to 725.  This includes more than 70 percent of NAICU's 953 member institutions, with the percentage steadily growing each week.  (Nonprofit, private colleges that are not NAICU members are also eligible to participate, and many do.)

However, we need your help to reach our goal of 100 percent participation by NAICU members.  Check the U-CAN Web site (www.ucan-network.org) to see if your institution has published a public profile or has completed the recent data update.  The site also lists institutions that have signed up, but have not yet published their U-CAN profile.

If your institution has not taken these steps – or has yet to join U-CAN – we strongly encourage you to do so.  You can sign up using our simple online form at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=X0N4oE1_2fw0k4tKilegIY8g_3d_3d.

We will be supporting the re-launch of U-CAN with a Google marketing campaign, Facebook advertising, and direct marketing to college counselors.  The Google marketing plan, which will be activated once the site is live, will consist of keyword search ads and ads on content-relevant sites.  As we did with the initial launch, we will coordinate media outreach with participating institutions and the state associations.  NAICU staff has begun meeting with reporters at major media outlets and trade publications – an effort we will continue throughout the fall. In the coming days, NAICU will provide participants with updated resources for promoting their involvement in U-CAN.

Contact

• Tony Pals
  (202) 785-8866
  tony@naicu.edu