Tag: School

WeChat vs. WhatsApp Advertising For Your School Audience
Reading Time: 11 minutes

For school administrators and marketers, the decision to integrate new communication tools is often met with the challenge of identifying which platform can better serve their specific needs. Regarding messaging apps, WeChat and WhatsApp are two powerful contenders that have proven effective for educational marketing, but which one is right for your school audience?

Both platforms offer distinct advantages, and understanding the nuances of each can help you decide which will deliver the most impact in your communication and marketing strategy. Let’s explore the key differences between WeChat vs. WhatsApp marketing, how each platform works, and which is best suited for various school audiences.

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Understanding WeChat

WeChat is widely known for its dominance in China. Why do people use WeChat? WeChat is an all-in-one app that combines messaging, social media, payments, and mini-programs. It makes daily tasks—from chatting with friends to shopping, paying bills, and even scheduling appointments—easily accessible in one place. It’s the go-to platform for seamless communication and convenient, integrated services for users in China and the broader Chinese-speaking community.

WeChat has become a critical hub for creating a complete digital ecosystem for schools looking to recruit international students from China or engage with Chinese-speaking communities. It can be thought of as Facebook, WhatsApp, PayPal, and LinkedIn all rolled into one.

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WeChat’s Audience and Features

WeChat has a massive user base, with about 1.3 billion active users, most of whom are in China and other parts of Asia. If your school targets international students from China or aims to increase engagement with Chinese-speaking parents and alumni, WeChat offers an unparalleled platform to achieve this. With its unique ability to facilitate multi-channel communication, schools can create official accounts, push content, and even handle application processing directly through the app.

WeChat’s “Mini Programs” allow schools to build customized features like event registration systems, virtual tours, and interactive alumni networks. This level of customization allows schools to create tailored experiences for their Chinese audience that go far beyond what other platforms offer.

Another significant feature of WeChat is WeChat Pay, allowing students and parents to seamlessly handle tuition fees, donations, and event payments. For Chinese families, integrating WeChat Pay within the platform removes any friction in making payments, which can be a major selling point in their decision-making process.

In terms of content, WeChat Articles are a powerful tool for pushing long-form content directly to followers, keeping them updated on the latest news from your school. Whether it’s a blog about your curriculum or updates on on-campus events, WeChat Articles allow you to connect with your audience through in-app content distribution, creating an easy flow between information sharing and engagement.

Source: HEM

Marketing Opportunities on WeChat

For schools interested in targeted advertising, WeChat offers some incredibly detailed advertising opportunities. With WeChat Moments Ads, you can reach specific demographics and showcase your school’s brand through native-style ads that appear in a user’s feed, similar to Facebook’s sponsored posts. This form of advertising is especially effective for brand awareness and reaching prospective students.

WeChat also supports group marketing, where schools can create exclusive groups for prospective students or alumni. These groups can foster discussions, share news, and create a sense of community that strengthens engagement and boosts enrollment.

Source: RMIT University | WeChat

Example: WeChat Groups allow you to address up to 40 prospects at once, making them a valuable tool for sharing important news and updates, as RMIT University does here.

The significant advantage of WeChat is its complete ecosystem—it allows schools to build an end-to-end digital experience without requiring users to leave the app. Everything from content marketing to customer service and payments can happen within this one platform, making it a powerful choice for schools targeting Chinese-speaking communities.

Understanding WhatsApp: Streamlined Communication and Global Reach

While WeChat dominates in China, WhatsApp is the global king of messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. WhatsApp is particularly strong in Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia, offering schools a streamlined and simple way to engage with their audience across various countries. Its ease of use and widespread adoption make it a highly effective tool for schools aiming to communicate quickly and efficiently with diverse audiences.

WhatsApp’s Audience and Features

Why is WhatsApp useful in education? WhatsApp’s audience is significantly more diverse than WeChat’s, and it’s widely used across many different countries, making it ideal for schools looking to attract international students from multiple regions. WhatsApp’s primary strength is its ability to simplify direct communication between schools, students, parents, and alumni.

WhatsApp’s Business API allows schools to create official business profiles, enabling quick interactions with current and prospective students through text, voice messages, and video calls. This personal touch can be a considerable advantage, especially when engaging with younger audiences who prefer fast, mobile-friendly communication.

Unlike WeChat, WhatsApp’s functionality is more streamlined, focusing on core communication services such as text, voice, and video messaging. This makes it a great tool for schools that want to keep communication direct without the added complexity of an all-encompassing ecosystem.

WhatsApp also allows for group communication, where you can create student, faculty, or special interest groups that foster collaboration. Schools can leverage WhatsApp groups to send updates, event reminders and even provide quick support for administrative issues. It’s also widely used for parent-teacher communication, allowing teachers to quickly inform parents about their child’s progress or upcoming events.

Source: HEM

Marketing Opportunities on WhatsApp

WhatsApp may not have the comprehensive advertising ecosystem that WeChat offers, but it does excel in personalized engagement. For schools that rely heavily on maintaining personal connections with prospective students and families, WhatsApp offers a unique ability to build these relationships through its messaging features.

One highly effective approach is using WhatsApp for direct recruitment campaigns. Schools can reach out to prospective students, answer queries, and guide them through the application process all within the app. This personal touch can often be more effective than formal emails or less personal communication methods, especially when converting prospective students into enrollees.

Another significant advantage of WhatsApp is its support for status updates—a feature similar to Instagram Stories, where schools can post time-sensitive updates or content that will disappear after 24 hours. This allows schools to engage their audience with dynamic content reflecting real-time campus events or application deadlines.

WhatsApp is also owned by Meta (Facebook). For this reason, it offers seamless integration with Facebook, making it a powerful tool for educational marketers and administrators. This connection allows schools to leverage Facebook’s vast advertising network to directly reach prospective students, parents, and alumni on WhatsApp.

By integrating WhatsApp with Facebook’s ad campaigns, you can create targeted messaging that leads users straight into WhatsApp chats. This provides a convenient way for prospects to ask questions, receive guidance, and engage with admissions. This integration enhances lead generation efforts, enables personal interaction, and smooths the communication process, strengthening the overall impact of your school’s digital marketing strategy.

Additionally, WhatsApp’s integration with WhatsApp Web means that schools can easily manage communications via desktop, streamlining the process of answering student queries or sending mass updates to a group of contacts.

Source: Online School of Hotel Management | WhatsApp

Example: Here, the Online School of Hotel Management responds directly to a potential student who has reached out with a question. WhatsApp streamlines your school’s communication with students, guiding them down the admissions funnel in a personalized manner.

WeChat vs. WhatsApp: Which Platform Suits Your School?

What is the difference between WeChat and WhatsApp? In review, they serve different purposes and audiences. WeChat is a multifunctional app primarily used in China, offering a comprehensive ecosystem that includes messaging, social media, payments (WeChat Pay), and even mini-programs for custom features like event registration or virtual tours. It’s ideal for schools targeting Chinese-speaking students and parents, providing an all-in-one solution for communication and engagement.

On the other hand, WhatsApp is more streamlined, focusing on direct messaging, voice, and video calls. It has global appeal, especially in Latin America, Europe, and Africa. It’s perfect for schools that want to maintain personal, direct connections with students and families worldwide through simple, efficient communication. Choosing between WeChat and WhatsApp largely depends on your school’s audience and your communication goals. Here’s a deeper dive into how each platform aligns with specific audience types and regions.

If Your School is Targeting Chinese Students or Families

If your school focuses on recruiting students from China or engaging with Chinese alumni and parents, WeChat is, without a doubt, the best choice. WeChat’s cultural relevance within China makes it indispensable for schools looking to build long-term connections with this audience. Its ability to integrate payment systems, post long-form content, and offer an all-in-one solution for admissions, tuition, and engagement puts WeChat miles ahead regarding Chinese student recruitment.

In addition to the functional advantages, Chinese students and families will expect your school to be present on WeChat. It’s a platform that they trust and are familiar with, and being active on WeChat signals your school’s commitment to engaging with this audience in a culturally relevant way.

Source: Northampton Community College | WeChat

Example: This WeChat ad for Northampton Community College provides the institution’s Chinese name, the QR code leading to their landing page, account IDs for Weibo, Youku, and Zhihu, and a CTA. By following this structure, you can make your institution easily accessible to students and families in China.

If Your School is Targeting Global or Multicultural Audiences

WhatsApp is a far better choice for schools casting a wider net and needing to reach global audiences, particularly in regions like Latin America, Europe, Africa, and South Asia. Its universal appeal and ease of use make it ideal for communicating with students from diverse backgrounds. WhatsApp is especially useful for managing international recruitment efforts across multiple countries, as it’s a platform that students and families worldwide are likely already using.

In these regions, WhatsApp provides a more personal touch. Its focus on direct communication allows you to build meaningful connections with prospective students, making them feel valued and supported throughout the admissions process. WhatsApp is the right platform if your school prioritizes fast, personal interactions with a broader international audience.

