Have you ever watched your enrollment numbers drop and felt completely helpless? Maybe you’re staring at declining applications thinking, “What the heck are we doing wrong?” If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone.
Hey there! I’m excited to walk you through something that could significantly transform your enrollment strategy. We’re talking about going from a 15% enrollment drop to a whopping 25% growth – and I’m going to show you exactly how it’s done.
The Wake-Up Call: When Everything Falls Apart
So picture this: You’re running a university, everything seems fine, and then BAM – your enrollment starts tanking. That’s exactly what happened to Metropolitan State University (okay, they’re fictional, but their problems? Super real).
Here’s what they were dealing with:
- Applications dropped 15% in just two years (ouch!)
- Nearly two-thirds of students were bailing on applications halfway through
- Their marketing wasn’t working anymore
- Competition was getting fierce
- And honestly? They were kind of stuck in their old ways
Sound familiar? Yeah, I thought it might.
The thing is, they could’ve kept doing the same old stuff and hoping things would magically get better. But spoiler alert: that wasn’t going to happen. They needed to flip the script completely.
Step One: Figure Out What’s Actually Happening (The Detective Work)
Before you can fix anything, you’ve got to know what’s broken, right? So here’s what our friends at Metropolitan State did – and what you should do too.
Get Real About Your Student Journey
They literally mapped out every single touchpoint from “Hey, I heard about this school” to “Yes, I’m enrolling!” And guess what they found? Students were losing interest during a three-week dead zone between applying and hearing back. Three weeks! In today’s world, that might as well be three years.
Become Best Friends with Your Data
Look, I get it – analytics can be super intimidating. But you don’t need a PhD in data science. They used basic tools like:
- A decent CRM system
- Google Analytics (the free version works!)
- Some heat mapping to see what people actually clicked on
- Simple surveys asking people why they didn’t enroll
The big “aha moment”? Students were spending almost an hour researching programs online, but their website was basically useless for that kind of deep dive.
Step Two: Make Your Digital Presence Actually Work
Here’s where things get exciting. Once they knew what was wrong, they could fix it.
Their Website Got a Complete Makeover
Think about it – when’s the last time you applied for something on your phone and it was actually easy? They made sure their site worked perfectly on mobile (because 74% of their prospects were browsing on phones), created specific pages for each program, and – this is huge – they cut their application from 12 steps down to 4.
The result? Their conversion rate went from a measly 2.3% to 8.1%. That’s not a typo!
Content That Actually Helps People
Instead of boring university speak, they started creating stuff people actually wanted to read:
- “Healthcare Careers in [Your City]: What You’ll Actually Make”
- “Is a Business Degree Worth It? Let’s Crunch the Numbers”
- Real talk from actual students about what it’s really like
Step Three: Stop Making It So Darn Hard to Apply
You guys, this part made me want to cheer. They took their 47-minute application process and chopped it down to 12 minutes. TWELVE MINUTES.
But here’s what really impressed me:
- They promised to respond within 24 hours (and actually did it)
- Started texting students updates instead of just email
- Set up virtual interviews for people who couldn’t visit
- Assigned each student a real person to talk to right away
The results were insane – application completion rates jumped from 34% to 79%. That’s what happens when you stop making people jump through hoops!
Step Four: Team Up with Others (Because Why Go It Alone?)
This is where they got really smart. Instead of trying to recruit every single person individually, they made friends with:
Local Employers
They partnered with companies to offer tuition help for employees. Win-win-win situation – companies get better-trained workers, students get help paying for school, and the university gets steady enrollment.
Community Colleges
They made it super easy for community college students to transfer over. No more credit transfer nightmares or starting from scratch.
Step Five: Let Technology Do the Heavy Lifting
Now we’re getting into the cool stuff. They used AI and automation to handle the routine work so their team could focus on actually helping students.
They added chatbots for basic questions (available 24/7), used predictive analytics to figure out who was most likely to enroll, and set up automatic emails that were actually helpful instead of just promotional fluff.
The Results (Drumroll Please…)
After 18 months of doing this stuff consistently, here’s what happened:
- 25% increase in total enrollment
- Application completion rates more than doubled
- Cost per student dropped by 64%
- Students were way happier with the whole process
- Way more students stuck around after their first year
And the money part? They brought in an extra $2.8 million in tuition revenue. Not too shabby!
Your Turn: Where to Start Right Now
Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t be! You don’t have to do everything at once. Here’s how to tackle this:
This Week:
- Take a hard look at your current application process
- Set up basic tracking on your website
- Ask some recent non-enrollees why they didn’t choose you
- Check how your website looks on a phone (seriously, do this right now)
Next Few Months:
- Simplify that application process
- Create landing pages for your biggest programs
- Start sending more personalized emails
- Reach out to local employers about partnerships
The Long Game:
- Invest in a good CRM system
- Start creating helpful content consistently
- Build those virtual connection opportunities
- Develop real partnerships with local businesses
The Bottom Line
Look, I’m not going to lie to you – this stuff takes work. But here’s the thing: students today expect a smooth, personalized experience. They’re not going to put up with confusing websites, endless applications, or waiting weeks to hear back from you.
The schools that get this are the ones thriving right now. The ones still doing things “the way we’ve always done them”? Well, let’s just say they’re not exactly crushing it.
The good news is you can start making changes today. Pick one thing from this list and just start. Your future students (and your enrollment numbers) will thank you for it.
Ready to stop watching your enrollment numbers drop and start seeing them climb? The time to make these changes isn’t someday – it’s right now. Your competition certainly isn’t waiting around, and neither should you.
If you are someone who is facing difficulties in making your courses visible to the right audience and needs expert guidance, we are here to help. Reach out to us and let’s make your business soar together!
