An authentic approach to driving admissions yield at private research university

A flagship private university brought on PeopleGrove to support virtual campus visits and student ambassadorship—driving increased admissions to their university.

88%

Student to Ambassador Response Rate
65%

Out-of-State Students
65%

Ambassador Opt-In Acceptance Rate
3.23X

Increase in Deposits

INSTITUTION TYPE

Private Research University
LOCATION

West Coast
TOTAL ENROLLMENT

9,000+
ALUMNI

77,100+

Recognizing that today's admitted students expect a digital-first experience, our partners at a private university set out to provide scalable virtual support to their incoming class. Their aim was to extend their reach and bring the feeling of a Visit Day to students, regardless of their location.

In partnership with PeopleGrove, the university's admissions team was able to create a unique experience for their admitted students and drive yield by meeting prospective students where they are.

It’s all the little things that only a student could say. And even if I said them as an admissions representative, it would mean half as much because it’s not coming from the mouth of a student.

Admissions Communications Supervisor

The Situation

Student ambassadors to evangelize and promote campus experience

A flagship private university had undergone a brand enhancement highlighting their identity as a private, Catholic institution in the west coast, focused on social justice and “change making.”

To help prospective students understand those brand pillars, the Admissions Communications Supervisor, created an informal ambassador program called Regional Connections. The supervisor understood how peer-to-peer interaction would build trust and rapport since prospects see a student or an alumni as a more authentic source of information, having lived the campus experience.

“It’s all the little things that only a student could say. And even if I said them as an admissions representative, it would mean half as much because it’s not coming from the mouth of a student.”

However, the supervisor was acting as middleman, connecting students and ambassadors via email. This was manual, inefficient, distracting, and difficult to measure. The ability to match student ambassadors and prospects based on their academic or social interests was inconsistent at best. The supervisor knew he was on to something, he just needed a way to scale and mature student connections.

The Solution

PeopleGrove’s Enrollment Success Hub

In two weeks, the university launched the Ambassador Network, powered by PeopleGrove. Within the first week, over 70 student ambassadors volunteered to help bring the spirit of the campus visit to 5,000+ prospective students.

Enabling prospective students to instantly communicate with ambassadors—recommended for them—based on their academic and career interests, along with hometowns and extracurricular activities, accelerates access to trusted information. This allows prospects to create meaningful connections and get their questions answered from a source that feels authentic, moving them closer to enrolling.

Now more than ever, our students need enrollment assistance. Without PeopleGrove’s Enrollment Success platform, we would not be able to provide assistance to students at the necessary scale and level of personalization.

Admissions Communications Supervisor

This solution extended the work of the university’s Career Development Center. In partnership with PeopleGrove, they united their employers and alumni mentors network. The ability to have the Ambassador Program sit within the network ensures a seamless introduction of enrolled students to the larger college community.

Outcomes

88%

Student to Ambassador Response Rate

65%

Out-of-State Participation

3.23X

Increase in Deposits

Aside from exciting engagement numbers, the supervisor is excited by the quality of the connections being made. “It’s great to see our ambassadors helping these future students understand life at the university. They are answering questions about everything from student government to majors to clubs and organizations.”

By scaling authentic peer-to-peer connections, PeopleGrove helped the university bring the spirit of visit day to prospects wherever they are located, and continues to support the university in achieving its increasing yield goals.