If Your School Needs a Comprehensive Marketing Ecosystem

For schools ready to invest in a comprehensive marketing system to manage everything from social media engagement to payments, WeChat is the platform to choose. Its versatility allows schools to build custom mini-apps within the platform, offering a wholly branded experience for students and parents. WeChat’s ecosystem also allows for a more immersive marketing experience, making it an excellent choice for schools looking to create long-term engagement.

If Your School Prioritizes Simplicity and Personal Communication

On the other hand, if your school values simplicity and needs a platform that prioritizes direct, fast communication over elaborate marketing systems, WhatsApp is the better choice. It’s the platform for schools that want to keep communication simple, efficient, and highly personal. WhatsApp excels at building authentic relationships for student recruitment, parent communication, or handling alumni relations on a more personal level.

Source: WhatsApp

Source: McMaster University

Example: McMaster University shares a list of WhatsApp Channels for its students. McMaster shares casual, authentic, and personable content on its various channels, as pictured above.

Final Thoughts: Aligning Your School’s Needs with the Right Platform

Ultimately, the decision between WeChat and WhatsApp should come down to the specific needs of your school and the audience you’re trying to reach. If you focus on connecting with Chinese-speaking students and parents, WeChat provides an all-in-one marketing and communication solution that can’t be matched. However, WhatsApp is a strong contender if your school aims for global reach and personal, straightforward communication. Its simplicity, ease of use, and popularity worldwide make it a go-to platform for schools that want to maintain direct and personal connections with students, parents, and alumni across different countries.

Combining Both Platforms for Maximum Impact

It’s also worth considering that you don’t necessarily have to choose one. Many schools benefit from using both platforms to target specific audience segments. For instance, if your school is engaged in global recruitment but also targets Chinese students, you can use WhatsApp to maintain personal, direct relationships with your broader international audience while leveraging WeChat’s extensive ecosystem to cater to your Chinese audience.

Integrating WeChat and WhatsApp into your school’s communication and marketing strategy can tailor your approach to suit each audience’s preferences, delivering a more personalized and culturally relevant experience. Whether it’s the seamless payment options and immersive marketing experiences on WeChat or the personal, text-based interactions on WhatsApp, using both platforms strategically can maximize your reach and impact.

Action Steps for Implementing WeChat or WhatsApp for Your School

Once you’ve decided which platform (or platforms) fits your school’s audience, it’s time to take action. Here’s how you can get started:
1. Define Your Audience Segments: Start by identifying which segments of your audience would best respond to WeChat and which would benefit more from WhatsApp. To tailor your strategy, consider cultural preferences, regional habits, and communication styles.
2. Create Official Accounts: Whether you’re using WeChat or WhatsApp, setting up an official business account is crucial. For WeChat, this includes creating an official account to publish content, integrate payments, and offer customer service. For WhatsApp, create a business profile with key contact details and a direct line for inquiries.
3. Build Content for Engagement: On WeChat, use Mini Programs, Articles, and Moments Ads to create a holistic marketing ecosystem. For WhatsApp, focus on conversational marketing, using messaging to engage students directly and build trust through personalized communication.
4. Train Your Marketing Team: Ensure your team is well-versed in each platform’s features. WeChat’s ecosystem is more complex, so consider investing in training to maximize its potential. For WhatsApp, focus on conversational marketing strategies and direct engagement best practices.
5. Track and Optimize Performance: Both platforms provide analytics that can help you measure engagement and refine your approach. Use these insights to optimize your marketing campaigns and improve communication with your audience.
Conclusion: Choosing the Best Tool for Your School

When deciding between WeChat and WhatsApp, the key is to align the strengths of each platform with your school’s audience and communication goals. WeChat is ideal for reaching Chinese-speaking students and creating an immersive, all-in-one experience, while WhatsApp maintains direct, personal connections with a global audience.

By understanding the unique features of both platforms and strategically implementing them, your school can enhance its communication strategy, foster better relationships with students and parents, and ultimately drive more successful recruitment efforts. Whether you choose one platform or integrate both, the right tool will help you reach your school’s target audience more effectively, ensuring your message is heard loud and clear.

Struggling with enrollment?

Our expert digital marketing services can help you attract and enroll more students!

FAQ

Why do people use WeChat?

WeChat is an all-in-one app that combines messaging, social media, payments, and mini-programs. It makes daily tasks—from chatting with friends to shopping, paying bills, and even scheduling appointments—easily accessible in one place. It’s the go-to platform for seamless communication and convenient, integrated services for users in China and the broader Chinese-speaking community.

Why is WhatsApp useful in education?

WhatsApp’s audience is significantly more diverse than WeChat’s, and it’s widely used across many different countries, making it ideal for schools looking to attract international students from multiple regions. WhatsApp’s primary strength is its ability to simplify direct communication between schools, students, parents, and alumni.
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December 4, 2024
5 School Advertising Ideas: Top Dos and Don’ts

Reading Time: 10 minutes

Do you need more school advertising ideas? Today, we’re providing you with the inspiration you need. As a marketing agency with over 15 years of experience in educational marketing, we at HEM understand that school administrators and marketers face unique challenges when promoting their institutions. Traditional advertising methods may no longer yield the same results, and creative approaches are necessary to make a lasting impact.

Before we get the strategy, it’s important to define our goals. Though every institution has different objectives, generally, school advertising serves a unique purpose. What is the role of advertisement in education? Educational advertisements are crucial in creating awareness and attracting prospective students by effectively showcasing your educational institution’s unique features, values, and opportunities.

It helps your school to share your programs, campus life, and success stories, making you more accessible and appealing to a diverse audience. By utilizing targeted advertising strategies, you can reach students who align with your offerings, thus enhancing enrollment rates and fostering a more engaged student body. Additionally, advertising builds a school’s brand and reputation, helping to differentiate it from competitors in an increasingly crowded educational market. In this guide, we’ll walk you through five school advertising ideas, focusing on what works—and what to avoid—so that your marketing efforts are as effective as possible.

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Idea 1: Virtual Campus Tours and Interactive Content

With the increasing reliance on online learning, offering prospective students a virtual tour of your campus has become a highly effective school advertising tactic. This strategy enables you to create an engaging experience that leaves a lasting impression. A static, pre-recorded tour might offer a different personal touch than students are looking for, so consider an interactive experience that allows them to explore your campus on their own terms.

Do make your virtual tour dynamic and customizable. It lets users choose their path, allowing them to click on different areas of the campus to explore further. This gives prospective students a sense of control and personalization, which is especially important if they cannot visit in person. You should also include interactive elements, like videos that feature current students or faculty members describing life on campus.

Example: Here, John Cabot University in Rome showcases its unique location and stunning campus in a virtual tour. Visitors can click on different parts of the campus, zoom in for a closer look, and zoom out for a view of the Eternal City.

Source: John Cabot University

However, pay attention to the importance of high-quality production. A virtual tour riddled with poor-quality video, muffled sound, or outdated visuals will do more harm than good. Investing in professional video production ensures the user experience is smooth and engaging. Also, make the tour shorter. Prospective students, especially younger ones, often have shorter attention spans, so aim to keep the tour concise but informative.

If you could use more school advertising ideas, contact HEM here!

Idea 2: Personalized Email Campaigns

Email marketing has long been a reliable channel for reaching potential students, but its effectiveness hinges on personalization. A well-crafted email that speaks directly to students’ interests can do wonders for engagement rates. The key is to use your collected data wisely and create highly targeted email campaigns that resonate with specific student personas.

Personalize your emails based on the prospective student’s interests, location, and stage in the admissions funnel. Use their first names, reference the programs they have shown interest in, and offer tailored information about how your school can meet their needs. You could include information about extracurricular activities, scholarships, or campus events that align with their interests. Personalization can also extend to automated follow-up emails, keeping your school top-of-mind for students who may not have decided.

Example: Here, MIT targets a warm lead – someone already interested in a specific program. It uses the prospect’s name, states their program of interest, and provides an attractive but time-sensitive call to action at the end. When creating personalized email campaigns, use segmentation to ensure each email goes to the right individual. Email segmentation is the process of dividing an email list into smaller, targeted groups based on specific criteria such as demographics, behavior, or interests. This allows for more personalized and relevant email marketing, improving engagement and overall campaign effectiveness.

Source: MIT | Gmail

On the other hand, don’t rely on generic, one-size-fits-all emails. Mass emailing without personalization is an outdated approach that can turn off prospective students, making them feel like just another number. Additionally, avoid sending too many emails too frequently.

Bombarding your prospects with irrelevant or repetitive content could cause them to unsubscribe or mark your emails as spam. Finding the right balance between engagement and oversaturation is key.

Idea 3: Social Media Takeovers and Student-Generated Content

Social media remains one of the most powerful platforms for schools to engage with prospective students, especially when using platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn for graduate programs. One creative way to leverage social media is through student takeovers. Handing over your social media channels to current students for a day or even a week can offer an authentic look at what life is like at your school. Prospective students are more likely to trust the words and experiences of their peers than a polished marketing message.

