Crunch Time: Launching a New Admissions Cycle

August is a pivotal month for higher education admissions teams. As summer wraps up, you’re likely feeling the heat as you get ready to launch a new undergraduate admissions cycle. In fact, the Common Application, used by more than 900 colleges and universities, is already open as of August 1.

If you are not there yet with your refreshed admissions marketing campaigns, don’t worry — you’re not alone. It’s not too late, but it’s time to get busy. Here is a checklist to help stay organized and on track during the crunch time that is upon you.

What should already be done, or almost done

“In our experience, admissions teams usually have their recruitment strategies in place by now,” says Ryan McAssey, RDW’s Director of Digital Services. “But actual implementation can be mixed; some schools may be a bit tardy on production needs, or are relaunching the new cycle in a phased approach with a stopgap of existing creative and digital resources.”

By now, be sure you have completed or almost finalized the following:

• Established goals for applications, admits, and yield for the new cycle.
• Analyzed data: competitor insights, demographic shifts, and recruitment opportunities.
• Aligned financial aid strategy including scholarship offers and aid packaging to support recruitment goals.
• Worked with financial aid, housing, and academic departments to align on messaging and deadlines for the new class.
• Refined CRM workflows, your database, built communications flows, and tested application systems.
• Finalized application updates such as essay prompts, deadlines, and Common App/Coalition integrations.
• Finalized fall travel schedules for high school visits, college fairs, and regional events, and prepared for on-campus or virtual open houses.
• Sent new brochures, viewbooks, and website updates to print or staging. 
• Begun preliminary application and enrollment reporting.

Preparing to launch a new admissions cycle

Right now, you should be ready to implement the following activities:

• Launch outreach campaigns, including paid media, email/SMS campaigns, direct mail, and social media engagement.
• Coordinate on-campus or virtual open houses.
• Execute communications for high school counselors and community partners.
• Conduct training for admissions counselors, campus tour guides, and call center teams. Ensure the team is prepared for increased volume once applications open.
• Test application systems and push live any web or CRM updates.
• Refine yield strategies to engage admitted students and encourage them to commit. Monitor melt-up until census date and make last-minute adjustments (especially for small colleges).

Trending innovations to consider

While much of this activity is repetitive year to year, this cycle promises to offer some significant changes. Many admissions teams are using artificial intelligence and data analytics to help streamline the college admissions process, predict trends, and manage student enrollment data. Universities are integrating AI into their decision-making processes.

Chatbots and virtual assistants are becoming more common in higher education marketing efforts. With the rise of virtual communication, universities are using AI-driven chatbots to assist prospective students with the application process, answer questions, and provide real-time updates on application status.

In addition, many higher education institutions have moved to test-optional, more holistic admissions policies. These policies are changing the application cycle and how admissions offices are adjusting to evaluate students holistically without the reliance on standardized test scores.

Last, in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, many schools shifted to virtual tours, events, and interviews. This shift has continued to evolve into hybrid or fully virtual experiences for students. Admissions staff are finding new ways to maintain engagement with prospective students who may not be able to visit in person.

Ready to begin?

The time is now to finalize your planning and start your higher ed recruitment efforts. If you are behind schedule, look to existing campaigns and assets to repurpose for now. Just be sure to accelerate your efforts for the big push this fall. Getting help with your marketing strategy from a partner that has been through the process before will be a big help.