Onondaga Community College had a need to increase student retention, but the fix was far from easy. After exhaustive research, the college’s staff developed a bold and comprehensive plan to help more students graduate.

Hint: Don’t pretend you’re the person who just retired

What kind of impression is your school website making to visitors and potential students?

When the two systems play nice, you’ll get the most out of both.

"The best way to help students manage the stress [of applying to schools] is to reassure them that it doesn’t have to be stressful. It can be a meaningful and rewarding experience. If they’re connected to that question of why they’re going to college and what they’re looking for."
Brennan Barnard, Director of College Counseling at The Derryfield School in New Hampshire

“That story we share has to cause me to feel some empathy. It could be frustration, irritation, joy, happiness. If I don’t feel something, I cannot make a decision.”
Lori L. Jacobwith, Ignited Fundraising

“There’s a huge risk in asking people for anything. But why wouldn’t we take risks? Why wouldn’t we, as fundraisers, be vulnerable? It’s not about us. It’s about the donors. We should be risky every darn day.”
Brian Gawor, VP for Research at Ruffalo Noel Levitz

Students obtain an education as a pathway to gainful employment, but many schools fall short of providing quality career services. Much of the problem lies in how schools connect with students. These five text suggestions can help your department reach more students and guide them to their respective careers.

Jacksonville State University is a 4-year public institution that faced a declining number of enrollments and applicants, as well as a decline in event attendance. Lauren Findley, Director of Undergrad Admissions, Shaun Stancil, the school’s Systems Administrator, and their team used integration and well-crafted, automated texts to overcome these obstacles.

“What you see here is kind of a scramble by the states, partly for competitive reasons, but also because the majority of people are now realizing that what’s going on in college sports with the players not getting paid in what amounts to a billion dollar industry is just wrong."
Joe Nocera, Author and Business Journalist

As you know, Giving Day is much more than an opportunity to raise financial support for your institution. It’s also the perfect time to better engage your alumni community. And the time to craft your texting strategy is now. These simple steps will help you reach your goals. 

“I think it’s about having individual relationships with your students, so when they do come in and need to be challenged, you know them well enough to know their growth edges, and how you need to couch that challenge so they can hear it, because that’s not the same for every student."
Dr. Yancey Gulley, Associate Professor in the Higher Education Student Affairs program at Western Carolina University.

According to the Association of American Colleges and Universities, 74% of all students meet at least one criterion of being a non-traditional student. And, the number of non-traditional students across the country will continue to grow. Schools that obtain a better understanding of the obstacles faced by non-traditional students will be able to better serve their needs.

Here at Mongoose, we’re pretty passionate about connecting schools with their students - and that goal involves a lot of research on a lot of topics. And, sometimes, we use our passion for research to fulfill our fervor for fun.

“You can look at the IP addresses. We can actually see 10-15% of the applications were completed by the parent. This is going to increase. The parent is driving the college search process. You need to be recruiting the whole family because they’re part of this as well.” - Joe Madigan - Director of Recruitment Outreach at Florida Southern University

Like many schools, Florida Southern College (FSC) had declining enrollment numbers in a crowded market, and had difficulty reaching students and potential students. Even with the best texting platform, the school still needed a smart strategy. Joe Madigan, the Director of Recruitment Outreach at FSC, worked with his admissions team to break down the barriers in the way of reaching students, because telephone calls and emails weren’t working.

How to make your open house a full house

With all of the work that goes into planning an open house, or any campus event, it can be deflating when attendance doesn’t match the effort of your staff.  A lifetime of spam has scared students away from their email inboxes. Schools that have instituted a texting platform have found a dramatic improvement in their response rates, but selecting a platform is only half of the solution. A smart strategy is needed. 

Answering this question is key to donor acquisition and retention. 

While your initial response to receiving a gift should always be “Thank you”, your secondary response should be “Why?”

Everyone I know: “Why is your conference in Puerto Rico?” 

“Brands and businesses think they’re complying with the TCPA by having “Text STOP to end” or “Message and data rate apply”, but those types of disclosures have nothing to do with the TCPA.”
Adam Bowser, Partner at Arent Fox Law Firm

We are sometimes asked why it would make sense to add an additional tool to an existing admissions team when they already have so much on their plate.

