Picture this: A high school senior sifting through countless college brochures, feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of choices. With more and more students applying to colleges than ever and acceptance rates dropping, how can your institution capture their attention and stand out?
Students today crave personalised experiences. Nearly 70% of prospective students say personalised communications from universities significantly influence their college decision.
Imagine receiving tailored messages in a responsive manner, having your specific questions answered, and feeling genuinely valued by a university. This level of personalisation can make a lasting impression, helping students feel connected and appreciated.
In this blog, we’ll explore how CRM for admissions can create personalised experiences that transform the admissions process, making your university shine in a crowded field. Let’s dive into strategies that can create meaningful connections and smooth journeys for prospective students.
Why Your University Needs a Higher Ed CRM?
As an admissions professional, you probably face daily challenges that can overwhelm even the most organised offices. Managing a high volume of applications with tight deadlines for proper communication with the prospective student is crucial. Fragmented data across systems complicates gaining a holistic view of applicants, leading to errors and delays. Effective communication remains a struggle, impacting applicant engagement and retention.
An average high school student submits applications to 8 colleges. You’re constantly competing with other institutions to attract top students. Therefore, standing out and increasing yield rates is essential. That’s where CRM for admission comes in. A good higher-ed CRM system can streamline these processes, improving efficiency and enhance the overall applicant experience.
How CRM helps drive an effective admissions process?
Tailored Communication
With admission CRM, you can segment applicants based on their intended major, extracurricular interests, or however you want and stage in the application process. For example, you can send targeted emails to prospective engineering students highlighting specialised labs and faculty research that align with their interests. This tailored approach ensures that applicants receive information that resonates with their academic goals, making them more likely to engage with your institution.
Further, you can group your prospective students by persona and customise your communication accordingly. An example would be communication with persona such as veterans, online students etc. One student can belong to more than one persona, but will always receive communication from the university that’s super relevant to his needs.
A Seamless Applicant Journey
Higher ed Admission CRM enables you to automate personalised email sequences that guide applicants through each stage of the admissions process. For instance, you can automate reminders about upcoming deadlines, share success stories from current students in their intended programme, and provide tips for a successful campus visit. This automated communication streamlines the application process, keeping applicants informed and engaged without overwhelming your admissions team.
Building Genuine Relationships
You can easily track applicant interactions and preferences; you can nurture relationships with prospective students in a meaningful way. For example, if a student attends an admissions webinar on financial aid, you can follow up with personalised information about scholarship opportunities or connect them with a financial aid advisor. This personalised engagement shows applicants that your institution values their individual journey and supports their academic success.
Implementing CRM for admissions transforms your student recruitment process into a personalised, efficient, and student-focused experience that attracts and retains top students without worrying about competition.
Data-Driven Decisions for Student Acquisition
CRM doesn’t just improve communication; it provides valuable insights to guide your admissions strategy. Real-time analytics allow you to track key performance indicators (KPIs) like application rates, acceptance rates, and yield rates. This data empowers you to identify areas for improvement and make data-driven decisions. You can easily identify and track the applicant journey and identify bottlenecks and challenges along the way.
For example, by analysing application trends, you can identify feeder schools with strong potential and target your recruitment efforts accordingly. Additionally, you can track the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns and adjust strategies to attract the right kind of students.
360 Degree Student View
One of the most compelling features in our CRM is its ability to provide a comprehensive 360-degree view of each applicant/student. This means you can track every stage of a student’s journey—from initial application to interview, offer, enrolment, and beyond—all within a single platform.
Imagine being able to access a student’s application history, interaction notes, interview feedback, and enrolment status seamlessly. This holistic view allows admissions teams to personalise their interactions further, anticipate student needs, and provide tailored support throughout the entire enrolment process. It also facilitates collaboration across departments, ensuring that everyone involved in student recruitment and admissions is working with the same up-to-date information.
By leveraging this complete view, institutions can enhance student engagement, improve retention rates, and ultimately build a stronger, more connected community within your campus environment.
Achieve Your Enrolment Goals with Higher Ed CRM
Ultimately, your goal is to attract a diverse and talented student body and meet your enrolment targets. CRM for admissions helps you get there by:
- Increased Application Rates: Personalised outreach and engaging communication with prospective students can lead to a significant increase in application numbers.
- Improved Yield Rates: A strategic higher ed focused CRM for admissions allows you to nurture relationships with accepted students, address their concerns, and showcase the unique value proposition of your institution. This personal touch can significantly improve your yield rate.
- Strategic Enrolment Decisions: Data-driven insights from admission CRM empower you to make informed decisions about your student recruitment strategies. You can identify high-potential students, streamline the admissions process for those most likely to enrol, and allocate resources effectively.
Ready to transform your admissions process and create a future-proof strategy?
Engage2Serve’s e2s Recruit, a powerful recruitment CRM designed specifically for higher education, empowers you to do just that. Explore our comprehensive suite of tools and discover how we can help you:
- Personalise every step of the applicant journey
- Streamline communication and automate tasks
- Gain valuable data insights to optimise your admissions strategy
- Increase application and enrolment rates
Take the first step towards a more efficient and personalised admissions process. Contact Engage2Serve today for a free personalised demo!
About Engage2Serve
Engage2Serve Inc. is the creator of transformational cloud-based, mobile-first Student Lifecycle CRM products for student recruitment (e2s Recruit), student success and retention (e2s Retain), and alumni engagement (e2s Connect).
COMMENTS