LeadPoint announces the launch of education leads within it’s unique lead exchange model. Not particularly interesting in and of itself, but there does seem to be the hint of something different:

…service that it says allows online and campus-based educational institutions to purchase leads submitted by students that have the highest likelihood of matching each school’s target student profile.

LeadPoint says the offering gives schools the ability to bid on real time higher education leads based on both the subject and the profile of the prospective student. Schools are able to target based on the prospect’s profile and their educational interests, employing filters such as school type, campus location, and highest level of education completed. 

I am drawn to the concept of matching or targeting a student’s profile. This is certainly unique in the education market where most leads are generated by prospective students selecting a college and then providing an inquiry.

I have long believed that this was destined to be a bit backward and certainly not focused on the student getting the most appropriate results from their inquiry.

Although this is certainly an interesting announcement from LeadPoint it is not unique or original. And, in my opinion, probably not the best executed in class. Whereas LeadPoint simply focuses on matching the student to “each school’s target student profile,” a more interesting approach is to match a school based on a full picture of the prospective student’s profile, interests, career, and professional propensity.

This is where I think CollegeRover excels in education lead generation, with an eHarmony type of student to college matching technology.