Case Study: NYU’s Tandon School of Engineering enrolls more women with Google for Education VR apps

NYU’s Tandon School of Engineering enrolls more women with the help of VR apps

NYU’s Tandon School of Engineering partnered with Google for Education to find a more engaging way to show admitted students what campus life is like and to better attract prospective women engineers. The school wanted a recruitment approach that would communicate its culture, innovation focus, and opportunities beyond a typical campus tour, using Google Cardboard as part of the experience.

Google for Education helped Tandon launch VR admissions apps, starting with Tandon Vision and later expanding to apps focused on research and the makerspace. Admitted students received branded Google Cardboard with instructions to download the apps, which showcased the school’s faculty, labs, and student life. The effort paid off: overall applications rose, women’s applications increased by 14% between 2017 and 2018, and women made up 49% of admitted students.

NYU’s Tandon School of Engineering

Cindy Lewis

Associate Director for Undergraduate Recruitment