Refining Student Search to Maximize Deposits

Challenge

A regional state college in Central New York, SUNY Morrisville promises students learning and career preparation through innovative applied education. While this identity is well known in the region, the college’s admissions team aimed to expand its recruitment beyond its local region to grow enrollment. Additionally, the team recognized that it was applying a common strategy as competitors–recruiting students who ranked high academically–and decided to delve into student, program, and market data to focus efforts on students who were the best fit for the institution.

Solution

In order to strengthen its recruitment strategy, SUNY Morrisville turned to its enrollment partner Encoura. Through discussions with Encoura, the university learned how competitors were behaving and pivoted to uniquely refine its student search to reach students who would be most interested in enrolling at its institution due to their specific college and program interests. The SUNY Morrisville team was then able to leverage its Encoura Digital Solutions to deliver digital ads to these students and track its campaigns and funnel performance with its Encoura team.

Funnel Optimization

Strategic Enrollment Consulting

Enrollment Lens®

Advanced Student Search

Encoura Combined Dataset

Smart+® Predictive Model

Technology

Class Planner®

Digital Solutions

Custom Audience Targeting

Short Video

Mobile Geofencing

Search Engine Marketing

Website Retargeting

Our partners at Encoura really understand our goals, our pain points, our strategies, and even historical information about our institution. Our Encoura Regional Director, Joe, has been here longer than a lot of our admissions team members and consistently provides effective strategies that help us focus our resources on the best students for our university.

Admissions Technology Coordinator & CRM Manager for Marketing Communication

Results

As a result of its newly specialized strategy of focusing search on students it best serves, the university has seen improved return on investment for both their budget and staff. Additionally, by focusing resources on markets and programs that best responded, SUNY Morrisville was also able to branch out into growing new markets. Due to this new approach, the university has seen increased applications for the past two years, is currently up 25% in applications from last year, and is already 15% ahead in deposits.

Increase in applications two years in a row

22% increase in applications

11% increase in fall enrollment

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Get Started

Encoura is ready to connect with you to get started on your best strategy. Learn more about how higher education leaders are better understanding their market to take their institutions to the next level.