CRM (Customer Relationship Management) for higher education is one of the most effective solutions to enhance student engagement, streamline administrative processes and improve enrollment rates. In this article, we’ll explore how CRM systems like DreamApply can achieve these results.
What is a CRM for higher education?
A Higher Education CRM is a comprehensive tool that helps institutions manage interactions with prospective and current students, alumni, faculty, and staff members. It integrates various aspects of student management, from recruitment and admissions processes to engagement and retention, into a unified platform. This holistic approach ensures that institutions can deliver personalized experiences at scale, making it easier to meet and exceed the expectations of their constituents.
Why is it important?
Enhanced student engagement
A CRM enables institutions to maintain consistent and personalized communication with students throughout their student journey. Tools like DreamApply facilitate tailored messaging, automated follow-ups, and prompt responses, ensuring students feel valued and supported throughout their academic lifecycle.
Streamlined admissions processes
The admissions process can be complex and time-consuming. A CRM like DreamApply simplifies this by automating routine tasks, such as application tracking, document collection, and interview scheduling. This not only reduces administrative burdens but also speeds up the admissions cycle, making it more efficient and effective.
Data-driven decision making
CRMs provide robust analytics that offer insights into student behavior, application trends, and program performance. These data-driven insights help institutions make informed decisions, optimize recruitment strategies, and improve student services.
Improved student retention and enrollment rates
By tracking student progress and identifying at-risk individuals, CRMs allows institutions to implement timely interventions. This proactive approach helps in retaining students and guiding them towards successful graduation, thereby improving student retention and success rates.
Key features of DreamApply’s admissions management software
DreamApply stands out as a leading CRM solution for higher education due to its comprehensive suite of features designed to address the unique needs of educational institutions:
Workflows for personalization and automation: Automate repetitive tasks and personalize communication to enhance the student experience.
Ranking student applications: Efficiently rank and prioritize applications based on customizable criteria, ensuring the best candidates are identified quickly.
Scholarship management: Streamline the administration of scholarships, from application to disbursement.
Collecting tuition fees: Simplify the fee collection process with integrated payment gateways and automated reminders.
Video interviews: Set and manage video interviews seamlessly within the platform.
Marketing integrations: Integrate with existing marketing tools to ensure cohesive and effective recruitment campaigns.
DreamApply currently serves 300 educational institutions in 40 countries. As an example, in 2019 the University of Pavia began using DreamApply, and the results have been extraordinary. During the 2019/20 academic year, the university received 700 applications. By 2023/24, this number soared to 7,800 – a 1000% increase in just 5 years! Daria Milone, the university’s Head of Admissions, shares her experience with DreamApply as an admissions management and marketing tool in this short video.
Benefits of Implementing a CRM in Higher Education
Unified view of student data: A system like DreamApply consolidates all student-related data into a single platform, providing a comprehensive view of each student’s journey. This integration eliminates data silos and ensures that all departments have access to real-time information.
Increased operational efficiency: By automating administrative tasks and providing intuitive tools for managing student interactions, DreamApply significantly reduces the time and effort required from faculty and staff members. This allows them to focus on more strategic initiatives and improve overall productivity.
Enhanced communication and engagement: DreamApply’s communication tools ensure that students receive timely and relevant information, fostering a sense of belonging and engagement. Personalized messaging and automated follow-ups make it easier to maintain strong relationships with prospective students and current students alike. Institutions like Ca’ Foscari University of Venice use DreamApply to cultivate relationships with students, beyond increasing student enrollment rates.
Scalability and flexibility: DreamApply is designed to grow with your institution. Its scalable architecture and flexible features allow you to adapt to meet evolving needs and support long-term success.
About DreamApply
Founded in 2011 in Estonia, DreamApply is an innovation-driven EdTech organization that improves access to education around the globe. DreamApply’s admissions management software helps more than 300 educational institutions across 40 countries to 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.
Click here to book a live consultation and start optimizing your admissions management today!
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