Two things your university can do to engage accepted students

There's usually a long period of time from the moment an applicant is admitted to their actual arrival on campus. During this period, a candidate can get anxious and start to rethink their decision.

This is particularly true for international students, who have a lot important decisions to make and lots of daunting tasks to complete. Those may include obtaining a visa and/or financial aid, booking long distance travel and finding accommodation in a country that’s new to them.

At the point of admission, all candidates already have a personal relationship with the admissions office, which often receives hundreds of emails and phone calls demanding more information and guidance.

Photo courtesy of the University of Cincinnati

There are two simple and achievable things that can help you engage accepted students in a more efficient way:

• provide an area on your application portal with exclusive and relevant content that you don’t need to send by email
• Provide access to an online community of other accepted students who can exchange ideas and tips

The technology required to achieve the above does not need to be complex or expensive. You can even start with a closed Facebook or Linkedin group. 

By creating the means for relationships to develop among accepted students, you’ll strengthen the sense of community and increase yield. By engaging with your community before the programme starts, your prospects will be automatically be more emotionally connected with your institution.

A few other tips

Well-produced content that appeals to your applicants' requirements can encourage them to move to the next stage in the enrolment process. Here are five pieces of content to send to admitted students in lead up to enrolment.

Encourage accepted students that your university is the right place for them by sending inspiring alumni stories. A successful alumna or alumnus can serve as a role model for admitted students and their story can strengthens your institution’s brand and reputation. See our blog four ways to showcase alumni stories.