BY Anthony Campisi | April 15th, 2025

The Power of Storytelling in Higher Education Marketing

In a crowded marketplace, facts and figures alone aren’t enough to stand out. Prospective students are looking for more than programs and tuition rates—they want to know what it feels like to be part of your institution’s community. This is where storytelling in higher education marketing comes in.

Compelling narratives can transform your marketing efforts by humanizing your institution, fostering emotional connections, and inspiring action. Here’s how to harness the power of storytelling in higher education marketing.

Craft Student Success Stories

Nothing resonates with prospective students more than seeing real people achieve their dreams. Student success stories provide a window into the transformative experiences your institution offers.

• Focus on Relatable Journeys: Highlight diverse students and their unique paths—whether they’re first-generation college-goers, career-changers, or international learners.
• Show, Don’t Tell: Use vivid details to bring stories to life. For example, instead of saying a student became a leader, share how they launched a campus initiative or made an impact in their field.
• Keep It Outcome-Oriented: Prospective students want to see results. Tie the narrative back to career advancement, personal growth, or community contributions.

Use Video and Interactive Content to Engage Audiences

Storytelling doesn’t have to live solely in text. Video and interactive media provide dynamic ways to captivate audiences and make your narratives more accessible.

• Short-Form Videos: Platforms like TikTok and Instagram thrive on short, impactful storytelling. Share quick vignettes of students’ day-to-day lives or “behind-the-scenes” campus experiences.
• Interactive Timelines: Create digital experiences where prospective students can explore a student’s journey from orientation to graduation.
• Live Streams: Host Q&A sessions or virtual tours where current students, alumni, or faculty share their stories in real-time.

Incorporate Faculty and Alumni Voices

Faculty and alumni are integral parts of your institution’s story. Featuring their voices adds credibility, depth, and aspirational value to your messaging.

• Faculty Highlights: Showcase faculty who are innovators in their fields or deeply committed to mentorship. Pair profiles with anecdotes about how they’ve impacted students.
• Alumni Success: Share stories of alumni who’ve gone on to achieve significant milestones, tying their success back to the education and experiences they gained at your institution.
• Community Impact: Highlight alumni who are using their education to give back—whether through social initiatives, entrepreneurial ventures, or groundbreaking research.

GPRS: Your Partner in Storytelling

At GPRS, we understand that storytelling is more than just marketing — it’s about capturing the heart of what makes your institution unique.

We’ve helped institutions across the globe craft narratives that resonate with their audiences. From developing authentic student profiles to producing engaging video campaigns, we specialize in bringing stories to life.

The power of storytelling in higher education marketing is the bridge that connects your institution’s values and mission to the aspirations of prospective students. By sharing authentic, impactful narratives, you can humanize your brand and inspire your audience to take the next step.

Ready to craft compelling stories that make an impact? Let GPRS help you uncover and amplify the voices that make your institution shine.

BY Anthony Campisi | December 27th, 2024

Converting Admits to Enrollments: A Guide to Yield Optimization

Getting qualified graduate student applicants to say “yes” after admission can prove challenging. While many institutions focus heavily on attracting applicants, the critical yield phase often receives less strategic attention. With graduate yield rates trending downward nationally, mastering this final stage of the enrollment funnel is more important than ever. Here are some proven strategies to convert admits into enrollments and fill your incoming classes with qualified, engaged students.

Promote Time-Sensitive Scholarship Incentives and Financial Planning

Financial considerations for graduate students during their enrollment decision process can’t be overstated and helping admitted students understand the long-term value proposition of your programs can take your strategy to the next level. Your team can build urgency around enrollment deposit timelines by offering early commitment scholarships and fellowship or assistantship awards with deadlines.

• Promote scholarship deadlines through email, social media, and digital marketing assets as soon as possible after they are admitted. This encourages quick decisions while demonstrating financial investment in students’ success – and can outshine your competition’s graduate scholarship offerings.
• Proactively reach out to admitted students with individualized financial counseling sessions, payment plan information, and scholarship or fellowship options.

Leverage Current Student and Alumni Stories

Nothing influences prospective students more than peers who’ve already chosen to enroll. Seeing a diverse range of successful alumni and current students can help prospects see themselves at your institution and build a sense of community.

• Create a diverse ambassador program where current students and alumni can connect with admitted students via text, email, webinar, or social media.
• Further personalize their experience by focusing these connections on shared backgrounds or interests, like pairing admitted students with alumni in the degree program they’ve expressed interest in.

Host Program-Specific Yield Events

Generic admitted student days often fall flat for those at the bottom of the enrollment funnel – especially graduate prospects.

• Organize online or in-person program-specific events that dive deep into the student experience, career outcomes, and hands-on program opportunities. Virtual options, especially for busy graduate students, can improve your reach and eliminate on-campus event considerations.
• Have faculty share current research projects, let admits sit in on classes, and facilitate networking with current students and alumni through LinkedIn or your website.

Streamline Your Post-Admission Process

Removing friction from the enrollment process, strategically mapping your yield communications calendar, and maintaining steady (but not overwhelming) contact can help you stand out among the competition.

• The first 72 hours after admission are the most critical. Create clear checklists of next steps, automate reminders for missing items, and provide easy access to key resources like scholarships and course registration.
• Consider investing in an app that can help students manage their enrollment process.

Remember: your competition isn’t just other schools – it’s also the option to defer graduate education entirely. Your yield strategy needs to both differentiate your program and create momentum toward enrollment through a sense of urgency and personalized attention. By implementing these focused yield tactics, you can improve conversion rates while building stronger incoming classes.

Ready to chat about converting admits to enrollments? Let’s talk!