Service Line: Enrollment Strategy

The delay in the FAFSA release is undoubtedly a frustrating hurdle, but it’s one that we can overcome with clear communication, empathy, and proactivity. Remember, you’re not alone in this! Our team is here to stand by you, offering any assistance or resources you may need to navigate this challenge together.

On May 1, millions of students submit enrollment deposits to the college or university they plan to attend in the fall. At Carnegie, we work with institutions of various sizes, locations, affiliations, and more,  which gives us access to a wide variety of data regarding where students are depositing.

Facing change is among the toughest of tasks. Why? Because it’s rarely the easy path. Tackling change is often mixed with anxiety of the unknown, conflict, and sometimes loss.

Transfer students are often the forgotten demographic when it comes to higher education marketing strategies. According to the New York Times, transfers have been almost invisible because they weren’t counted in federal graduation rates for colleges and universities until recently.

The Connection Conference 2022 was full of memorable moments and insights from higher education and digital marketing professionals. Here are five of our favorite quotes from this year’s conference and a little insight into why we love them.

Technology has changed our enrollment and marketing landscape. The channels where we operate in order to engage with students have multiplied, and the task of keeping those channels up-to-date with relevant content can be overwhelming.

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.

Student Search, as Carnegie is redefining it, is building a cross-channel, personalized, and responsive communications plan that ultimately is more about the prospective student than it is about the school.