Each cycle, admissions staffs across the country work hard to make their classes, only to find that enrollment number reduced due to melt. So what can a college do about high school graduates who change their minds about a school, or attending school altogether, even after depositing? Attention to detail is a strong ally in the fight against melt.

While every institution needs to be strategic to effectively communicate with prospective students and current students, community colleges face unique obstacles. Each department must connect with a diverse group of people, typically older than traditional students, balancing family, work, and school. One school, Grand Rapids Community College, used a texting platform to actually reach their students.

How guiding constituents through every touch point can make all the difference

Is it easier to reach a young student, new to the college experience and excited to seek out campus life activities, or a professional mother of two, interested solely in obtaining a degree to advance her career?

When a school from the Mongoose family does well, we’re more than excited to share the good news. UNC Charlotte was recently recognized by the Annual Giving Network in their Best in Annual Giving Challenge.

At Mongoose, we’re driven by one goal - helping higher ed institutions improve communication between college staff and their constituents. That’s why we’re a proud sponsor of AFP WNY Chapter’s Annual Fundraising and Networking Conference and eager to participate in this year’s event.

Online students are typically self-starters looking to progress faster in their current job positions. They want flexibility and often lack support. How do you reach a diverse group of students who are more interested in education than campus life?

With robo-dialing on the rise, more and more students are ignoring phone calls.

There is no denying the importance of the parents’ role in college application process. Schools that find effective ways to communicate with parents will have an upper hand when it comes to college admissions. This guide will help you identify who you’re talking to and how to best earn parents’ trust.

Sometimes, when you’re writing about the best practices of emoji use in texts, you consume too much caffeine. This blog is the result. At this time, we here at Mongoose will recommend that you NOT read any further. Like, stop reading this blog. Seriously. This blog will serve as no help to you.

Holy cow, you’re still reading. Okay, you’ve been warned. Here is a fictional guide to emoji use that shouldn’t have been written and certainly should not be taken seriously. It’s an ‘Emojis - Worst Practices’ guide. We hope you have fun with it.

While emojis can be fun and engaging, it’s a good idea to limit your use, be selective and professional, and avoid these worst practices.

Hear from Mongoose’s very own Greg Bauch as he reviewed details of what to expect during this year's ELEVATE user retreat in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Here at Mongoose, we constantly look for new ways to inspire and assist our clients. This year, with the third edition of ELEVATE, our user retreat, we’ll take our efforts even further.

Colleges and universities are facing many challenges, and they’re not just financial. Rick Seltzer, Senior Reporter for Inside Higher Ed, sits with Mike Kochczynski to discuss the social, economic and demographic issues bearing down on schools, and the importance of serving the needs of students going forward.

When alums know they can make an impact, they’re more likely to get involved and contribute to their alma maters. Cutler Andrews, Senior Vice President of Fundraising Consulting at Ruffalo Noel Levitz, talks with Mongoose's Mike Kochczynski about how schools can re-imagine their approach to advancement to increase engagement and alumni gifts.

All millennials are not the same, and your institution could be making a mistake by lumping people of the same age group together. If you’re grouping your current and prospective students by generational stereotypes, you’re not serving their needs (or yours). Dr. Scott Cline, Vice President of Enrollment at California College of the Arts, talks about the importance of data and the problem with lazy generational labeling.

What is the future of content in higher ed, and what lessons can be learned from the evolution of online file sharing? Hugh McGuire, co-founder of Rebus Foundation joins Mongoose to talk about content accessibility and the possibilities that exist with Open Textbooks.

Engaging with technical school students and prospects offers unique challenges.

There are always obstacles in the way of reaching your constituents. And, while every campus has students with different characteristics, technical schools have additional challenges that 4-year institutions might not experience.

We are excited to announce a new strategic partnership with RNL, the leading provider of higher education enrollment management, student success, and fundraising solutions.

We are happy to announce the newest member of our Mongoose team. Lena Militello joins us as our Client Success Operations Coordinator.