Encourage students to share genuine, unfiltered content that represents their daily lives, whether that’s a behind-the-scenes look at classes, clubs, or dorm life. User-generated content can also effectively highlight diverse voices and experiences, allowing prospective students from all walks of life to see themselves reflected in your school’s culture. User-generated content showing real students living out their passions and making the most of their education can be a powerful marketing tool.

Example: This student takeover by Oxford University showcases a unique aspect of the school’s culture – formals! Student takeovers are an excellent school advertisement tactic for targeting students who view their learning experience as an opportunity to earn new certifications and make memories.

Source: Oxford University English Faculty | Instagram

However, don’t lose control over your brand’s messaging. While student-generated content should be authentic, it’s important to provide guidelines so that the content stays in line with your school’s values and branding. Avoid situations where inappropriate or irrelevant content is on your official platforms. Striking the right balance between authenticity and professionalism is crucial for this strategy’s success.

Idea 4: Search Engine Marketing (SEM) with a Focus on Long-Tail Keywords

Search engine marketing (SEM) is another essential strategy when advertising for schools. While general keywords like “best universities” or “top colleges” are incredibly competitive and expensive, long-tail keywords can help your school reach a more specific audience. For example, keywords like “best nursing programs in Ontario” or “liberal arts colleges with study abroad options” are more likely to attract students who are already well-informed in their decision-making process.

Do optimize your campaigns by focusing on long-tail keywords that match the unique aspects of your school’s programs. Conduct thorough keyword research to identify phrases that align with what makes your institution special. Additionally, ensure that your ads lead to well-designed landing pages relevant to the search query. If prospective students click on an ad about your nursing program, for example, they should be taken directly to a page with information on that program, not a generic landing page.

Example: In the metadata of Randolph-Macon Academy’s blog, the title and meta description have been optimized using the long-tail keyword ‘military boarding school’. Be sure to use specific and relevant keywords that fit your target audience.

Source: Randolph-Macon Academy

But don’t overspend on highly competitive keywords unlikely to yield significant results. Budgeting for SEM can be tricky, especially for schools with limited resources, so avoid the temptation to compete with bigger institutions on broad, expensive terms. Also, don’t neglect mobile optimization. Many students will be researching schools on their phones, so your SEM efforts should consider mobile-friendly landing pages and a seamless user experience across devices.

Idea 5: Influencer Partnerships and Micro-Influencers

The rise of influencer marketing has opened up new opportunities for schools to reach younger audiences, particularly through platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. While partnering with mega-influencers can be costly and may not yield the desired results, working with micro-influencers—those with a smaller but highly engaged following—can be an excellent way to build trust with prospective students. These influencers, often niche content creators or even current students, can offer authentic endorsements of your school.

Do choose micro-influencers who align closely with your school’s values and the interests of your target audience. For instance, if you’re promoting a nursing program, you might partner with a healthcare-related influencer who can speak authentically to the value of your school’s education. Establish clear objectives for the partnership, whether increasing applications, building brand awareness, or driving traffic to your website.

Example: This is an excellent example of influencer content your school can use to reach prospects organically. Particularly when it comes to colleges and universities, students worldwide use the experiences of creators like Lydia, who are both relatable and aspirational, providing honest, helpful information about academics and student life. A small audience like Lydia’s is more likely to be trusting and have a very specific or niche interest in various subjects related to your school. Lydia’s YouTube channel posts authentic vlogs of her experience at Yale University, making her content perfect for any student considering enrollment there. You can launch an organic, effective, and cost-efficient school advertising campaign by partnering up with an influencer like her.

Source: Lydia Choi | Youtube

However, don’t choose influencers solely based on follower count. Engagement rates and the influencer’s connection to your target audience matter much more. Also, avoid overly scripted partnerships that come off as inauthentic. The power of influencer marketing lies in its relatability, so the content produced should feel organic and aligned with the influencer’s usual style.

Effective school advertising is about blending traditional marketing methods with creative, student-focused approaches such as the digital marketing tactics we’ve explored. You may have heard plenty of buzz around digital marketing, but you may still wonder: Do schools need digital marketers? Schools benefit from digital marketers to effectively reach and engage prospective students online, leveraging platforms like social media, search engines, and email to attract the right audience. Digital marketers use targeted campaigns and data-driven strategies to boost enrollment, enhance the institution’s visibility, and build a positive brand image in an increasingly competitive education landscape.

Idea 6: Video Advertising for Maximum Engagement

Video content is one of the most powerful tools in advertising. When it comes to promoting educational institutions, it offers an engaging way to communicate your school’s values, culture, and opportunities. Platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok provide an ideal space for reaching prospective students, allowing you to tell compelling stories that resonate emotionally. A well-crafted video can showcase your school’s strengths, provide testimonials from current students, and highlight campus life in a way that static images simply cannot.

Do make use of authentic storytelling in your video ads. Feature real students and staff sharing their experiences, whether about academic achievements, extracurricular activities, or campus culture. A relatable story goes a long way in building a genuine connection with your audience. It’s also important to tailor the content to the platform—short, catchy videos work great on TikTok, while longer, more in-depth content can thrive on YouTube. Keep your audience engaged by adding subtitles since many users watch videos on mute.

Don’t create overly promotional or staged content. Today’s students can easily spot a scripted advertisement that lacks authenticity. Avoid focusing only on flashy visuals without providing meaningful information; remember, the goal is to attract students genuinely interested in what your school offers. Monitoring your campaigns and understanding which video styles or narratives resonate with your audience is also essential.

Source: Collège Villa Maria High School | Instagram

Example: Villa Maria High School uses an engaging video ad to share useful information regarding an open house. Use your advertising to guide prospects to the next desired outcome.

To help schools navigate the intricacies of video advertising and other digital campaigns, Higher Education Marketing offers specialized paid advertising services. Our team can help improve your school’s reach in crucial regions, target specific audiences effectively, and strategically remarket to existing leads. With a free consultation, we analyze your paid advertising strategy and identify areas for improvement, ensuring that you get the best return on your investment.

Whether you’re exploring virtual campus tours or into influencer partnerships, the key to success is connecting with your audience. Your school can stand out in a competitive market by focusing on high-quality, personalized, engaging content. Avoid pitfalls like impersonal messaging, poor production value, or misaligned partnerships. With these strategies, you’ll be well on your way to capturing the attention and interest of prospective students.

Looking to increase student enrollment?

Our inbound marketing services can help your school attract and enroll more students!

FAQs

What is the role of advertisement in education?

Educational advertisements are crucial in creating awareness and attracting prospective students by effectively showcasing your educational institution’s unique features, values, and opportunities.

Do schools need digital marketers?

Schools benefit from digital marketers to effectively reach and engage prospective students online, leveraging platforms like social media, search engines, and email to attract the right audience.

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October 30, 2024
Podcasting with Allanté Whitmore, PhD of Blk + In Grad School
Have you thought about starting a podcast?

@BlkInGradSchool

Allanté Whitmore, PhD started the Blk + In Grad School podcast on her phone, a podcast created to encourage and inspire people of color in grad school. It’s since grown to over 160 episodes with a new season on the way.

Discover Allanté’s journey as a podcast producer and host. It’s all in this featured interview on The Social Academic blog.
Have you thought about starting a podcast?

Meet Allanté

Allanté started a podcast to create the resource she needed in grad school

Getting started with podcasting in grad school

What type of content creation is right for you?

Finding a budget for a podcast editor

How starting a podcast has impacted Allanté’s life

The Grad School Success Summit

Leaving academia (and talking about it online)

TikTok is Allanté’s favorite social media platform

Keeping her online presence updated

A tip for starting your new content project

A new season of Blk + In Grad School

Bio for Dr. Allanté Whitmore
Meet Allanté

Jennifer: Hi, everyone. This is Jennifer van Alstyne. Welcome to The Social Academic featured interview series.

Today, I’m speaking with Dr. Allanté Whitmore. We’re gonna be talking about podcasting, which is something a lot of you have been interested in. I’m excited for you to be here today.

Would you please introduce yourself? Just let everyone know who you are?

Allanté: Absolutely. Jennifer, thank you so much for having me on the podcast. We’ve been internet buddies for years now which is kind of amazing. So excited to be here.

So hi, everybody, my name’s Allanté Whitmore, PhD. I recently completed a joint PhD in Civil Engineering and Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University where I studied autonomous vehicle policy research.

On the weekends, and in the wee hours of the night, I built a podcast and community called Blk + In Grad School. There I chronicle my experience as a black woman pursuing a PhD in Engineering. I also interview other graduate students and early career professionals about their graduate experience. With the whole hope of
- Motivating
- Inspiring
- Providing tips and tricks
- Mindset shifts
for graduate students to get through their journey.

Jennifer: Oh, I love that. What a good podcast topic. It’s also gonna help so many people. It’s one of those things that those resources are gonna be valuable to people again and again for years to come.

I’m not a big podcast listener, but I love the episode that you did about decorating your apartment on a grad school budget. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, so many good tips. And I’m a big thrift storer. I really enjoyed that.

