Personalization in student recruitment isn’t just a buzzword, it’s backed by science. When applied strategically, it helps institutions attract more applicants and build meaningful connections.
This article explores the research on why personalization works and offers evidence-based tips on what and when to personalize in student recruitment. You’ll also learn how educational institutions use DreamApply to scale personalization, starting from the first applicant interaction. On average, this leads to 50% more international student applications.
The science behind personalization in student recruitment
To understand personalization, first we have to understand the rule of reciprocation – one of the most potent levers of influence around us. The rule says that we should try to “repay” what another person or organization has provided us. In other words, we feel obliged to the future repayment of favors, gifts, friendly actions, and the like.
This principle is fundamental and pervasive in all cultures. This is why phrases such as “much obliged” have become synonyms for “thank you” not only in English but in other languages as well (such as “obrigado” in Portuguese, “dankeschön” in German and “arigatou gozaimasu” in Japanese).
When it comes to student recruitment, institutions can trigger the principle of reciprocation by providing helpful information, a possibility to speak with a student advisor, offering campus tours, application tips, scholarships guides etc.
Research shows that the power of reciprocation is magnified when a “gift” is personalized to the recipient’s preferences or current needs. The effectiveness of personalization is revealed in a study conducted in fast-food restaurants, as shared by Dr. Robert Cialdini, a renowned researcher who first coined the principles of influence.
In the study, some restaurant visitors were greeted warmly as they entered. Others were also given a nice ring as a gift. Compared to visitors given no gift, they purchased 12 % more food – something easily explained by the rule of reciprocation. A third sample of visitors was greeted warmly, but also given a small cup of yogurt.
Even though the retail value of the yogurt equaled that of the key ring, it increased food purchased to 24 %. Why? The visitors entered with a need for food, so the gift was already personalized to their current need. One would think that eating yogurt would decrease someone’s appetite for more food, but so powerful is the force of personalization that visitors still purchase twice as much.
Similarly, institutions leveraging the personalizations in DreamApply’s software attract 50% more international applications, as they consolidate visa and program requirements in the application, making the process hassle free for international students.
Tailoring the application based on the applicant’s citizenship, incorporating visa requirements and supporting them in this transition are all a part of helpful services that motivate reciprocity in students. Let’s look at some of the best examples of personalization in student recruitment that contribute to increased enrollment.
When to start personalizing: The critical moments you can’t afford to miss
Personalization should begin the moment an applicant visits your application platform. With DreamApply, this process starts as soon as the system detects the applicant’s location during their first visit and prompts them to confirm or update their citizenship.
Here is how the first prompt for personalization looks like.
This ensures that the application portal itself is tailored early on, increasing the likelihood that a visitor will start an application. Citizenship is used as the first filter because the majority of the information that needs to be communicated to applicants (such as fees or deadlines) is conditioned by citizenship.
Key areas to personalize for maximum recruitment impact
To maximize results in student recruitment, here’s what you should personalize using DreamApply:
Application forms: The first touchpoint that sets the tone
Tailor forms so applicants see only relevant fields based on citizenship, program of interest and academic background. This reduces drop-off rates and enhances the applicant experience. Use DreamApply to ensure that applicants only answer what’s pertinent to their specific situation, making the application process smoother and more efficient.
Communication & notifications: Keeping prospects engaged throughout the process
Keep applicants engaged and informed by sending personalized emails, reminders and notifications based on their stage in the application process, program of interest and specific deadlines. DreamApply helps automate these communications, ensuring that each message is timely and relevant.
The platform of outreach: Meeting them where they are
DreamApply’s new two-way messaging feature allows applicants to respond directly to messages, notifications or offers on the platform or directly via email, centralizing all threads in the same system. This ensures a complete and uninterrupted conversation history and increased responsiveness. Applicants benefit from a choice between an email-like environment and a direct platform for messaging, while administrators save time by keeping all communications organized in one place. The result? Faster, more personalized interactions that lead to a higher number of completed applications in less time.
Admissions offers: Making every offer count
Make your admissions offers stand out by customizing them to reflect the applicant’s chosen program, scholarship opportunities and any specific conditions they need to fulfill. DreamApply makes it easy to personalize these offer letters, making them more relevant and increasing the likelihood of acceptance.
Fee and scholarship information: Providing clarity when it matters most
Financial clarity is crucial for applicants. DreamApply helps you provide personalized tuition rates and application fees based on residency status and chosen program, making financial expectations clear. You can also offer targeted information on scholarships and financial aid that align with the applicant’s profile, such as nationality, academic achievements or chosen field of study, making the application process even more attractive.
Deadlines and document requirements: Eliminating confusion and delays
Ensure timely submissions by highlighting specific deadlines tailored to the applicant’s program, application type and citizenship. DreamApply allows you to personalize these deadlines and document checklists so applicants see exactly what’s required based on their profile, reducing confusion and speeding up the application process.
Content and resources: Delivering the right information at the right time
Offer applicants resources tailored to their specific needs, such as visa guides for international students or financial aid information for domestic applicants. DreamApply facilitates this by allowing institutions provide personalized support resources like contact information for specific advisors, FAQs relevant to the applicant’s status, or links to additional guidance based on their application progress.
Real-world success: Ca’ Foscari University’s personalization journey
Krystina Stermole, Head of Outreach and Recruitment Unit at Ca’Foscari’s University of Venice shares how her team takes advantage of the personalization of DreamApply.
“One of the things I particularly love is taking advantage of the personalization of the platform. We’re able to make use of our institutional colors, logos, photos, videos—all the kinds of things that enrich the student experience when they’re trying to make a decision about where they’d like to go and study. Essentially, DreamApply allows us to have all roads converge there, and it becomes a hub from which our students can find everything else they’re looking for.”
Hear it directly from Krystina and explore how Ca’Foscari’s University of Venice is cultivating relations with students in this case study.
What students say: The impact of personalization on their enrollment decision
Caridad Tinaye Munyawiri, a Bachelor student at Ca’Foscari University of Venice shares her experience of applying through DreamApply’s. She says that the personalization she experienced has played a key role in attracting her to apply to Ca’ Foscari University,
“I was able to select what country I was from, and the system tailored the information to my needs. It showed me the documents I needed to upload, the tuition fees I neede to pay and the tests I needed to take as a Zimbabwean, which was amazing. I never had to leave the platform to go to the Ca’Foscari website to get any extra information because all of it was on DreamApply”, says Caridad.
Hear it directly from Caridad.
How to get started with a strong personalization strategy
Based on the scientific evidence and as testified by institutions such as Ca’Foscari University of Venice, personalization is one of the missing links for building a thriving student recruitment system. To help you implement a strategy that works for your institution, DreamApply offers a personalized consultation and a possibility to receive a custom student recruitment plan. The plan is created based on your unique needs and best practices reported by 300 educational institutions in 40 countries, that have used DreamApply’s features for overcoming most diverse student recruitment challenges.
Take your next step today:
- See DreamApply in action and discover how our platform can meet your specific needs. Request your demo.
- Fill out this form to receive a personalized strategy designed to maximize your student recruitment efforts. Fill out the form.
About DreamApply
Founded in 2011 in Estonia, DreamApply is an innovation-driven EdTech organization that improves access to education around the globe. DreamApply’s application management software helps more than 300 educational institutions across 40 countries improve admissions, marketing, financial and other internal processes.
DreamApply’s easy-to-use and customizable software increases student enrollment by 30% and reduces application processing time by 40%. With features designed with and for educational institutions, and integrations with commonly used systems, DreamApply empowers teams to get more done with less effort.
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