Distinctive Student Search
+30%
Enrollment yield on Carnegie-generated applications in the first year
+16%
Overall university enrollment yield rate for comparison
A distinctive brand-led student search strategy drives stronger yield in a crowded recruitment market.
In an increasingly competitive enrollment landscape, Cleveland State University set out to redefine its Student Search strategy and better communicate what makes the institution distinctive. With market perceptions misaligned and previous efforts falling short on conversions, the University partnered with Carnegie to align brand, research, and recruitment into a personalized, performance-driven approach designed to generate stronger yield and long-term enrollment momentum.
The Challenge
When Cleveland State University needed to grow in a competitive environment and redefine its Student Search strategy, enrollment leadership turned to Carnegie for a strategic and personalized approach. In a crowded landscape, the University had a compelling story that was not being communicated successfully. External market perception did not align with that of internal stakeholders, and previous Student Search strategies had not driven conversions.
Our Approach
The Cleveland State University-Carnegie partnership started with a consensus-building brand strategy engagement to guide market differentiation. Hundreds of stakeholders were involved in the brand building process. The University’s competitive set and perception in the external market were also analyzed. From this data, Carnegie recommended the University implement a bolder expression of its hardworking and empowering personality, which was both authentic to the University, and distinct in its competitive set.
As a next step, Carnegie and CSU launched digital campaigns focused on brand awareness and lead generation, followed by a Slate-integrated Student Search to generate qualified leads and applications and prevent melt. Carnegie also developed custom psychographic audience segments specific to CSU’s student body to equip CSU for even more targeted communication.
The Results
Cleveland State’s recent enrollment results demonstrate the value of a personalized and specific Student Search strategy. In the first year of the partnership, starting mid-cycle, applications generated by Carnegie yielded to enrollment at a 30% rate, relative to an overall rate of 16%. The University continues to work with Carnegie as a trusted enrollment marketing partner.
+30%
Enrollment yield on Carnegie-generated applications in the first year
+16%
Overall university enrollment yield rate for comparison
The team at Carnegie really took the time to get to know our institution, our leadership, and our students—and to develop campaigns that spoke to what was distinctive about Cleveland State. Yield on our Carnegie-designed campaigns was almost double our yield on all other sources.
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