I love that you interview a lot of black women and really give them a platform to share their stories and their advice.

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Allanté started a podcast to create the resource she needed in grad school

Jennifer: What inspired you to start a podcast?

Allanté: Yeah, absolutely. Honestly, my own experience through grad school.

Prior to going to Carnegie Mellon, I finished my master’s at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. And I did undergrad at North Carolina Agricultural Technical State University which is a historically black college [HBCU].

The transition between my undergraduate experience and grad school was very jarring.

A lot of people maybe assumed because I moved from an HBCU to a predominantly white institution…the academic rigor was the same.

It was the social pieces and some of that kind of hidden curriculum around how one navigates themselves as a graduate student that I really wasn’t knowledgeable about.

I really stumbled through my 1st graduate school experience. I didn’t know I was supposed to show up to Friday coffee to connect with my professors. I wasn’t really involved or engaged in a way that was beneficial to me as someone who’s aspiring a profession and career.

When I left, I finished my master’s, I went and worked in Detroit at the McNair Scholars Program at Wayne State University. I led that program. If you’re not familiar with McNair Scholars, it’s a program that helps 1st generation low income students go to graduate school. There, I got all this professional training around grad school readiness and retention in graduate school.

Coupled with my own experience in my professional training, I just felt when I decided to go back to graduate school…There was so much I wished someone told me that had nothing to do with the technical or academic skills we need to be successful. I think a lot of us have that already.

It’s just like, oh yeah
- You’re supposed to go to Friday coffee.
- This is how you manage a meeting with your advisor.
- Here’s how you kind of work through those stickier situations where we may not have a safe space to ask those questions at our university.
That is how Blk + In Grad School started. The whole idea was what I wish someone told me. The research I wish I had when I started back in 2012.

Jennifer: Oh, I love that. It sounds like what you went through in your experiences helped inspire you to create this beneficial resource for everyone who is going through it now. And who may be advising students who are also going through this journey.

You said earlier, ‘hidden curriculum.’ In grad school, especially if you’re not from an academic family, if your parents aren’t PhDs. Especially if you’re from a low income household…There are these kinds of hidden curriculum things that no one’s gonna tell you unless someone like you creates resources around it. I love that you’re welcoming that community and starting that conversation for so many people across the country.

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Want emails from Jennifer about building your online presence? Subscribe to her email list.
Looking for the podcast? Subscribe on Spotify.
Prefer to watch videos? Subscribe on YouTube.

Getting started with podcasting in grad school

Jennifer: Now how did you get started podcasting? A lot of people are like, ‘Oh yeah, I wanna have a podcast.’ But what was the process for you like when you were getting started and hitting the ground running?

Allanté: Oh yeah, absolutely. Now, I would not recommend my path [laughs].

Jennifer: That’s good to know too.

Allanté: This was 5 years ago. Okay? When you could start things on your phone. I swear y’all, for those listening, I literally grabbed my phone and put the mic as close to my mouth. If you go back to like the first 10 episodes they’re terrible because it’s literally me on my blow up mattress because I didn’t have a bed yet. I had just moved to Pennsylvania.

I maybe did a little bit of light editing on my computer. But it was literally stream of consciousness. That’s how I started Blk + In Grad School.

Then I upgraded to my computer. The next 20 episodes are me huffing into the computer.

Then I finally invested in a mic and the quality improved.

I started to invest in editing and started to think about crafting stories.

I started interviewing people around the 20th episode as well. I was like, “Oh, this could be really good to bring in more perspectives, more experiences.” It was a very organic growth that happened from the start.

I would not recommend starting with your phone anymore. We have really great inexpensive mics that you can get started.

Jennifer: That’s so cool that it really was this project and you’re like, ‘I’m gonna do it. Even if it’s on my blow up mattress with my phone in my hand. I’m going to create this.’

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What type of content creation is right for you?

Allanté: Oh gosh. Another transparency moment for me: I actually hate writing. Right? [Jennifer laughs.]

I’m an engineer. I’m an engineer through and through where I wrote quite literally what was exactly needed to get this PhD. And technical writing is way different than creative writing. I definitely feel more comfortable writing for research.

In my life prior to being in graduate school, I’ve done a number of entrepreneurial pursuits. One of them was a blog. Hated it.

Tried vlogging, hated it. I wasn’t able to keep up with it.

And so what I love about podcasting is that I was able to be consistent. It was low pressure for me as someone who’s kind of on the go. Even now, I just left the gym. I have a hat on. Like, Jennifer looks beautiful. Eyebrows done, lipstick. I put lipgloss on and got here. And podcasting takes that pressure away from me.

Jennifer: It does.

Allanté: Yeah, so I can create consistently. And I’m not really worried about the visual…I love podcasts. I kind of started to realize the power of podcasting and having someone in your ears. And the intimate moment of listening to someone else’s thoughts or hearing their perspective.

It just felt like a very natural fit because I had tried other forms. They weren’t really for me. And in this one, I was able to make stick.

Jennifer: Yeah. So your podcast listener yourself. And you tried blogging and didn’t enjoy it.

I really like the things you said about how it allowed you to really be consistent. That is so important when we’re creating something new. When we’re creating this kind of new project that is going to take an unknown amount of time.

Really, when we’re starting out, that idea of consistency is something that a lot of people don’t think about.

And when professors tend to approach me and they’re like, ‘I wanna start a blog. You know, I’m excited about this.” And I talk with them a little bit about some of the things that go into it. And how much work they might have to do in order to get things up and running. And they’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, I had no idea.’

Finding a budget for a podcast editor

Jennifer: Was there anything that was really surprising about the podcasting process that you learned once you kind of got into it?

Allanté: In my 2nd year of my program, I moved into a cheaper apartment because I really was enjoying Blk + In Grad School. I knew I needed to be able to put a little money towards it. As a grad student I was earning nothing. But I was like, ‘Okay, I can now carve out $100-$200 a month toward an editor.’ That was the 1st thing I invested in to take that off my plate.

It’s very time consuming and I’m grateful to my [podcast] editor who’s like one of my best friends, Stephanie. I’m also very fortunate to have a best friend who is an editor, right?

Jennifer: That’s wonderful.

Allanté: Yes! I’m very grateful for her. I told her, ‘Hey, I’m doing this project. Here’s what I can afford right now.’ And as Blk + In Grad School grew, I was able to do some increases in her pay. She was also a very supportive person.

You can look in at Fiverr, you can look in at Upwork. You can do a bunch of things to delegate if you know there’s a piece of the process that you simply don’t wanna do. Or, that you don’t have the time to do.

Editing was the piece that I think I very quickly realized this is a time suck for me. That it would actually harm or decrease my productivity or consistency if I’m the person responsible for editing.

Jennifer: That is so smart. It’s really nice that you figured out the piece of that puzzle where if you send this off and get some help with it, that’s what’s gonna allow you to actually produce more. And put more energy, the kind of energy you want into this project.

I love that you chose to change your lifestyle in order to actually put more energy into this and more finances too.

A lot of people don’t realize that some money may have to go into the kind of upkeep or creation of a project like this. I really appreciate your transparency with that.

Allanté: Absolutely.

How starting a podcast has impacted Allanté‘s life

Jennifer: Now, you must have made that decision because it was impacting you in some greater way.

I’m curious, what kind of impact has the podcast had on your life? Or, your online community?

Allanté: So many amazing things have come from Blk + In Grad School. I genuinely was just creating something I wish existed. Right?

From that I have had speaking engagements at universities across the country, which is really exciting. Especially during the pandemic, I was able to do a lot since it was virtual.

Jennifer: That’s great!

Allanté: Yeah, it blew my mind. Right?

I’ve done campaigns. I’ve dabbled in the influencer space as a result of Blk + In Grad School, representing the graduate lifestyle to an extent.

Jennifer: Oooh.

Allanté: It’s very interesting.

I don’t fully take on the identity of an ‘influencer.’ It feels awkward. But the reality is that it’s a stream of income that has been helpful.

Especially when I was finishing up my PhD in the last like year or so. It was really like, ‘Okay, this is actually bringing in income,’ sponsorships.

Lastly, my community. In 2019, I started The Scholar Circle. It’s a community for folks in grad school. It’s an accountability and coworking community. We meet 3 times a week for a total of roughly 8 hours over those 3 sessions. We work together. We get things done.

In the membership community, there are a host of resources to help you through your graduate journey. That also became a piece that I didn’t anticipate growing. I will also be honest, that was very hard to grow. That took time. And even still, it takes time to readjust and attract new people. That is a task, but it’s a labor of love.

All of these different things have kind of cropped up.

I also have merch.

There’s just like so many different kinds of new streams of income that helped me support the podcast so I didn’t have to be the one putting the money into it.

Jennifer: Oh, that’s amazing. So, you’ve created streams of income that are associated with the content that you create, this podcast. And that helps you support the creation of the podcast.

Allanté: That’s right.

