Customizing Application Strategies for Maximum Impact

1. Customizing Application Strategies for Maximum Impact Fred DietzExecutive Director of Enrollment Management, Murray State University Paul Marthers, Ed.D.Vice President for Enrollment and Dean of Undergraduate and Graduate Admissions, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2. What is the role of the application for admission? • Data collection device for rendering admission decisions? • Marketing tool to project your brand and image? • A proxy for delivering the kinds of service students receive as visitors to campus?

3. What drives your strategy? • Enrollment goals? • Projecting your brand? • Operational efficiencies? • Customer service?

4. Goal #1: Enrollment • Number of students • Academic ability • Ethnic diversity • Geographic diversity • Academic program balance

6. Actionable Applications Entering Classes 2012-2013

7. Application Rates by Marketing Eligible Students Entering Classes 2012–2013 2012 2013

8. Enrollment Funnel by Marketed Source Entering Classes 2012-2013 2012 2013 2012 2013 2012 2013 Other Application Source Inquiry Pool Marketed

9. Total undergraduate student enrollment – fall 1997 through fall 2013

10. Freshmen by school and year

11. Percentage of freshmen from outside the Northeast Fall 2002-2013

12. Applications by SAT Score Entering Classes 2007 and 2013 Average: 1325 Average: 1294

13. Freshman quality – SAT 25th to 75th percentile All enrolled freshmen 2000-2013

15. Submitted Applications Entering Classes 2005 - 2013 16,169 15,231 14,592 13,470 12,353 11,255 10,213 6,875 5,574

16. Candidate’s Choice Application marketing influenced 91% of all 2013 submitted applications Enrollment Funnel by Application Source 2012 2013 2012 2013 2012 2013 Other App Sources Candidate’s Choice-Influenced Applications Candidate’s Choice Applications

17. Enrollment Funnel by Application Source Entering Class 2013 as of 10/8 Admit Rate 38% Current Deposit Rate 56% 25% 16% 34% 19% Other App Sources Candidate’s Choice-Influenced Applications Candidate’s Choice Applications

18. SAT Scores by Application Source Entering Class 2013 as of 10/8 Average: 1324 Average: 1381 Average: 1348 Other App Sources Candidate’s Choice-Influenced Applications Candidate’s Choice Applications

19. Goal #2 Projecting your brand • The application is a marketing platform • Builds desire • Conveys your value • Generates engagement

22. Post-submission, students also can browse a “Let’s Go” page

23. Students viewing the “Let’s Go” page have higher yield Applicants Who Viewed the Let’s Go Page Differences in Yield 2013

24. Goal #3: Operational efficiencies • Program analysis • Direct data loads • Data-driven decision making • Online reading • Imaging and electronic document transmission

27. Goal #4:The level of service you provide • Students (existing inquiries and new seniors) • Personally initiating the application conversation • Personal communications all cycle long • Parents • Encouraging the family conversation • Seeking their help with completion • Secondary school counselors • Notification when students apply • Flexibility to help manage their workloads • Fast and easy completion (their choice of options)

28. Does this feel like service?

29. Does this feel like service?

30. Murray State’s Early Application Mailing

31. Engages parents too! Dear Mr. Dietz,  This is actually Christopher's mother's email address. I have all things school/college related sent to me until he is 18. We are looking forward to receiving the information. Our cousin and his wife graduated in 2011 and 2010, respectively. They have both raved about their experiences with Murray State and have gone on to do great things. Murray State is high on our list of colleges to apply to and visit.  Thank you for taking the time to contact us and send us information.  Sincerely,  Shelli Johnson

32. Early Application Marketing

33. “Your institution was the very first school to contact me. Ever. And for that, I will always be grateful and responsive to any offers or requests you make.” -Student “Thank you for your email!  We appreciate being kept in the loop.  We hope to schedule a visit in the near future.” -Parent

34. Early Application Marketing has proved to bolster conversion rates

35. Personally inviting students to apply

36. Mobile optimization

37. Mobile usage was up significantly for the third consecutive cycle Application Mobile Activity

38. Deadline mailings

39. Inviting parents into the conversation 81%of parents read email messages sent directly to them

40. Parents want (and expect) to receive information directly AND to view materials sent to their child

41. Can parent involvement improve application marketing? • Test Goals • Can we drive students to apply by sending email reminders to their parents? • Do strategic application emails addressed to parents help increase inquiry submission rates? • Test Setup • Initial emails were sent to both students and parent • Subsequent parent emails deployed prior to the primary deadline

42. Early Action applications increased by 14% in the parent email test group Application Rate Entering Class 2013 Third parent email Deployed 11/13 Second parent email Deployed 11/2 +14% First parent email Deployed 9/14

43. Total applications increased by 7% in the test group Application Rate Entering Class 2013 +7%

44. Students interacted with the completion page at high rates Download Package 77% 45% Paid Fee Confirm Delivery 68% Send Counselor Email 61%

45. Inviting counselors into the conversation

47. Electronic document transfer

48. What drives your strategy? • Enrollment goals? • Projecting your brand? • Operational efficiencies? • Customer Service?

49. Questions?