Why Investing in Student Communities is Key to Your Enrollment Goals

Too many higher education enrollment teams overlook giving students a chance to find community, both on- and off-campus

And if you don’t help your future students find a community at the start of  their higher education journey, you risk losing them for good.

That’s because the connection between physical and emotional belonging is profound. 

Feeling like students belong in their peer group enhances their academic, emotional, and social well-being and success.

 A campus community helps students fight loneliness and provides support. And it’s what helps students thrive academically, socially, and emotionally, preparing them for future challenges.

Let’s talk about it.

The Case for Building Community

Here’s the thing about venturing into higher education at both undergrad and graduate levels: it’s nerve-wracking.

Our research has found that 90% of students get nervous between enrollment and arrival – even when they’re all in the same boat.

But it’s not academics or finances that get to them. For half of students, it’s the unknown of college life, and for 30%, the fear of getting lost. 

By the time they get to campus, 67% have little to no confidence in their social abilities, and nearly one in three doubt they’ll make it to graduation.

All of this takes a toll on student confidence, which is a huge problem, both for your enrollment numbers and their future on campus.

So, how do you fix it?

By investing in communities for incoming students and creating a supportive space in which they can connect with students just like them. 

When you do, you create a supportive space where they can connect with other students just like them and find a sense of belonging before they even step onto campus.

In this, they’ll find the confidence they need for their higher education journey. 

We’ve found that nearly half of students (45%) say that connecting with their peers increases their confidence ahead of arrival.

But it’s not just for students.

Having insights into what matters most to each student before the start of school is invaluable for higher education enrollment teams.

Community-Building throughout onboarding and orientation

With student connection and communication platforms, there’s an opportunity to create community at the start of the student’s higher education journey.

For instance, using peer-to-peer communication tools to connect potential students with student ambassadors and faculty members will help you stand out from the crowd early.

The job isn’t done when they’ve received the acceptance letter. It’s just getting started.

When you don’t make the effort to continue engaging students at every step of the higher ed journey – from application to enrollment and beyond – you risk having them choose another institution, melt away, or arrive unprepared.

In other words, giving them access to a community is critical after admission.

It fosters excitement, eases anxieties, and encourages students to envision themselves as integral members of the campus community from the outset. 

By nurturing these connections early on, you’ll lay the groundwork for a supportive and enriching academic experience that extends far beyond the confines of the classroom.

Unibuddy Community: A Solution for Students

What if we told you there was a platform made for exactly this conundrum?

Enter Unibuddy Community, which can offer support, camaraderie, and, most importantly, a community that other channels can’t.

Using Community, students join Groups, which are online forums built around anything from majors and demographics to interests and hobbies. Students can connect with like-minded peers in these groups, socialize, and ask questions.

In other words, they can easily find their people without any extra work. Unibuddy will even automatically connect students based on their profile and recommend Groups for them to join.

Having the chance to participate in Groups offers students a sense of belonging, support, and opportunities for growth that can enhance their overall academic experience.

Desired Outcomes for Enrollment Leaders

But it’s not just a solution for students – Unibuddy Community is built with college enrollment teams in mind, too.

Most importantly, it streamlines all of your engagement efforts and frees up your time so that you can focus on other important initiatives.

For instance, you can easily communicate through mass messages to engage students throughout the summer and increase enrollment yield.

Community also makes it possible to easily broadcast announcements, deadlines, and reminders in the Updates center.

This type of scalable communication makes it possible to support students at every step in their higher ed journey, regardless of their position in the funnel.

But the data you can glean from Unibuddy Community is invaluable, too.

With Conversation Insights, you’ll get an up-close look at what students are talking about, where their interests lie, and what they’re concerned about. The data can even be filtered down to location and interests for the most impact.

Not only will this help you better anticipate their needs, but you’ll also be able to use the data to further humanize the enrollment funnel with personalized messages to each student.

The data can also benefit your student ambassadors, who can use those insights to offer more personalized support and guidance tailored to individual needs.

The importance of this data can’t be overstated – it’s what will allow you to support students to your fullest potential and create the kind of environment that addresses their needs and makes them feel truly welcomed from start to finish.

Finding your place on campus goes beyond finding someone to eat lunch with on the first day of class. It’s about having shared experiences, providing encouragement, and navigating the unknown together.

And that’s what students will find on Unibuddy Community.

They don’t just see themselves as students but as valued members of a community they want to be part of – which will drive your enrollment long-term.

Convert and Retain more Students with Unibuddy Community

Investing in building a community for your incoming students is crucial to your success as an enrollment team.

By fostering a strong sense of community, institutions provide students with invaluable support networks that enhance their academic, emotional, and social well-being. 

Unibuddy Community offers a comprehensive solution, empowering enrollment leaders to streamline engagement efforts and provide personalized support to students throughout their journey. 

With features like Groups, Updates, and Conversation Insights, Community facilitates meaningful connections and fosters a sense of belonging from the outset. 

It’s important that enrollment leaders prioritize community-building initiatives and recognize their role in attracting and retaining students who feel valued and supported within the campus community. To learn how Unibuddy Community could help your higher ed recruitment efforts, schedule a demo here.