Jennifer: If The Scholar Circle, that kind of co-working and accountability sounds great to you, check that out.

Jennifer: One thing that I love about your Instagram and your online presence is that community feel is really there as well. When you’re talking about how you are picking up some sponsored and campaigns for some influencer type things that makes total sense to me. Because the audience that is already following you, the people that are connected with you, they wanna see more content about grad school.

They wanna see more of that lifestyle and what you were going through as well. I love that you were a great representative for them and that companies were able to work with you for that kind of thing.

Allanté: Yeah, thank you. I mean that totally came left field. [Jennifer laughs.] And it’s still so funny nowadays because I realize it is a lucrative option. And recognizing that Blk + In Grad School is also very niche.

There’s a really interesting balancing act that happens there. It’s been very helpful. It’s like, ‘Okay, now I actually have a substantial amount of money I can support. Now I can get more resources. I can now pay someone to help me with The Scholar Circle.

So it all goes back into serving the community. I’m grateful for it.

But I also don’t wanna start spamming the community, right? So there’s like a balance.

Jennifer: Yeah, right.

Allanté: Exactly.

Jennifer: There is a balance. And I’ve never seen anything that looks even remotely like SPAM from your accounts.

Allanté: Yeah. [Laughs.]

Jennifer: You’re always so thoughtful with the content that you share. And actually you’re a great example when I’m talking to other grad students about what they might wanna post on Instagram. I often direct them to your account. I say, “There’s all sorts of things you can do. You can help people. You can talk about your own experiences. And this isn’t a great example for you to check out.”

So I love your Instagram. And oh my gosh, spammy? Definitely not [laughs].

Allanté: That makes me feel better.

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The Grad School Success Summit

Allanté: I started that the Grad School Success Summit the 1st year of the podcast. That was the event I used to help attract people to Blk + In Grad School.

Not just current grad students, but also other folks in the academic content creation space. That’s how I think I first reached out to you, Jennifer, was to be a speaker.

Jennifer: That’s right. That’s totally right.

Allanté: Yeah. It was really a way for me to kind of tap into the community of content creators who we are supporting the same community.

But then also let new people know ‘Hey, there’s this resource available. You know, it might vibe with you.’ If not, I always share a bunch of other resources that might be a better fit.

This year was the 5th Summit which blows my mind.

Jennifer: Wow! 5 years. I mean that’s really amazing.

Allanté: Thank you. It blows my mind. That is definitely the staple event I have every single year. It’s always helpful in building my email list. That’s my main email list building activity for the year. I really enjoy it.

Those 3 days are intense but really, really fun.

Jennifer: They’re fun. It sounds like it’s something that helps build your list. That helps more people learn about Blk + In Grad School and The Scholar Circle.

How does it help the community? What is the Grad School Success Summit? And who should go to it?

Allanté: I think everyone has the academic skills. I’m really not super concerned with folks having the academic skills. I think if you got into grad school, you’ve got them.

But it’s the social bit. It’s the financial wellness. It’s the emotional wellness. Physical wellness. Creating a personal brand. Right? Building community. All of those other pieces of the grad school experience that universities don’t feel fully responsible for.

I feel like we try our best to create an environment where you can get some tips. You can get some information. Some resources and motivation around any of those topics so you’re a more well rounded graduate student. Not just a brain, you know, doing research day in and day out. And doing homework. And doing readings.

So helping grad students think about what do they want their year to look like? Beyond their academic goals. And how they’re gonna take care of themselves to carry them out is really the impetus behind the Summit.

Jennifer: I love that.

Is there somewhere people can watch the replays if they missed this year’s Summit?

Allanté: So yeah! You can totally watch the replays at GradSchoolSummit.com. That’s for the most recent year, the 2022 Grad School Success Summit.

If you wanna watch any year before that so 2021-2018, they replays are all available on my YouTube.

Jennifer: Excellent! Great.

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Leaving academia (and talking about it online)

Jennifer: Well I’d love to hear what you’re up to now. Congratulations on finishing your PhD.

Allanté: Thank you.

Jennifer: I know that you’re in a new job. So I’d love to hear a little about it.

Allanté: Yeah, absolutely.

So, I have left academia. That was honestly so stressful to actually admit on the internet. I don’t know why.

I just feel like there’s this assumption, even my own inner feeling that we’re supposed to go onto a tenure track position.

I had a really great opportunity at a national energy security organization. We look at transportation policy as it relates to reducing our dependence on oil. I am now the Director of the Autonomous Vehicle Policy Research Center there.

Jennifer: Exciting!

Allanté: It’s really exciting! Yeah! It’s really exciting work. I get to do exactly what I’ve always wanted to do, which is stand between technical folks (so automakers in this particular expertise I’ve built) and policy makers to communicate what’s happening on that side. See what’s happening with policy. To help create policy. And my emphasis on equity informed policies, so how do we make sure that things are good for everybody.

Jennifer: So that they’re accessible.

Allanté: Yeah, yeah. It’s exciting.

Jennifer: I love that! Now, since you were kind of anxious about talking about it online, what kind of reaction did you get to announcing you were leaving academia?

Allanté: All resounding ‘Good for you’s [laughs].

Jennifer: Yay! [Claps.] So if you’re also leaving academia, or thinking about it, it is okay to talk about online. A lot of people are gonna cheer you on.

Allanté: Yeah, that’s right. That’s right.

There are some folks who were like, “Oh, I think you would have made a great professor.” And it doesn’t mean that part of my life is absolutely not an option, right? But yeah.

Mostly we get it. It’s hard out here.

Finishing grad school after the peak of the pandemic, so the academic job market was something I just wasn’t really in a place to even do at the time. I was like, ‘I just wanna figure things out if I need to. But I’m very [emphasis] happy with my position.

Jennifer: It sounds like you’re exactly where you wanna be. Right in that place with policy and the automakers themselves. So that’s so cool.

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TikTok is Allanté’s favorite social media platform

Jennifer: One thing that I wanted to be sure to ask you about is what is your favorite social media platform? You do have a big online presence. You’ve got multiple websites. You’ve got your Instagram, your YouTube. Which is your favorite?

Allanté: TikTok! [Laughs.] Where I’m not at.

[Jennifer: laughing loudly] That’s so funny! Why do you like TikTok so much?

Allanté: I love TikTok. I have a very irreverent sense of humor and I feel like TikTok is full of all of the, like, just wild and kind of wacky stuff. I thoroughly enjoy that.

Jennifer: It fits your personality.

Allanté: Yeah, yeah. There’s things on there. I’d create a page…But I enjoy consuming TikTok. I haven’t gotten to where I wanna contribute too much.

Jennifer: Well you’re a creator in a lot of different areas. You don’t need to create on every platform. Especially the ones you enjoy consuming the most. [Allanté nods her head.]

That’s really fun to hear about when you have so many social media platforms.

Keeping her online presence updated

Jennifer: How do you manage all of that? Like you have multiple websites. You got the social media. That’s a lot to keep track of.

I have a pretty good system with the podcast. Right now, the podcast isn’t on YouTube. I only have like the Summit on YouTube. When I first started, I did a couple of webinars. So they’re there.

My YouTube is pretty tame. That keeps it very manageable for me where I’m only adding 6 new videos a year for those 3 days that we have the Summit.

Jennifer: Nice.

Allanté: Now as far as the websites, everything from the podcast goes to the website. Once I create a podcast episode through my podcast provider, I then link everything: the show notes, all of that. I’m pretty much just repurposing all of that written content and putting it into a blog post on the website. That keeps it very easy to maintain and pretty low maintenance.

Now the social media piece, that’s where probably the bulk of my content creation energy goes. Because you have to create things all the time.

I more recently took a break because I was writing my dissertation. Honestly, so much life has happened since I finished my PhD. Even like us recording is getting me back into the groove of content creation.

Jennifer: Right.

Allanté: What that looked like before was, ‘Okay, I have this episode that’s gonna go out. I only need 2 more pieces of content around the post with the podcast every week. So that’s kind of how I managed it and kept it very low maintenance for me. Like, I can create 2 more pieces of content.

Jennifer: It sounds like you have a good system.

Allanté: Yeah, I do. Thanks.

Jennifer: I like that your system is all based around the podcast. And figuring out what needs to be shared, where it needs to be shared, and when. Right? That’s the multiple posts part. But it sounds like you have a system in place.

I love that you took a break during your dissertation. And even afterwards. Taking a break from social media is so important, especially for our mental health and well-being. It’s great that you shared that as well.

Need a break from social media? I have an blog post to help.

A tip for starting your new content project

Jennifer: Now, is there anything else that you’d like to add that you wanna be sure to talk about during this interview? I’m having so much fun.

Allanté: I know! Me too.

Only thing I’d say, for anyone who is starting out. The advice I give everyone, and this is what I did when I started the podcast…

Before you go live, create 5-10 pieces of content.

Jennifer: Oooh. Why?

Allanté: 1: you’re practicing the consistency of creating the content and making it a part of your schedule. Even if that means you’re sitting and bashing it. It’s like, ‘Okay, this is how long it takes me to make 5-10 episodes. Or 5-10 videos. 5-10 blog posts, whatever.