Students need to find a school that is the right fit for them. Dr. Walter Kimbrough, President of Dillard University talks with Mike Kochczynski about creating value in school programs, managing institutional goals with revenue realities, handling controversy on campus and running a school in 2019.

Recently, Scott Jaschik, the co-founder and editor of Inside Higher Ed gave the keynote presentation at ELEVATE 2018, our Mongoose user retreat. Scott spoke about the many challenges facing higher ed professionals and what institutions are doing (or need to do) to survive in the current social/political/economic climate.

The number of jobs requiring a graduate degree has increased by over 300% since 1970¹. So, knowing how important and popular graduate programs are, we realize Mongoose needs to assist enrollment managers. This blog is the first foray in our efforts to help

SMS texting in admissions can help you bring more students to your school. Maybe, it already has. But texting is such an easy and effective way of communicating - students get used to it. If your campus stops using texting when students matriculate, the student experience becomes disjointed and can lead to less-than-ideal outcomes.

Texting platforms are designed to make it much easier to reach constituents. CRM systems need to be the system of record for contact data and, ideally, have records of all communication from any medium. Making sure the two systems integrate is essential.

For Mongoose, this is a big win. Adding to a powerhouse staff, Mongoose has hired Jeff Meece as Vice President, Strategy. With more than 23 years of enrollment management experience, most recently as the Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management at Columbia College Chicago. He specializes in helping institutions be strategic with their communications. Along with his new role with Mongoose, Jeff will continue as an associate consultant with Ruffalo Noel Levitz, an industry leader in enrollment management, student success, and fundraising management.

“I think I would benefit more if a school took an interest in who I am today, rather than who I was when I was 20.”

A great conversation on advancement with Dr. Jay Dillon, founder of Alumni Identity. Jay talks with Mike about how institutions should change the way they think about and view alums and donors, and how that strategy has led to better results for USF and UCLA. (Plus, hear the best email subject line he’s ever used – 23% open rate!)

Is a story more powerful than statistics? Ellen Treanor, associate vice president of brand strategy at Southern Utah University, explains how engaging students with storytelling can make a huge difference in your enrollment efforts. Mongoose’s Mike Kochczynski hosts the conversation.

Your success depends on your ability to communicate with students, and a good strategy creates the best results. This guide will help you identify attainable goals for your department and then show you how to install a plan to reach them, including important best practices to avoid pitfalls and increase your reach.

Jens Larson, Director of Student Communications at Eastern Washington University, details how texting helped his institution improve enrollment numbers, and how EWU continues to develop and improve the ways they use texting to reach students.

These dynamic features will help you get the most out of your platform

You’re ready to institute a texting platform at your institution. It’s a powerful move that is certain to increase engagement, responses, and critical outcomes. But, before you hit send, make sure you’re set up for success with these 10 fantastic features.

Texting is a powerful method of communication that allows you to connect with students the way they prefer. If properly utilized, texting allows you to actually reach students and set your institution apart from the competition. You have to choose a texting platform that meets your needs across the enterprise.

Information system-level texting features fall short of the capabilities of a platform like Cadence. Be it a CRM, SIS, fundraising system or other, a good information system will make your department more efficient and organized. Some even offer the ability to text students, but functionality falls short.

Texting can help many departments in your institution reach students. When deciding to make texting an enterprise solution, consider which departments are having the most difficulty communicating. That might be the best place to start.

Emergency alerts are designed to, well, alert users in the case of an emergency. Whereas, conversational texts are designed to facilitate staff to students communication; resulting in better outcomes.

A step-by-step guide to reaching students throughout their lifecycle

Whether you’re currently utilizing a texting platform for a specific department at your school or still putting together a communications strategy, it pays to consider enterprise texting. SMS texting helps improve enrollment, allows you to reach more parents, increases graduation rates, and better connects you to graduates. The key is to find the right texting platform and get buy-in from all departments.

Panelists from Daemen College and Plymouth State University will speak with Mongoose’s Amanda Torrelli to share how they’ve implemented texting solutions. You’ll hear their success stories and best practices for enterprise texting.

The same communications platform that has proven successful for recruiting and retaining students can be utilized beyond graduation. More institutions are using texting to reach alumni and increase awareness, involvement, and gifts.

