Why Students Ignore Your Admissions Funnel (And What to Do Instead)

For decades, higher education institutions have relied on the enrollment funnel to manage inquiries, applications, admits, and deposits. But what happens when the very process we spend millions optimizing no longer reflects how students actually choose a college? Host Allison Turcio sits down with Aimee Rose, brand strategist and 2019 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year, to challenge the foundational assumptions of the modern admissions playbook. Aimee breaks down why the admissions funnel in higher education has become an internal comfort metric that confuses management convenience with actual human decision-making. She explains that prospective students don’t move through linear pipelines; they formulate brand preferences quietly across peer circles and social platforms long before submitting an inquiry form. If your team is reevaluating recruitment ROI amid mounting demographic headwinds, this conversation provides a strategic roadmap for putting authentic human connection back at the core of your enrollment strategy.

Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:

• An Ounce of Retention (ADV Market Research)