Then you can schedule those anchor pieces of content over those 10 weeks, 5 weeks, what have you. If it’s every other week, now you’ve got 20 weeks worth of content if it’s biweekly that you’re producing content.

You get to kind of mess up too. Those very 1st episodes, I don’t listen to. Because they’re not great! But, I got to figure out so much with those first few episodes. Then I could reassess and create some direction. And decide if I like it.

I think all of those bits are really important, 1: with building an audience, and 2: figuring out what works for you and your flow. And making sure you can stay committed to something you said you were going to do.

Jennifer: You have to like it. Right? It’s a big project. It takes a lot of energy and maybe even some finances if you want to get into it. So liking it is important [laughs].

And I’m glad you had a topic you were passionate about. And that you put all this energy into. Because you created something amazing.

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A new season of Blk + In Grad School

Jennifer: What is next for Blk + In Grad School? Will there be a new season?

Allanté: Yeah! Literally, I recorded an episode yesterday. It’s so exciting. I definitely wanna hit 200 episodes. We’re at 165 right now. So I know the goal right now is okay, hit 200. And then we will reassess again.

[Allanté and Jennifer laugh.]

Allanté: But I’m definitely wanting to serve the community. I’m open to what that looks like. I think there might be time for a new voice. There might be time for a different approach. I’m really open to what’s needed from me.

And also balancing my life post-grad school. Right? My time is different. I actually travel a lot for work. Figuring that out has been really interesting.

Jennifer: You’ve changed your lifestyle to work with this podcast. And now you’re even maybe changing the podcast to fit with your lifestyle. And what the community is hoping for in the future.

Thank you so much for talking with me today. Dr. Allanté Whitmore, this has been a joy! We’ve been internet buddies for a few years now.

Allanté: Yeah!

Jennifer: I’ve been involved with the Grad School Success Summit. And so I’m so excited that you came on The Social Academic today.

Allanté: Oh, so happy to be here, Jennifer! Like literally means the world to me.

And make sure you link your session from the Summit in the show notes.

Jennifer: Oh! Good idea. I wouldn’t have even thought of that. But I did talk about social media and how to talk about yourself online in grad school. So I’ll link that below as well. Thanks so much!

Allanté: Thank you.

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Bio for Dr. Allanté Whitmore

Allanté Whitmore, PhD (@BlkInGradSchool) is a proud Detroit native. She earned her bachelors in biological engineering at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, and her masters’ in biological and agricultural engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She earned a joint PhD in Civil Engineering and Engineering and Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University in 2022.

Allanté’s research focused on uncovering the environmental and social implications of autonomous vehicle technology. She used computer modeling to test different ways in which shared autonomous vehicles and shuttles might be used in public transit systems, with the aims of improving transit access and equity in public transit systems and reducing the transportation sector’s contribution to emissions. Allanté is now the Director of autonomous vehicle policy research at a transportation policy research organization. She continues to create knowledge to inform future policy on shared mobility that ensures physical and environmentally equitable access to transportation.

In her free time, Allanté hosts a podcast, Blk + In Grad School where she chronicles her experience getting her PhD, providing encouragement and tools for women and people of color to successfully navigate the graduate-education journey.

Connect with Allanté on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok @BlkInGradSchool.

Find more resources for graduate students on The Social Academic blog.

Interviews Online Presence How To’s Resources for Grad Students The Social Academic

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October 5, 2022
Grad School with Dr. Toyin Alli of The Academic Society
Accountability and time management are valuable skills in graduate school

Toyin Alli, PhD of the University of Georgia helps students inside and out of the classroom. She loves teaching math, it’s her dream job. She’s also making greater impact with her business, The Academic Society LLC, which helps students succeed in grad school.

In this featured interview, Toyin talks about her book, #GradBoss: A Grad School Survival Guide. Inspired by graduate students in her Facebook community, Toyin wrote this handbook in 6 weeks during coworking sessions! The book is packed full of advice and stories about grad school.

We also talk about YouTube, and Toyin’s love for teaching.

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Meet Toyin

Jennifer: Hi everyone. This is Jennifer van Alstyne. Welcome to The Social Academic.

Today, I’m talking with Dr. Toyin Alli, a senior lecturer at the University of Georgia. Toyin, I’m so excited to have you on The Social Academic, and to feature you. Would you mind introducing yourself?

Toyin: So I am Toyin Alli. I’m so excited to be here. Thank you for inviting me.

I am a senior lecturer at the University of Georgia. I’m a teaching faculty member, so I do a lot of teaching, meet with a lot of students.

My go-to is those introductory level math classes where I can show students who believe that they’re not good at math, that they can be great at math.

Jennifer: That would be me [raises hand laughing].

Toyin: And they can enjoy it. That’s my personal challenge I have every semester.

On top of being a senior lecturer, I also run my own business called The Academic Society, where I help graduate students with time management and productivity. I also have a consultancy where I help other academics with their businesses. And setting up systems so that they can have a semester approved business that runs while they’re super busy in the semester.

Jennifer: Oh, my gosh, that is so much stuff. It’s amazing that you’re making it all work. You’re a teacher. You’re helping graduate students actually navigate their time in grad school. And you’re helping other academics who are wanting to start businesses like yours.

You must be good at time management, otherwise you wouldn’t have time for it all. I think it’s great that you’re helping other people with that too.

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Grad school life (and grad school problems)

Jennifer: I love how open you are in your bio on your website about how grad school kicked your butt. And how time management and productivity made such a difference for you. I’d love for you to talk more about that and maybe your book, #GradBoss.

Toyin: Graduate school is definitely an interesting experience and journey. A lot of people have negative thoughts associated with grad school.

Once I really got the hang of grad school, it actually became great. I ended up having a great experience in grad school, which a lot of people do not.

What I found was, it’s really like that underlying soft skill that makes grad school so different. It’s the time management and productivity skills that we aren’t taught grad school, but we’re expected to just do. Those time management and productivity skills, they’re underlying everything. Those are the things that help you actually have time to do your research while you’re
- Teaching classes
- Taking classes
- Going to seminars
- Presenting
- All that stuff
What I found from graduate students–and even myself when I was a graduate student– it’s very overwhelming. And there’s a lot to do. It’s hard to figure out what to do first. When you’re struggling to figure out what to do first, it kind of just paralyzes you. You kind of do nothing, and that’s where the procrastination happens. That’s where the burnout happens. I really like to jump in and help students figure out what to do first, and how to manage all of that.

When I started graduate school, I thought I was pretty prepared [laughs], because I did undergraduate research. My mom has a PhD. She told me about grad school. But something about experiencing it was just completely different. I had to learn that my undergraduate study habits were just not going to suffice in grad school.

I learned that other students were actually spending time before class doing readings [laughs], and that’s not something I ever had to do in undergrad. It was learning how to make time for those things that I’m not used to putting in my schedule, figuring out what my priorities should be as a grad student. Once I figured that out, and once I figured out how to learn math–which is funny–that’s when I really got a handle on grad school.

In my 1st semester of grad school, I took a class called Topology. It was something that I had never even heard of in undergraduate school. That class was just so foreign to me. I didn’t do the best. I’m sure I would have passed the class, but my professor ended up giving me an Incomplete [grade].

Next semester, in the Spring, I had to meet with him every single week and prove theorems on the board from that class. Every single week. There were tears involved. But in that process, I learned, “Oh, this is how you learned math.” From then on, I knew exactly how much time I needed to spend in my classes. I knew what I needed to do to actually understand what was going on, how much time I needed to allot for my homework.

Once I figured that out, I feel like everything was just unlocked for me. While grad school was still a lot of work, I enjoyed the experience.

Jennifer: I think that it’s really interesting because I see a lot of people on social media especially, talking about how they wish they had parents who went to grad school and who’d experienced some of that. Or, maybe who were academics themselves, to be able to highlight some of that hidden curriculum once you get to grad school. It’s the things that most people just don’t know about grad school.

What I’m hearing from you is that even though your mom had a PhD, there were still a lot of things that you had to learn. That you had to teach yourself and you had to figure out how to do. And it sounds like that one-on-one attention from the professor who gave you that Incomplete provided you some of those resources to be able to replicate that in other areas of your grad school life. It’s a really interesting story. So thank you so much for sharing that with me.

Is that something you talk about in your book, #GradBoss?

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#GradBoss: A Grad School Survival Guide

Toyin: Oh, yeah. So I have a book called #GradBoss: A Grad School Survival Guide where I share my experiences in grad school: the things I learned, the failures that I went through in grad school. As well as the 10 things that you should know before going to grad school (and even after you started grad school).

Things to remind yourself about:
- Time management
- How to make friends
- Imposter syndrome
- Failure in grad school
I talk about all of that in the book. And I also share my stories as well as other grad student stories.

