How Community Forums Drive Student Retention

It’s no secret that student retention is a substantial challenge for those in the higher education community. 

In fact, Unibuddy has found that on average, one in five students who accept admission and put down their deposit never make it to campus.

How do we fight this troubling pattern? By providing prospective students with a space in which they can be themselves, forge authentic connections, and get to know their peers safely.

Creating that space is easy when you use a platform like Unibuddy Community. The accessibility that comes with Community drives engagement and, in turn, retention. 

But don’t just take our word for it – when the University of Leicester implemented Unibuddy Community, they saw a 23% increase in enrollment.

Why does it work? Let’s explore it.

5 ways community forums enhance student retention

1. They keep students engaged

Your work isn’t done just because a student has put down a deposit – it’s not even close to being done.

When you don’t make an effort to continue engaging students, you increase the risk of having them drop out prior to enrollment. Or, worse, you put them at risk of being completely unprepared and arriving disoriented. 

Because they provide an opportunity to meet other admitted students, online forums like Unibuddy Community are critical in preventing stagnation and melt in accepted students.

2. Forums create a sense of belonging

For most students, college marks leaving home for the first time. While it’s a huge step toward independence, it’s also a world that’s alien to them. Unsurprisingly, one-third of Gen Z students say that finding friends is what they think about most during this time. 

Related: The Higher Education Data You Need to Make Prospective Students Welcome

A space like Unibuddy Community will help them find a place they belong well before they arrive, boosting their satisfaction and happiness while combating loneliness and isolation.

The Community platform is comprised of Groups based on shared purposes, and the sky’s the limit when it comes to topics. 

Leicester University launched a Group called “Life, the universe and everything” in hopes that students would bond over shared interests – and nearly 1,000 members joined!

Elliot Newstead, Leicester University’s Head of UK Student Recruitment and Outreach, said that Unibuddy Community has helped their students see “how many other people are in the same boat, and [allowed] them to make real connections with those people.”

“Starting university can feel scary, but being able to have somewhere for people to chat with each other has helped reduce anxiety massively,” he said. “It shows students how many other people are in the same boat, and allows them to make real connections with those people.”

3. Forums allow students to arrive academically prepared

While they’re a great way to find and make friends, online forums shouldn’t just be limited to the “fun” stuff like hobbies, on-campus activities or things to do on a Friday night. They’re also instrumental in preparing students to enter their area of study.

Unibuddy Community is no exception. Because Groups can be created based on any shared interest, it’s easier than ever for students to meet and connect with others in their major or exchange student reviews with existing students.. Taking advantage of these groups will help them forge what we like to call “learning communities” that will become the network they need to succeed.

At Hunter College, more than 3,000 students joined the “Fall 2022 Admitted Students” and “Fall 2022 Freshman Honors Scholars” Groups – that’s a quarter of all admitted students, who exchanged more than 2,500 messages on the platform. According to the institution, those who took advantage of Community were those who put down a deposit.

4. Any student can use them

One of the biggest draws of online forums is that there’s no limit to who can use them. They’re accessible to anyone, regardless of location.

That’s the beauty of Unibuddy Community: Groups are accessible to all students, whether they’re five minutes or five hours away from campus. Even international students, who may not have had the chance to visit the campus, can find their people, forge authentic connections, and create a sense of belonging.

Related: Supporting students to overcome their fears with Community

When Indiana University launched a “Future Hoosiers 2022 – India” Group, more than 80 students joined and exchanged nearly 1,000 messages!

5. Students can be themselves

Perhaps most importantly, online forums allow a sense of freedom for users to be truly themselves.

That’s something we’ve kept in mind as we’ve developed Community. Because we want students to feel comfortable interacting candidly and loosely with each other, ambassadors, and staff, we’ve integrated features such as anonymity. 

Using a community forum like Unibuddy Community keeps students engaged while empowering them to share their stories and experiences with each other in a meaningful way while preparing for the change ahead. 

To learn more about how Unibuddy Community can work for your institution, schedule a demo today.