Apr 10, 2025
Persona
The admissions decision is a huge moment for students and admissions offices alike, but it’s not the conclusion of the enrollment journey. Yield, student success, and retention are also incredibly important to your institutional goals. A smooth transition from admissions to other departments on campus to ensure students thrive is crucial to meeting those other goals.
Here are three important factors for a pre-arrival experience that supports the entire enrollment journey.
1. Cross-departmental collaboration
Once a student accepts an offer, several departments need to be in sync to initiate a smooth handoff. The communication between admissions and departments like financial aid, housing, advising, and others is crucial for ensuring students feel supported from every angle.
Ask yourself: How often do you check in, strategize, and collaborate with relevant campus partners?
Establish regular meetings or communication channels between admissions and other departments. This ensures that important deadlines, timelines, and changes to department-specific processes are shared. In addition, everyone involved can share how and when they communicate with this group of students and identify ways to streamline communications so students aren’t inundated with repetitive or inconsistent messaging.
2. Clear, consistent, and timely communication
A well-thought-out communication strategy can help reduce anxiety and build excitement as students anticipate the start of their college journey. Make sure students get all the relevant pre-arrival materials in a way that’s timely, clear, and concise.
Ask yourself: How, why, and when are students being communicated with? How often are you assessing the efficacy of your current communication plan?
Students can offer incredible insights and help your team fine-tune communications. Be sure to also check in with parents and guardians. Family members have a big influence in the college decision process, so make space in inquiry forms and applications for parent information.
Check out our blog post on how to improve your Slate email campaigns.
3. Building community
Helping cultivate a student’s sense of belonging during this time not only encourages a student to choose your institution, but it will increase the likelihood of success during their time on campus and motivate them to stay all four years.
Ask yourself: What kinds of opportunities do you offer admitted students? How are they publicized, and how can they be refined to reach more students?
Provide opportunities for admitted students to engage with other students, both admitted and current, during these pivotal months. These connections provide a sense of belonging and a chance to ask questions directly. Include student testimonials in email campaigns.
Create a Seamless Student Journey From the Start
Student success begins before the student arrives on campus. A well-coordinated, clear, and supportive process makes the transition easier and ensures that students are set up for success even before they arrive. By fostering strong relationships between departments, providing clear information, offering opportunities for students to connect with their peers, and regularly evaluating current practices, institutions can create an environment where students feel both informed and excited to begin their college experience.
The positive moments and connections that are forged during the months between admission and arriving on campus set the stage for what students can expect while attending the institution. Start a conversation with Carnegie to find out what you can start doing now to strengthen the full enrollment journey.