Jennifer: Oh, that’s great. I think that book would be so helpful for people. I wish that I had it when I was in grad school, because I felt like a lot of the areas you just talked about were things that I struggled with. Or, maybe I had more anxiety about that than I thought my friends did. Having a guide or some kind of handbook would have been so helpful for me. If you’re a grad student reading this, please get #GradBoss.

Now, when did you write that book? What inspired you to actually put words on paper?

Toyin: I have a YouTube channel called The Academic Society with Toyin Alli, and I have been sharing videos about time management and grad school stories, things like that.

I also had a community on Facebook for graduate students under the same name, where I help graduate students. Something I learned about grad students is they’re reading all the time.

Jennifer: Mmhmm [affirmative]. [Laughs.]

Toyin: I’m a mathematician. And I will say the reading was very minimal. It was mostly practicing problems, working things out. When I got to the research portion, then I would read papers. But math papers are so short, like 6-7 pages. They’re very short. Yeah, [laughs].

Jennifer: That’s short! Yeah.

Toyin: When talking to all these grad students, they’re telling me how much they’re reading. And I’m creating video content. I was like, “I should probably try to meet them where they are.” They’re already reading. Maybe I could put my knowledge into a book.

So I posted in my Facebook group, “Hey, I’m thinking about writing a book about surviving grad school. Does that sound like a good idea? Would you read it? And what would you want me to talk about?”

And they’re all like, “Oh my goodness. Yes, I would love a book. Here are the things I want you to talk about.” They listed about 10 things, and those became the 10 chapters in my book.

Jennifer: So that was really inspired by the people who you were already working with, who were already in your community, and who already needed your help. And they actually helped outline the topics and ideas that you wrote in the book.

I love that! I love that it was inspired by social media. That’s so cool.

Toyin: I know!

I realize I didn’t answer your question. When did I write it? I believe it was the summer of 2018. Or maybe it was the summer of 2019.

But something that I talk a lot about for grad students in grad school is you don’t want to do this alone. You don’t want to be isolated. And it really helps to have accountability. I’ve noticed that the difference between making a plan and actually following through is the accountability.

Jennifer: Mmhmm [affirmative].

Toyin: Whenever I set to do a task, I’m going to try to build in the accountability.

I’d never written a book before. I’m not a writer. I don’t call my myself a writer even though I guess I am because I wrote a book.

Jennifer: Yeah, you’re a writer!

Toyin: But I was like, the only way I’m gonna do this is if I have people along for the journey. I had this program that’s now called Focus, but at the time it was called Productivity Accelerator. I was like, “Anybody doing some writing over the summer? Anybody working on their thesis, dissertation writing, publishing papers? Do you wanna write with me?”

I actually got grad students involved. We would sit on Zoom for hours each day. We would talk about our goals. We would use the Pomodoro technique and write for about 45 minutes, chat, write for another 45 minutes.

I wrote the whole book in about 6 weeks in the summer, mostly with other graduate students.

Jennifer: Wow! In those coworking writing sessions. That is awesome. And Pomodoros that was something that works for you. And they worked for everyone else because everyone can follow this same kind of timeline doing these smaller, shorter tasks.

Wow, that’s so cool. And you got it done in only 6 months, that’s amazing!

Toyin: Six weeks!

Jennifer: What? Six weeks, is that what you said? [Laughs], I lengthened that. That’s incredible. So six weeks brought you #GradBoss, and that was inspired by graduate students who were in your community. And written with graduate students in that same kind of virtual space and while you’re talking about your goals and everything in six weeks. That is such a cool story. I’m glad I asked about that.

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It started with her website and newsletter

Jennifer: You talked a little bit about how social media is something you use for your community, but what does your online presence look like? Like what social media platforms are you on? Do you have a website? What is your online presence?

Toyin: Yes, I do have a website. I started with the website, as a home base for my brand. That’s where I would put my blog posts back when I was writing regular blog posts. I would create freebies or lead magnets–I would create some type of value for my audience in exchange for their email address. I would say my website and my email newsletter, those were what I built up first.

Then I remembered a dream that I had back when I started grad school. I started grad school in 2016. I loved YouTube. YouTube was everything for me. I watched all kinds of videos, learned about
- How to do my hair
- My makeup
- What to wear
- All of the things
When I first started grad school, I was like, “I really wanna be a YouTuber.” But I had this YouTube channel called YouTube University, where it would just be me trying to follow YouTube tutorials and do things. But then my mom shared my videos to everyone she knew, and I got so embarrassed. I was like, “No, I’m not doing this again.”

Jennifer: That’s so funny. She probably shared them cuz she was really proud of you. You were like, “No mom, what are you doing?” [Laughs].

Toyin: What’s funny is I have a YouTube channel now. I think the difference is my YouTube channel now is something that I believe in. I would push past being embarrassed because I know that what I’m telling people would actually be helpful for them. Being able to help someone overcomes that feeling of wanting to shrink and hide. I’m a very introverted and shy person, [laughs]. You wouldn’t guess that I have a YouTube channel.

After I started my website and newsletter, I was like let me do this YouTube thing. About 6 months later in 2017, I started my YouTube channel. I would post a YouTube video every single week. That is where I’m the most consistent.

Then, I occasionally post on Instagram.

Jennifer: I love that. It sounds like all of the places that you’ve brought yourself into that online space have been reactionary in the sense that you wanted a place to host your brand, to hold your blog posts. Then you wanted a YouTube channel because you wanted to explore that. Then you created a YouTube channel that was for a specific audience.

It seems very much like an organic process of finding new places that you wanted to spend time and create content for. And very audience driven as well, like you wanted to create things for specific people, is that right?

Toyin: Oh yeah. Definitely very audience driven.

At first as a mathematician, I assumed that I could only help graduate students who were like math or science, because that’s what I knew. I didn’t go to grad school for English, or humanities, social sciences. I didn’t really know about those programs. But when I was making my videos and blog posts for the STEM students, I had people in the humanities and social sciences saying, “Oh my gosh, this is so helpful. I wish I knew this.”

What people were wanting to learn from me was not discipline specific. It was about time management. It was about organization. It was about productivity. Those principles can be used anywhere. Now, I always encourage students to figure out what works for them and just leave everything else that doesn’t work. Some things I say may work best for mathematicians, but you can probably tweak it to work for a psychologist.

Yeah, I very much just followed what my audience wanted from me. It wasn’t just grad school in general, it was time management and productivity.

Then as I grew my business, people started asking, “Well, how are you doing this business thing and being a lecturer at the same time?” So here I am, business consultant for academics. It’s just naturally progressed as my audience grew.

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YouTube is Toyin’s favorite social media platform

Jennifer: Oh, I just love that. It sounds like maybe YouTube was your favorite social media platform. It’s something that you were watching a lot and then you created a channel because you enjoyed creating videos for, is that right?

Toyin: Very much so, yes.

Jennifer: What do you like most of about YouTube? You said you were getting makeup tutorials and all sorts of stuff you were learning. Was learning an important aspect of watching YouTube videos for you?

Toyin: Yeah, I think so. I think because I’m very much an introvert. But I’m also an Enneagram 5. If you know Enneagram 5’s, we’re investigators. We love information. We like to know all the information. Whenever I’m learning something, I am just feeling joy.

My friends make fun of me because I will sit and watch these video essays that people do on YouTube. I don’t know if you’ve seen them, but they’re like 2-8 hour videos on YouTube where they deep dive, have thesis statements about pop culture.

Jennifer: What?!

Toyin: Yes. I recently watched one on the Vampire Diaries. Like nothing even serious. But they deep dive into each of the characters, into the storylines, and different seasons. What made them work? I’m just fascinated by that.

Jennifer: Teenage me would’ve been mind-blown over this because I loved L.J. Smith books when I was in middle school and high school. This was before they were re-released, before the Vampire Diaries was a TV show. So middle school me would’ve been all over the 8 hour video discussion of that. That’s so great. I didn’t know there were such long videos on YouTube.

My interviews are like 40 minutes to an hour max. That seems really long. I worry, “Oh my gosh, no one’s gonna watch the entire thing.” But people do. And then they email me and they’re like “This was so helpful!”

Now I’m hearing that even longer videos are performing well. That people are creating this new type of essay, like video essay content. That’s so fascinating.

Toyin: I love it. I love it so much.

The long ones I do it takes me a few days to watch it all, but I always go back. It’s almost like getting a peek into someone else’s brain, watching YouTube videos and how they format the video, how they choose to share the information. I just find that fascinating. I find it somehow easy for me to just sit in front of a camera and share my thoughts. Cause it’s still being introverted–I’m in a room alone talking.

Jennifer: Yeah.

Toyin: But I don’t know. I feel like my video presence is nice. People respond well to me on video. I enjoy consuming that type of content.

Jennifer: Yeah, that’s really interesting. I talk with professors often about encouraging them to do a little video for their website. Or, a little video for social media. When I was watching 15 Minutes of Shame, the documentary about Monica Lewinsky on HBO Max, one of the professors who was interviewed said that even seeing someone’s facial expressions for a few seconds makes a difference for how people understand us as people. How they can connect with us emotionally because of those facial expressions. And how before that, people don’t seem like real people. So I’m always telling people, even if you can do a short video where you’re just saying hi, it can make a really big difference for people who are coming to meet you.

