Managing student relationships isn’t as simple as it sounds. With students moving through various stages – from recruitment to graduation and beyond – it’s a challenge for any institution to keep track of every interaction, need, and concern. And then there’s the pressure to improve retention, engagement, and success rates all at once. It can feel like juggling a million things at once.
That’s where a CRM comes in. But not just any CRM – one that’s built for higher education, designed to streamline your work and improve the student experience. The right higher education CRM can help you not just track data, but build lasting connections with students, understand their needs, and keep them on track toward success.
In this blog, we’ll dive into the top 5 higher education CRM that are making waves in Higher Ed. We’ll cover the strengths of each, the challenges they might pose, and how they stack up against each other. Whether you’re looking for a platform that’s easy to use or one that can handle complex processes but make it simple for the users, there’s something here for every institution.
Engage2Serve (e2s)
Engage2Serve (e2s) is a comprehensive Higher Education CRM designed to enhance student success, engagement, and alumni management. With a mobile-first approach, e2s empowers institutions to build strong student relationships and lifelong alumni connections while integrating seamlessly with existing campus systems.
Student Recruitment
- Lead Capture & Nurturing – Gathers prospective student data and nurtures leads through automated workflows.
- Targeted Communication – Sends personalized messages to boost conversion and build a strong student pipeline.
- Seamless Follow-Ups – Ensures timely follow-ups with reminders and task management, guiding students through the entire admissions process.
Student Engagement & Wellbeing
- Early Alerts & Case Management – Enables proactive intervention by identifying at-risk students and streamlining support services in a confidential manner, if necessary.
- Campus Engagement – Drives student participation through events, surveys, and polls, creating a connected campus experience.
- 360-Degree Student View – Provides a data-rich student profile for personalized communication and intervention, all in a single dashboard.
Alumni Engagement & Network Building
- Dedicated Alumni Higher Education CRM – Helps institutions maintain lifelong connections with graduates through a structured alumni relationship management system.
- Personalized Engagement – Strengthens alumni ties with mentorship programs, networking opportunities, and career support initiatives.
- Fundraising & Giving – Simplifies donor management with built-in fundraising tools to increase contributions and engagement.
Seamless Integration & Scalability
- Easy integration with LMS (Learning Management System) & SIS (Student Information System)
- Mobile-First for students to connect on the go & User-Friendly for support staff
Why Institutions Choose Engage2Serve?
Engage2Serve offers a holistic CRM solution that extends beyond student recruitment to student engagement, student support, alumni engagement, career growth, and fundraising. With intelligent data insights, automation, and a mobile-first design, institutions can build stronger relationships and drive long-term student success. Engage2Serve student lifecycle CRM is built from the ground up to suit the needs of the university staff, working with them each step of the way.
2. Salesforce Education Cloud
Salesforce Education Cloud is a powerful CRM ideal for large institutions or those with complex needs, offering extensive customization options and scalability.
Key Strengths:
- Customizable to fit specific institutional needs.
- Reporting and data analysis tools.
- Automation features for streamlining workflows.
- Extensive integration with other systems.
Challenges:
- Requires significant time and resources for setup and customization.
- Steep learning curve for staff unfamiliar with Salesforce.
- Best suited for larger institutions with the capacity to manage complexity.
Salesforce Education Cloud excels in customization but requires more time and resources to fully implement. For those seeking a more straightforward, mobile-first solution with a focus on student engagement, Engage2Serve offers a simpler and quicker alternative.
3. Ellucian CRM
Ellucian CRM is designed to support the entire student lifecycle, from recruitment to retention, making it an ideal choice for larger institutions with complex needs.
Key Strengths:
- Comprehensive suite covering recruitment, retention, and student success.
- Seamless integration with other Ellucian products.
- Strong focus on advising and retention tools.
- Unified platform for managing the entire student journey.
Challenges:
- Can be cumbersome for smaller institutions or those with simpler needs.
- User interface may feel outdated compared to more modern platforms.
- Requires a longer implementation time due to its comprehensive nature.
Ellucian CRM is well-suited for large institutions with complex needs, offering a comprehensive set of tools to manage the student lifecycle. However, its longer implementation timeline and more complex interface may not be ideal for smaller institutions or those with simpler requirements.
4. Element451
Element451 is a CRM designed with a focus on improving recruitment and student engagement, making it an appealing choice for institutions aiming to streamline these areas.
Key Strengths:
- Specializes in recruitment and admissions, providing tailored tools for the entire enrollment process.
- Offers a user-friendly interface with an emphasis on ease of use for both staff and prospective students.
- AI powered communication tools, including email campaigns, SMS, and chatbot integrations.
- Analytics and data-driven insights to track and optimize recruitment efforts
Challenges:
Element451 is an ideal choice for institutions focused on recruitment and admissions, offering an intuitive platform with powerful communication tools and data analytics. However, institutions looking for higher education CRM that covers the full student lifecycle may find its focus on recruitment limiting.
5. Slate by Technolutions
Slate by Technolutions is known for its user-friendly platform, designed specifically for higher education institutions with a strong focus on enrollment management. It is particularly favored by colleges and universities looking for a seamless system to manage their entire recruitment and admissions process.
Key Strengths:
- Comprehensive features for recruitment, admissions, and enrollment management.
- Customizable workflows and forms to fit specific institutional needs.
- Excellent integration with other higher ed systems, including SIS and financial aid systems.
- Reporting and analytics to track student engagement and application trends.
Challenges:
- Although intuitive, the system can become overwhelming when scaling for larger institutions or more complex processes.
- Some users report limited functionality in areas like student engagement compared to broader higher education CRM solutions.
- Ongoing updates and changes to the system can occasionally disrupt existing workflows.
Slate is a great choice for institutions looking to streamline their enrollment management processes. With its intuitive design and strong focus on recruitment and admissions, it’s ideal for universities that want to optimize their application workflows. However, for institutions looking for a Higher education CRM that also supports other areas like student success and retention, it may fall short in comparison to more comprehensive Higher education CRM solutions.
For institutions seeking an easy-to-implement, mobile-first solution with a strong focus on student engagement and lifecycle management, Engage2Serve offers a tailored approach designed specifically for higher education.
Interested in learning more about how Engage2Serve can support your institution? Let’s chat!
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