Did you know that nearly 70% of high school graduates in the United States choose to enroll in a college or university? That means over 2 million students aged 16 to 24 are on the hunt for a postsecondary home each year. But with thousands of options, the search can be overwhelming.How can your institution help? Find ways to stand out among the competition and show you’re committed to excellence. Note: You don’t have to spend a lot of money or perform grand gestures to accomplish this. Simple online forms—used creatively and strategically—can help you engage new grads and nurture them to enrollment.Here are three simple nurture tactics (that start with an online form) for you to consider:
#1. Requests for More Information
Give prospective students a way to indicate interest in your school even if they aren’t ready to apply. Place an information request form on your website (or social page, where high school seniors may be more likely to see it), and start collecting valuable data on potential recruits.When someone submits a form to request more information on your college or university, you (or the appropriate regional recruiter) can be notified immediately so you can reach out to the interested individual. You can follow up promptly with an engaging email, as well as send informative brochures and school swag. A fast, personalized response to a website contact form will impress prospective students and their parents.
#2: Campus Tour Sign-ups
Help prospective students fall in love with your school by inviting them to visit campus. Use a dynamic online form to easily collect and manage sign-ups for campus tours. The form can also help you personalize campus visits by asking for information on major areas of interest, as well as desire to meet with specific professors or sit in on a live lecture. You can even link the sign-up form to your email marketing system so you can stay in touch with those who visit and further nurture them with relevant content.The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) uses Formstack’s online form builder to recruit students through a campus visit program. The ease of registering for campus tours has led to a 45% increase in campus visits for UNR, which has boosted enrollment by 70%.
#3: College Fair Booths
Stand out at this year’s college fairs by using an online form app to capture prospective students’ information on a sleek tablet or mobile device. This makes it easy for students and parents who visit your booth to indicate interest, and it helps you build a list of potential recruits who want to learn more. Use the information you collect to invite recruits to campus for a special visit or event. Or send them personalized information on your university’s study programs and extracurricular offerings.
These are just a few simple ideas for using online forms for student recruitment. Looking for more ways to boost your higher education lead generation? Check out Formstack's education templates or click below to learn more about our higher ed solutions.