What it sounds like is that even though you’re an introverted person, kind of like me, that being on video ended up being something that was comfortable for you. Maybe not incredibly comfortable at the beginning if you were embarrassed with your mom sharing those videos. But eventually you found the comfort level that encouraged you to create more content for your audience, and create that channel. I love that you shared all that with me. Even your anxiety in the beginning, when you first created the YouTube University channel.

Toyin: That’s the one.

Jennifer: I love it.

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Online presence, a way to impact more than just my school

Jennifer: Now, you’re a lecturer. You’re helping grad students, new faculty members with your side business. Why is sharing your message online important to you? Why is it helpful for you?

Toyin: Yeah, I think it’s just a way to impact more than just my school.

Jennifer: Mmhmm [affirmative].

Toyin: When I’m teaching, in my school, we have a big research university. But I’m part of the small class size initiative. Most of my classes have 19 students or less. I’m reaching very few students at a time, which is great for teaching. But there’s a world of people who have no idea about what grad school is all about.

Being able to hear as many stories about grad school as possible has to be helpful. I’m happy to share my perspective as a woman, as a black woman, as a black woman who’s a mathematician. Like what was that experience like for me?

I think people find comfort in hearing just different perspectives on things, and not just the one perspective on things.

Jennifer: Absolutely. I think that seeing different perspectives, especially for graduate students who are just coming into their programs…Seeing someone who looks like you, who has the success and the confidence that you have to run these multiple businesses, and be teaching, and doing all the things, and having this book.

Seeing that it is possible makes a big difference for graduate students. Seeing someone who looks like you in that space, probably makes them feel much more comfortable. I know I would have felt more comfortable learning from someone like you. Absolutely.

Toyin: Thank you. Yeah. Even my students in the classroom, they appreciate me being there. I’ll get emails from students like, “You’re the 1st black professor I’ve had,” or, “You’re the 1st black math teacher I’ve ever had.”

And I was like, “Wow.” I think it is important that I’m there, like it exists. And if you wanna do it too, you can.

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Why Toyin loves teaching

Jennifer: That’s why you still teach. Right? You have a successful business, but you want to still teach. Why is teaching important to you?

Toyin: Oh my gosh. I love it so much. It is literally my dream job. I feel so much joy and so much fulfillment from teaching. I can’t imagine doing anything else.

It’s very interesting that you say that because I do have a business that is profitable. I was speaking to my accountant and she was like, “So, when are you gonna quit your job? Because do you think if you taught less, you would make more with your business?” I was like, “Probably, but I love it.”

Part of the reason for my business consultancy is we’ve worked so hard to become academics, to get the PhD, to get the master’s degree. It took a lot of sacrifice to do that. On the other side of it, I want to actually enjoy the life that I work for. What I see a lot with academics is they get their job, and then it’s just like grad school 2.0. They’re just like working, working, working. Living just for academia, and not for yourself.

I feel very blessed to have chosen a career that fulfills me and makes me happy. It doesn’t really feel super draining. It doesn’t feel like, “Oh my gosh, I can’t wait to get away.” It’s something that I’m excited to do every single day.

But I also have this other life that’s outside of academia. That actually fuels me and makes me even more excited to go back to the classroom.

Jennifer: Ooh, I can hear your enthusiasm. I can sense it in your voice. And in your face, I mean, you look so happy talking about it. I can tell that you told your accountant, “No, I’m not quitting my job, I’m happy as a teacher.” I think that that’s amazing and your students get so much out of it. That’s excellent.

Now tell me more about The Academic Society. How can graduate students who are listening to this get involved? How can they get some help with their productivity and their time management?

Toyin: The first place I like to send people is the YouTube channel. You can go to The Academic Society with Toyin Alli. Just type in The Academic Society, you’ll find it. And I have playlists about time management, about my teaching blogs, and all of that.

The second place would be to join my mailing list, so my email list. I have a lot of free resources, one being my class on what to expect in your 1st semester of grad school.

Jennifer: Oh my gosh, incoming grad students, sign up for that. It’s going to be super helpful.

Toyin: Yes. And it’s basically, I’ve noticed, you know, there are some things that students don’t realize about academia and about grad school.

Jennifer: Mmhmm [affirmative].

Toyin: I wanna let them know what it is before they get started so they can prepare themselves. Signing for anything on my website is a way to get involved with the newsletter.

Then also joining my community on Facebook. If you’re on Facebook, I have a Facebook group called The Academic Society for grad students. Students are in there asking questions, chatting it up, meeting new people inside of that group every single day.

Jennifer: Oh, I love that. I will include the links so people can be sure to join your Facebook group, sign up for your mailing list, and check out those YouTube videos. I think it’s gonna be so helpful for graduate students. And that’s incoming graduate students, and if you’re in grad school and you know you can benefit from some of these skills, be sure to check out those videos. I know it will help you.

Understand why you do the things you do

Jennifer: Toyin, is there anything else you’d like to add before we wrap up?

Toyin: I would just like to say, it’s super important to understand why you’re doing the things you’re doing. Because that fuels you. It gives you the motivation.

I heard someone say, “I just wanna go to grad school so I can get those three letters, PhD.”

I was like, “Uh-oh, that’s not enough.” Grad school is a lot, and you’re gonna need something a little bit more than just wanting fancy letters behind your name. There’s a reason why you wanna do this.

I always encouraged students to get deeply connected to why they want to do this. Why they wanna go to grad school. Why they wanna be an academic. And to talk about it with others because it’s a great connection point. It can help motivate you and fuel you to help you keep going when it gets tough.

Jennifer: It sounds like it can help you make more informed decisions. No one’s telling you not to go to grad school or to do a different program or to, to get better with your goals. But talking to other people can encourage you in new ways that you might not have even thought of yet.

I know that talking with other people in grad school was massively helpful for me. I met a lot of people online who helped me not only choose what classes were gonna be most beneficial, but they helped me with actually talking to professors and standing up for myself when I needed it.

If I didn’t have community and grad school, I definitely would not have been as successful. And I wish that I had the productivity and time management skills that you were teaching, because I think that could’ve been really helpful to me. I am a procrastinator and I know it [laughs].

That kind of action based and accountability based thing that you were talking about grad students, if you’re listening, sign up for that mailing list and check out those videos, because it’s going to be so helpful for you. Be sure to get your copy of #GradBoss. Pick up your copy of that handbook to help you get through that first year of graduate school.

Toyin, I’m so glad you joined me for this interview. How can people get in touch with you afterwards? What’s your handle on social media?

Toyin: I am on Instagram @TheAcademicSociety_. That’s where all the grad school stuff is. But if you are already an academic and possibly thinking about having your own business, I talk about more personal stuff and more business-y stuff @DrToyinAlli.

Jennifer: Great! Thanks for sharing that with me Toyin, and have a great rest of your day. This has been an awesome interview.

Toyin: Thank you so much!

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Bio for Dr. Toyin Alli

Toyin Alli (@TheAcademicSociety_) is a McNair Scholar who received her PhD in Mathematics from the University of Alabama. She is now a full time Senior Lecturer at the University of Georgia. Toyin started The Academic Society LLC to help graduate students succeed in grad school through time management, productivity, and self-care. She reaches thousands of grad students through her digital programs, online social platforms, YouTube channel, and website.

Interviews Resources for Grad Students The Social Academic

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September 6, 2022
The Bill Barr School of Law School Deaning

BOOO Bill Barr, you unprincipled Trump sycophant. You rascal. All of us, (well not all, there are a couple of numbskulls who admire you ) principled law professors and administrators think you are an awful example of the profession.

But wait Billy Boy! There is a job for you. It’s even better than Trump University. You open a school for wannabe Law school administrations. You know, Bill, the number one goal of any law school dean on the make is to climb the USnews ranking.

So that’s what you teach. Some Units of the course would be:

1. Hire your own graduates to do something, anything, so you can report high post graduate employment rates.

2, Lower first year admissions but increase the number of transfers because the transfer LSAT and GPAs will not count against you.

3. Oh, what the hell. Just do what UF Law has perfected, However qualified a student, do not admit him or her unless he or she improves your ranking.

4, If a student is admitted and it looks like he or she, in hindsight, might lower your scores, pay them not to come.

5. Make sure all law school employees are called faculty. This will raise your teacher to student ratio.

6. Throw every cent you can get your grubby hands on to pay high scoring students to come to your school whether they need the money or not.

7, And Bill, here is what you can bring to the course your specialty. Just lie. What the fuck, you are not hurting anyone so it’s not like a real lie.

But Bill, there is one catch, All of these things have already been done. Yes by the same people who say that you are the crook, not them.

So you will have to be imaginative. Your primary mission is to stay one scam ahead of what USnews is onto and cares about. This should be easy, They don’t really care if they get it right as long as it sells,

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March 18, 2021