It IS legal for non-profits to text alumni and donors

In 2012, the Federal Communications Commission updated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), increasing some restrictions related to sending texts to mobile phones. The TCPA restricts the use of using automated technology to contact consumers by either voice or text. However, non-profit institutions are exempt from these regulations.

Texting is the dominant medium for communicating today. And while institutions across the country are benefiting from using SMS texting platforms for enrollment and engagement, the medium is currently underutilized in advancement. Texting alumni and donors can be a game-changer if done correctly.

Chris D’Orso, Associate Director of Admissions at SUNY Brockport, discusses social media in higher education, with tips on managing various school social platforms, interacting with students, and finding the right times to inject personality into your posts. Mongoose’s Mike Kochczynski hosts the conversation.

Mongoose’s Dave Marshall and Andrew Veatch discuss the best practices for higher ed institutions to manage texting preferences in an enterprise environment. Topics covered include how to handle contact and student opt-outs and choosing the right staff members to send texts.

St. Michael’s Assistant Director of Admissions Jake Joseph discusses how a small Northeast school connects with students and prospective students. In an informative conversation with Mongoose’s Mike Kochczynski, Jake stresses the importance of being authentic, how to make your school stand out in a competitive region and how peer influence is still as big a factor in recruiting.

An in-depth discussion on integrating records and contacts from Salesforce to your texting platform. Mongoose Lead Software Developer, Nick Forysinski, and Mongoose President, Dave Marshall, talk about the best practices for defining your contacts, SMS opt-ins and opt-outs, and managing multiple values in the opt-out fields created by Salesforce. 

If there’s one thing to take away from this blog, it’s this: Before you hit send, ask yourself, “Is this valuable information for students?”

While texting is a powerful way to engage prospective and current students, there are right and wrong ways to do it. Here are some tips for effective SMS texting.

Save time and improve response rates with these convenient templates.

We’ve talked in the past about how important texting templates can be for your school’s communications strategy. Like any other fill-in-the-blank template, a texting template allows you to set up the framework, then easily customize. Templates save you time and reduce the risk of poorly-written messages.

In this free, 45-minute webinar, learn how advancement professionals from UNC Charlotte and Coe College are leveraging texting to enhance and improve alumni engagement and fundraising.

You already know that text messaging is the preferred method of communication for today’s students. Maybe you’ve even implemented texting on your campus (in that case – kudos to you!). There’s no question it’s the simplest, most reliable solution to reach any cohort on campus.

It’s no secret that text messaging is the preferred method of communication for today’s students over email, direct mail or phone calls; in a recent report¹, nearly 80% of prospective students said they are open to receiving text messages from colleges and universities. However, less than 50% report being offered the option to text. How should institutions address this gap by reaching students the way they prefer?

If your school is utilizing a text messaging platform to communicate with students, you’re already basking in the glory of the convenience and manageability. But there’s still plenty on your plate and only so much time in a day.

It’s always interesting to see what leading institutions are doing to leverage students' medium of choice - texting .

There’s a big difference between who wants to send text nudges to your students and who should be sending text nudges.

• Dear Bertram: Should I partner with the Common App or the Coalition App? I am considering including a shared application system for next year’s class. Will adding one or both of those applications to the mix actually diversify our application pool?
  That’s Dr. Burnside, to you. I didn’t bust my hump to earn a sheepskin so some wet nose dewdropper could razz me. Now, I am not familiar with this App fellow or his coalition. He sounds to me like a snake oil salesman.

• What role can IT play in supporting student retention, graduation, and future employability?  There are so many unnecessary boundaries here. - Tabitha H.
  Oh, good. IT. Yes, the same scobberlotchers who jumped all over Filezilla like a sailor in port. Now they’re all riddled with malware and bringing it back home to their best girl. I’ll tell you what role IT can play - once they’ve figured out how to remove the Ask.com toolbar, they can just relax.  We’re good - I’m all drwx------

Hear from Ashley and Amanda from Mongoose as they review the latest updates from Mongoose, general best practices for texting with students, and new and improved resources for our clients. You'll need your Mongoose Cadence login credentials to access the video and slide deck.

