Student engagement is vital starting during the application process all the way through graduation. Through most of the year, higher education recruiters are focused on bringing in a strong class of applicants and students. Then, they watch as a potentially significant portion of their committed students ‘melt’ away. In fact, a recent Harvard data project estimated that at some institutions, Summer Melt can be as high as 40%.
Some of that melt is unavoidable. Students may decide not to attend college because of financial concerns outside of an institution’s control. But it’s still possible to minimize the number to keep your melt only to those students, working hard to enroll every student who is even considering your institution.
That means keeping your students engaged all summer, an effort that you can embrace with these five tips.
1. Connect Incoming Students With Their Peers
College is, at its core, a communal experience. The more you can get students in touch with their future classmates and roommates, the more strongly they’ll feel connected to your institution.
Create social media groups and online discussion boards where your incoming class can get to know each other and exchange information. Host in-person networking events on campus and in recruitment hotspots. Nurture the connections they’ll build, months before they begin their studies.
2. Use the Power of User-Generated Content
More than any generation before them, Gen Z values authenticity. You can build trust and credibility by ensuring that students hear not just from you, but from students like them at your institution.
For example, consider asking your orientation team leaders to record short videos with tips about what to pack, how to prepare for move-in day, and what to expect when on campus. Even information like their favorite classes and student clubs can get core information across in an engaging, authentic way.
3. Build the Excitement for Move-In and Welcome Week
Speaking of move-in day: this event is immensely stressful for incoming students and families, but it also holds the potential for immense excitement.
Increase student engagement by building excitement for those welcome week activities, like student socials or a big dance on the field. Now is the time to let your committed students know about them, sharing videos and other content that helps them look forward to the day they step foot on campus.
4. Get Your Professors Involved
In addition to getting peers involved, it also helps to remind your incoming class about the reasons why they are going to college to begin with. Involve professors in their future field of study in your summer outreach, asking them to share basic information about the program. Even a well-placed summer reading or movie suggestion related to their future major can get your new students engaged academically.
5. Provide a Constant Outlet for Questions
Finally, don’t underestimate the ongoing needs your students will continue to have even after they’ve committed. They’ll have questions about financial aid, housing, move-in, clearances, academic prerequisites like language tests and scheduling classes, and more. The easier their outreach to your institution can be, the more they’ll take advantage of it.
Consider, for example, the benefits of AI-enabled digital assistants in this arena. As an always-on outlet for questions, this digital tool will help your future students and their parents ask basic questions and get instant answers. Every interaction is an opportunity to improve answers to future questions.
At its core, an AI digital assistant solves what is perhaps the most significant part of student engagement during summer: helping to solve their logistical needs and assuaging any worries they might have. With the right assistant in place, you can better leverage channels like your website and text messaging to build a strong relationship with your incoming class, reducing melt and setting them on a journey to success.
