Service Line: Enrollment Management

We recently hosted a webinar called It’s Time to Redefine and Redesign Student Search, where we made the case for a new model of Student Search—one that’s market-minded and student-centric. We got so many great questions that we didn’t have time to answer live, so we’re delivering those answers now.

Student Search is a marketing effort traditionally associated with undergraduate recruitment, but with major demographic changes upon us, we’re focusing our attention on non-traditional audiences. I propose we consider shifting our strategies too—specifically Student Search for graduate recruitment.

In 2018, I attended a higher education marketing conference where one idea in particular captured my attention: authentic voice. At the time, I was a Director of Graduate Programs—35+ master’s, doctoral, and post-bachelor’s programs, to be more specific.

It’s spring semester, which means more acceptances and award notifications, automated communications, and sleepless nights—because we all know mistakes happen. Every season. Higher ed Admissions directors and Enrollment Management VPs across the country likely found themselves waking up in a cold sweat last week.

With application numbers pacing behind prior years, many colleges and universities are considering ways to boost application numbers in a time when yield is usually top of mind.