About the Episode
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About the Episode:
In this episode of The Application, host Allison Turcio sits down with W. Kent Barnds, a veteran enrollment leader with over 30 years of experience, to tackle one of the hottest topics in enrollment marketing today: the shifting dynamics of campus visits. With students increasingly waiting to visit until after they’ve applied, how should colleges rethink their visit strategies? Kent unpacks the trends reshaping campus visit behavior, including the impact of social media and the rise of digital-first interactions. Enrollment marketers and admissions teams will walk away with actionable strategies for creating visits that drive yield and adapting their approach to meet today’s students where they are.
Key “How Tos” You’ll Hear in This Episode:
- Design visits that drive yield: Learn how to roll out the red carpet and make every visit count, even with fewer opportunities to connect in person.
- Use digital behaviors as new signals of interest: Move beyond traditional demonstrated interest metrics like campus visits and focus on social media engagement, email interactions, and off-campus touchpoints.
- Shift your messaging timeline: Rethink your communication flow to account for students who may skip the traditional pre-application visit.
- Maximize the power of student-generated content: Develop a strategy for leveraging authentic student voices on platforms like TikTok and YouTube to influence prospective students.
- Incentivize visits strategically: Explore creative ways to make campus visits more attractive, from scholarships to priority housing.
Why Are Students Delaying Campus Visits?
Kent Barnds identifies several factors influencing this trend. First, students today have unparalleled access to information online, including virtual campus tours, social media, and other digital content, reducing the perceived need for in-person visits early in the process. Additionally, the costs—both financial and time—of campus visits have grown, making families hesitant to invest before knowing if a school is a viable option. Lastly, busier schedules and the increase in applications submitted by students have shortened the timeline for visits, shifting them to post-admission decision periods.
How Social Media Shapes Perceptions of Colleges
Kent shares insights into how platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube are shaping students’ views of colleges. Students prioritize authentic content created by their peers over polished, institution-driven marketing. For Kent’s daughter, a high school senior, these platforms have become a primary source of information. This shift challenges colleges to foster student creators who can authentically represent the campus experience while maintaining institutional messaging standards.
Adapting Recruitment Strategies to the New Normal
With fewer opportunities for students to visit multiple times, Kent emphasizes the importance of curating a personalized and impactful experience during their one visit. His team reexamines every touchpoint, from the welcome they receive upon arrival to the structure of the visit itself. He also highlights the value of creating incentives, such as campus visit grants or academic competition days, to make the trip worthwhile.
Additionally, Kent notes that demonstrated interest indicators are evolving. Traditional measures like campus visits may now be supplemented with digital engagement data, including social media interactions and responses to tele-counseling.
The Future of Campus Visits
Looking ahead, Kent predicts that virtual reality experiences will soon revolutionize how students engage with campuses, offering immersive tours that replicate in-person visits. He also underscores the need for institutions to adapt to a world where students may enroll without physically stepping foot on campus, making retention efforts even more critical.
Connect With Our Host:
Allison Turcio
https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonturcio/
https://twitter.com/allisonturcio
About The Enrollify Podcast Network: The Application with Allison Turcio is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows, too!
Some of our favorites include Mission Admissions and Visionary Voices: The College President’s Playbook.
Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.
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