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!
