The Challenge
A private university with multiple campuses had a significant number of prospective students who had started but never completed their applications. Despite offering prestigious programs and having a strong reputation, the university was experiencing a high abandonment rate in their student application process.
The university faced several specific challenges:
- Over 2,500 partial student applications submitted over the previous 12 months
- Standard follow-up emails and calls generating minimal response
- Complex application process with multiple forms creating abandonment points
- Financial aid concerns creating uncertainty in student decisions
- Limited understanding of why prospects were abandoning the process
The university had essentially written off these partial applications as dead leads, focusing instead on generating new prospects through expensive marketing campaigns and college fairs.
Our Solution
We implemented our commission-based lead reactivation system with zero upfront cost to the university. Our approach included:
1. Student-Centric Analysis
We conducted detailed analysis to understand why prospects were abandoning applications:
- Identified specific steps in the application process where abandonment occurred
- Analyzed time spent on different program pages to identify interests
- Conducted targeted outreach to understand objections and concerns
- Segmented partial applicants by program, academic level, and urgency
2. Personalized Reactivation Strategy
We developed a reactivation strategy that addressed key student concerns:
- Financial aid information and scholarship opportunities
- Program-specific content and career outcomes
- Personalized approach to student goals
- Documented consent and preference management
3. Student-Centric Reengagement
We implemented a personalized, student-centric approach to reengagement:
- Concierge service to assist with application completion
- Personalized program recommendations based on initial application data
- Financial planning content addressing common concerns
- Simplified application pathways based on abandonment point
- Direct admissions counselor connections for high-potential students
Implementation Timeline
Data Analysis & Strategy Development
Worked with the university's admissions team to understand their process. Conducted initial analysis of partial applications to identify patterns.
Student Segmentation & Content Creation
Segmented students by program, academic level, and urgency. Developed tailored reactivation strategies for each segment.
Content Creation & System Integration
Created program-specific content and integrated our systems with the university's student management platform.
Initial Campaign Launch
Launched phase one of the reactivation campaign focusing on high-potential students who had recently abandoned applications.
Mid-Campaign Analysis & Optimization
Analyzed initial results and optimized the approach based on response patterns and conversion data.
Full Campaign Execution
Expanded the campaign to all segments with continuously optimized messaging and approaches.
Final Results & Strategy Recommendations
Delivered comprehensive results and provided strategic recommendations for ongoing application optimization.
The Results
Over the 90-day campaign period, our lead reactivation efforts delivered exceptional results:
Reactivation Metrics
- Total Partial Applications Targeted: 2,542
- Applications Successfully Completed: 610 (24%)
- Average Annual Tuition: $36,000
- Total New Tuition Revenue: $3.6 million
- First-Year Revenue: $3.6 million
Segment Performance
- Graduate Programs: 28% completion rate
- Undergraduate Programs: 23% completion rate
- Professional Certificates: 26% completion rate
- Recent Abandonment (< 30 days): 32% completion rate
- Older Abandonment (> 30 days): 18% completion rate
Long-Term Impact
- Lifetime Value: Projected $10.8M in tuition revenue over average student program length (3 years)
- Additional Referrals: 45 new student referrals from reactivated students within 6 months
- Application Process Improvements: 42% reduction in abandonment rate after implementation of process recommendations
- Student Acquisition Cost: 68% lower than the university's average SAC for new students
New tuition revenue by program segment
The complexity of our application process had created significant barriers for many prospective students. WeProfitWhenYouDo not only created a student-centric reactivation strategy but delivered results that far exceeded our expectations. Converting these abandoned applications into $3.6M in new tuition revenue without any upfront cost to us was remarkable. Even more valuable were the insights into why students were abandoning our process, which has helped us improve our entire student acquisition strategy.
Have Uncompleted Student Applications in Your Pipeline?
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