Can a Higher Ed Contact Center Boost Recruitment and Admissions?

Thursday, January 23, 2025

As we head into 2025 and the dreaded enrollment cliff, colleges and universities face mounting pressure to meet enrollment targets, improve student retention, and create a positive first impression for prospective students.

Those prospective students begin forming their opinions and intentions around college application long before they step foot on campus. Admissions teams must be responsive, proactive, and efficient in their inbound replies and outbound communications. Yet, admissions offices across the country are struggling to meet the demand.

The Pressure on Admissions Teams: A Growing Challenge

According to recent studies, enrollment rates have been declining at many colleges and universities, while the number of high school graduates has plateaued or decreased in some regions. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, undergraduate enrollment dropped by 3.1 percent from 2020 to 2021. With fewer students to recruit, universities are finding it harder to stand out in an overcrowded field.

Admissions staff, tasked with guiding prospective students through the maze of application processes, answering questions, and providing crucial deadline and fee information, are under immense pressure. In many cases, admissions teams are small, and staff are stretched thin. Additionally, it's common for colleges to rely on students or entry-level employees to fill these roles. While student workers and entry-level staff bring enthusiasm and fresh perspectives, their experience may not always align with the nuanced needs of prospective students.

As a result, institutions need to look for strategic ways to extend their capacity without overburdening existing staff. This is where specialized higher education contact centers can make a significant difference.

Not All Contact Centers Are Created Equal

While most institutions recognize the value of a contact center for handling basic inquiries, not all centers are designed to cater to the specific needs of higher education. A generic contact center may be equipped to handle general customer service tasks but may lack the understanding of complex academic programs, admissions processes, or financial aid procedures.

Choosing the right contact center, one that specializes in higher education, is essential. A specialized partner, such as ECSI’s CXSelect, can seamlessly extend your existing staff’s capabilities, enabling admissions officers to focus on higher-level responsibilities like counseling students, evaluating applications, and nurturing relationships with prospective families. This allows for better resource allocation, ensuring that your team is working efficiently and that students are receiving the personalized attention they need.

More Than Just Answering Calls: Comprehensive Support for Admissions Teams

The right contact center can do more than simply answer incoming calls. It can act as a strategic partner throughout the admissions process. Experienced contact centers can assist with proactive outreach, calling and emailing prospective students to remind them of upcoming deadlines or offer personalized information about programs and campus life. They can also manage more routine requests for information—whether about admission requirements, financial aid, or campus tours—ensuring a quick response time and providing accurate, consistent messaging across all touchpoints.

These services not only lighten the load for your admissions staff but also ensure a streamlined, efficient experience for prospective students.

Enhancing the Student Experience from Day One

The student experience is a key factor in both recruitment success and long-term retention. Prospective students and their families want to feel valued and supported throughout the entire admissions process, from the first phone call to the final application submission. A positive, personalized experience at the front end sets the tone for the student’s relationship with your institution and can lead to stronger engagement once they enroll.

When admissions teams can rely on a specialized contact center, they can ensure that every student inquiry is met with professionalism, empathy, and thorough knowledge. Every interaction, whether it’s an inbound call, an email, or a text message, helps build trust and reinforces that the institution cares about the needs and success of its future students. This initial impression—how responsive, knowledgeable, and accessible your team is—can make or break a student’s decision to apply or enroll.

The Bottom Line: A Strategic Partnership for Recruitment Success

By partnering with a higher ed-focused contact center, colleges and universities can extend their admissions staff, streamline processes, and ultimately create a more efficient, responsive, and personalized experience for prospective students.

Investing in the right partner is an investment in your institution’s future, helping to improve recruitment, support your in-house admissions team, and ensure that prospective students have a positive, lasting first impression of your campus.

Learn more about CXSelect, a suite of administrative support services designed for higher education, here.