Texting is an extremely simple medium to use - but it’s just as easy to misuse.  With something so highly personal - incorrect usage of texting is not only ineffective - it can do more harm than good. If you and your department have had successes, yell from the rooftops and be a student engagement champion on your campus. Your feedback assists other departments on campus and could lead to additional opportunities to reach institutional goals. Plus, you might even elevate your own reputation on campus as more of a strategic thinker and leader.

Texting templates are critical because (and be careful not to fall off your seat) not all staff are wonderful copywriters. In working with over 400 institutions to help develop their texting content strategies, we have found that a content strategy is only as good as the templates provided to staff. This cannot be understated.

A long, long time ago (okay, like 6 years ago) it was only possible to text students using your personal mobile phone. Higher ed learned pretty quickly that giving out your mobile phone number to someone you don’t personally know is like handing a toddler a cup of juice without a lid; there’s going to be a big mess.

We all know by now that texting is an extremely effective way to communicate with students. Campuses across the country are using texting to varying degrees with a range of success. The texting platform selected by the institution seems to be the benchmark that determines how successful the institution will be.

You can see how texting in general is effective, so it’s time to take a deeper look into how it can fit into your overall communications strategy.

Let’s say you decide to use texting as your primary means of communicating with students (which seems like a smart move because it is, for the most part, the only way students send and receive information). What’s the worst that can happen?

There isn’t one magic medium that will work every time for every parent, which is why it’s important to take a multichannel approach. That said, research shows that websites, texting, and email are more effective than phone calls, brochures, and other mediums. Here’s a quick look at how the most common tactics compare.

As companies grow, it's important that they never lose sight of their roots. Lucky for us, our roots are literally across the street. In January the Mongoose fam moved into a new office. Enjoy this short video of our moving adventure.

New research by Gil Rogers of Chegg and Michael Stoner of mStoner, Inc. has the industry talking. In their Mythbusting research series, the two higher ed heavyweights illustrate where prospective students and higher education enrollment and marketing professionals agree and disagree on enrollment marketing topics.

Learn from a diverse panel of Mongoose users that have leveraged texting throughout the student lifecycle to enhance and improve student experience. Amanda will interview panelists and explore their texting journey in the areas of student success, financial aid and students services. We will discuss why texting, success stories, learning lessons and creative texting tactics.

Join us as we discuss best uses for texting within intercollegiate athletics. We’re excited to sponsor this panel discussion featuring four industry experts – each with a unique take on how texting can and should be used within an athletics department.

Struggling to communicate with today’s students? Join leadership from the University of Oklahoma, Radford University and University of the Sciences for a panel discussion on "Using Mobile to Improve Communication with Students."

PPY = Prior-Prior Year Income Data for the FAFSA

How to achieve higher yield rates, and other lessons learned through a full enrollment cycle

Why did a mid-sized four-year private institution have a 48% higher yield rate for students who texted them versus students who didn’t text? In this study, we’ll explore that question—and many others—as we share findings from a recent 12-month study of an institution that used texting as a significant part of their communication mix with students.

Practical tips to new increase transfer enrollment

Transfer students have very different perspectives than first-year students. First-year students are often trying to figure out who they want to become and where they want to do so. Transfer students are much more discerning and have already had concrete experiences. They want to know what they will become and how they can go about accomplishing it.  The role of the transfer advisor is to help them to unlock that process.

Many institutions provide admissions counselors with mobile phones. It makes sense. It allows them to not have to use their personal mobile for university business. They can check email, send texts, receive phone calls and communicate with students without an added out of pocket expense.

Why you should (almost) always end student texts with “?” Want to kill a conversation? Stop asking questions.

Suzanne Petrusch, VP Enrollment and Marketing at Presbyterian College, began texting prospective students in 2009. Over the last eight years, a lot has changed; not only from a technology perspective but also in terms of students’ and families’ attitudes about texting. Eight years later, Suzanne has refined her approach to texting and how it can best be used to build better relationships with families.

In an age when leaving a student a voicemail is the equivalent of stuffing a note in a bottle and throwing it into the ocean, it’s clear that phone calls are not an efficient way to reach constituents.

