Your application deadline has come and gone. Wherever the number is now, your applicant pool isn’t going to grow any further. So what can be done to move as many students as you can from admitted to enrolled?
These recommendations are in no particular order—focus on what can be implemented quickly and effectively within your available resources.
If you missed Side A of our January in Admissions playlist, our Admissions mixtape has recommendations and songs straight off of our playlist with a nod to fellow Xennials in Enrollment Management. Please enjoy Side B of our January in Admissions playlist, Yield.
1. Don’t Be (too) Transactional
“More Than Words” – Extreme (1990)
I understand it’s tempting to focus on the “to-dos” for admitted students. Don’t forget how much nurturing needs to happen between when a student’s admit letter hits their mailbox and when you see them on campus in the fall. You still need to show them what life on campus is like and what they can look forward to. Of course, you need to sprinkle in some of the “to-do” messages but be sure the primary content is focused on giving that admitted student the best preview of their upcoming years on campus.
Pro Tip: You can afford to be a little more transactional with parents but don’t forget you have some convincing to do with them as well – keep on nurturing.
2. Prioritize Your Admitted Student Events and Getting Students to Attend
“Walk This Way” – Aerosmith (and Run-D.M.C., 1986)
We all know the power a campus visit can have in student recruitment. Not all students are able to attend a visit during their college search, for many the first time they visit campus can be for an admitted student event. Do whatever it takes to convince students to come to campus and to make the visit as stress-free as possible for the students and their family members (or whoever else is accompanying them). Provide an opportunity for students to split from family members to offer content tailored to each group. Plus, the student can start building some experiences independent of their family. Also, designate a few student workers to capture as much fun content as they can on their phones to post on your social media.
Sometimes students just can’t make the trek to campus. Whenever possible, bring the admitted student experience to them. If you have a handful of admitted students attending the same high school or in a similar region, see if someone on the team can journey out to them and deliver some of the same content in person and have other staff and faculty join virtually. Efforts like this can go a long way when developing new expansion markets.
3. Don’t Forget Your Alumni Network
“Lean on Me” – Club Nouveau (1987)
This recommendation could have easily been paired with “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” – Simple Minds (1985). Alumni can be incredibly influential with admitted students. Set up your alumni volunteers with call or email lists to reach out to admitted students and their parents. A successful graduate can easily fill the role of an influencer with parents of admitted students.
Level up: Incorporate your alumni into admitted student events, whether on or off campus, for a super powered admissions mashup.
4. Get Something in the Mail
“Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)” – Stevie Wonder (1970)
If there were ever a time to not hold back with student mailings, this is it. There is a back-and-forth in the relationship as a student inquires, applies, is admitted, and then commits with a deposit. Once admitted, that power dynamic lands solely in the lap of the student. You want to put something in front of them that will nurture the relationship, serve as a reminder of your amazing campus and community, and stay present with parents.
This may be a throwback to the era of this playlist, but for a tried and true anti-melt (post deposit) mailing yard signs are a great investment—it’s a piece parents are proud to display and serve as a targeted search piece for future classes.
5. Become Best Friends with Financial Aid
“Money Changes Everything” – Cyndi Lauper (1983)
A little attention can go a long way. Financial Aid appreciation lunches, random “just because” recognition emails, or Monday morning coffee deliveries. Be sure to let your Financial Aid department know they’re a vital part of recruiting each and every class. You never know when you’ll need a one-off review of an award package for that student you’ve been working with for the last few years. Award packages are a vital part of the selection process for students and oftentimes those campuses who deliver that award letter first are the winners.
6. Re/Consider Incentives
“I Want It All” – Queen (1989)
If you haven’t already, we recommend considering incentivizing your deposit. Advance housing registration is a common example and one that garners results. Priority admission to honors programs, living-learning communities, or first-year experience courses are other categories of incentives. If one of these seems a viable option for your campus, offering it up to students may be the catalyst to drive deposits.
Action Plan: Putting It All Together
1. Packaging and Incentives
- Developing or refining deposit incentives may involve multiple departments on campus. Best to start those discussions as soon as you can.
- Coordinate with Financial Aid on their turnaround for award packages being sent out to students. Check in periodically to stay up to date on the current turnaround time so you can accurately communicate that to admitted students.
2. Nurturing Content
- Revisit your yield communications and make sure to balance being nurturing and transactional. Don’t just provide a list of next steps.
- Lean into your alumni network—they can help with individual outreach to students and parents along with your admitted student events, on or off campus.
- Don’t skimp on your admissions mailing. Consider including something for the family. Include an Instagramable piece that invites students to post to social media to get twice the mileage (current and future cohorts).
3. Get Students to Campus
- Look to incentivize visiting campus or attending an off-campus admitted student day. This shared experience with future classmates will do wonders nurturing their affinity for the college.
- Double down on your alumni network, see if they can run a mini off-campus admitted student event in their region, or attend the on-campus event.
4. Reinforce Your Campus Relationships
- Remind Financial Aid how important a role they play—drop off a coffee with Campus Services the week before they’re going to help you set up for a campus visit. Recognize the departments that contribute to students’ relationships with the university.
- Don’t forget to acknowledge all of the hard work put in by your team to get you to this point in the recruitment cycle. It’s no small feat to guide students through their college search process and in particular those students who will end up enrolling in classes this fall.
We hope you enjoyed Side B of our playlist, and that you have some actionable ideas on how to maximize yield this cycle. If you missed it, be sure to check out the Side A playlist – Late-Cycle Application Efforts. And if you’re thinking about your enrollment strategy for next year, our team can help. Reach out and start a conversation.
Remember: You put in the work, now you just need to get them to campus.
“Under Pressure” – Queen & David Bowie (1981)
No, let’s end on a more positive note…
“Don’t Stop Believin’” – Journey (1981)
Still looking for more strategies to boost your enrollment and maximize yield? Our enrollment strategy team can help with custom solutions driven by data to better understand your prospects and inspire long-term enrollment success. Reach out to start a conversation.