Private Liberal Arts College – Transfer Student Program
Challenge
A small private liberal arts college faced declining numbers of traditional college-age students and broader challenges around attracting applicants. It chose to focus resources on community college students pursuing associate degrees who could benefit from completing a bachelor's degree.
Solution
We worked with admissions and the internal marketing team to target, track, and build a transfer pipeline. We balanced existing resources with new tools, using stronger storytelling, updated graphics, improved user experience, and new media outreach. The principle was collaboration: admissions, marketing, creative, digital experience, and outreach all needed to support the same pipeline.
Results
The strategy generated scores of interested transfer students and helped offset application-reduction trends. Some of the impact emerged a year or two later, illustrating the value of building a sustainable pipeline rather than expecting an immediate result.
Liberal arts colleges were facing a difficult environment, including misinformation about the value of college, fewer students pursuing advanced degrees, and a declining traditional college-age population. Rather than compete only for the shrinking traditional applicant pool, this institution saw an opportunity in community college students pursuing associate degrees.We worked closely with admissions and internal marketing to target, track, and build a transfer-student pipeline. We marshaled existing resources while adding improved tools, including advanced storytelling, updated graphics, better user experience, and new media outreach. The principle was a collective effort and a balance between what the institution already had and what new tools could add.The approach drove scores of interested transfer students to the small private school and helped offset application declines affecting competing institutions. Some impact was not felt for a year or two, demonstrating that sustainable enrollment strategies require consistent pipeline building, collaboration, and patience.