When it comes to our clients, they’re obsessed with analytics. “What’s a good response rate when texting?” is actually one of the most frequently asked questions we receive. And it’s justified as well-known metrics, such as email open and click rates, pale in comparison to texting.

Texting has taken higher education by storm and is now the most effective way to communicate with today’s students. Of course, as with the introduction of any new technology, it’s important to be thoughtful about implementation and governance. In this article, we’ll answer—in both high and detailed levels–the six most pertinent questions regarding the management of texting preferences across the institution.

Engagement and behavior can tell you if your texting campaigns are working.

Texting is a top-rated channel for communicating with students. Surprisingly, it’s also the most underutilized. Until recently, there was no simple way for institutions to manage texting on campus. But now, forward-thinking institutions are improving their enrollment yield and student outcomes by utilizing SMS management platforms like Cadence.

A ’60s philosopher nails it with a theory that holds even truer today.

What brings you here?

Parents are the most important influencers for prospective students, which is why it’s important to welcome them into the admissions process, and address their concerns on a dedicated page (or section) of your website. Here, we’ll cover parents’ top concerns and share a sample wireframe that you can use.

You want to text students. But you don’t want to break the law. Lucky for you, it’s fairly easy to stay in compliance.

The bottom line:

There’s a clear correlation between admissions reps who are texting students and those who are meeting - and exceeding - their territory expectations.

Higher education is more competitive than ever.  For many campuses to succeed, they must be nimble and outsmart competitors to attract potential students (and to keep the attention of current students). As they say - those who evolve will thrive. Those who don’t may perish. When it comes to texting in higher ed, it all comes down to principles. Welcome to the seven rules of engagement.

Ever feel like you’re the redheaded stepchild? May passes and the rest of your admissions team takes a well deserved collective exhale. Time for them to recharge for the fall. Not so much for you. You’ve already began ramping up. Your time is now. So let’s get at it!

> STEP 1 Add a parents section to your RFI form

The parents section can be small — all you really need are fields for a parent’s first name, last name, mobile phone and email.

Start sooner, since parents’ influence is the strongest earlier in the process

Parents are typically most influential at the start, when families are deciding which schools might be right for the student. Once the consideration set of schools is established, however, students tend to have more influence in terms of choosing their top schools and then making the final choice.

Getting in touch with seniors is harder than AP Calculus.

Departments on campus are searching for a more effective and efficient way to communicate with students. The existing solutions (web portals, mass emails, 8.5x11 multi-colored comic sans papers pinned to bulletin boards) are falling short. Real issues such as enrollment, retention, and positive student outcomes are at stake. As a result, we’re seeing a proliferation of various texting solutions as departments across campus are turning to text messaging as the preferred student communication channel.

You already manage student privacy when it comes to emails, phone calls and other channels. The good news is that texting is just another medium. Yes, there are a few special things to keep in mind, but it’s actually fairly simple to be in compliance. Here’s what you need to know.

To paraphrase a common idiom, “It’s not what you text, it’s how you say it.” In our experience, the way a text is crafted can make or break a campaign, and determine whether the student takes action or immediately goes back to looking at Snapchat.

There’s no question about it: Text messaging is the most effective way to reach students. But does that mean you should dive in head first - and text students about this, that, and the other thing?

The infants who worked touchscreens like Beethoven on a piano are products of parents who played in the dirt. When it comes to the parents of Gen-Z students, it’s important to understand where they’re coming from and adapt your communications strategy so you’re talking to them, not at them. Here are some trends we’re seeing from the parents of Gen-Z students, along with some advice on how to reach the generation that survived the Cold War and multiple Ratt albums.

It is 1 million years B.C. and a primitive college admissions professional smacks a hand in a pile of clay, furiously slaps a message on a cave wall, and instructs students to enroll in Mastodon Hunting 101. Their younger counterpart casually strolls by and says, “If you’re not sending them a smoke signal, they’re never going to read it.”

What if we told you the most effective medium for connecting with students was also the most underutilized? Sounds counterintuitive but it is true. Opportunity isn’t knocking – it’s texting.