"Lately, I've been thinking about..." Dayana Kibilds - Barriers to Education
Apr 12, 2023
Dayana Kibilds, Strategy Director at Ologie with 10+ years in enrollment strategy, talks about hidden barriers to higher education like dense language, admissions process complexity, and institutional inertia. She explores how copying elite models fails diverse communities, why demographics demand new channels, and how clearer communication and cohort supports can improve access.
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Complexity Often Serves As A Gatekeeping Tool
- Admissions teams often treat complexity as a deliberate filter rooted in elitism rather than a usability failure.
- Dayana observed internal attitudes that if applicants can't decode the site, they 'won't make it' academically.
Design Admissions Content For Real Users
- Do design admissions content with clear audience-focused content strategy: target top tasks, reduce friction, and lower reading level.
- Dayana urges focus on readability, empathy, and minimum friction instead of piling on dense content.
Imitating Elites Prevents Practical Innovation
- Most non-Ivy institutions imitate elite schools instead of defining their own mission and strengths.
- Dayana notes universities rarely invest in operational staff, IT, or content strategy to break that mimicry.