Insights Blog

The best campus visits don’t happen by accident — they happen by design. In Part 2 of this series, we dive into how retail and hospitality brands use the five senses to shape emotion and memory, and how your admissions office can do the same. From scent and sound to comfort, taste, and visual identity, discover the small changes that transform your visit experience into something students feel long after they leave your campus.

In this first post of a three-part series, I share how the simple act of watching visitors enter our building changed everything about our campus visit design and why the first five minutes matter more than any tour script.

After nearly two decades in higher education, I realized the biggest barrier for first-generation students is not access, it is understanding. The words we use, the tone we take, and the way we ask shape whether a student feels college is for them. The TRUST Messaging Framework — Teach, Respond, Understand, Simplify, Talk, was born from thousands of real emails and conversations. It is a tool any campus communicator can use to build clarity, compassion, and connection across

Financial aid should open doors, not close them. But for many first-generation families, aid letters, portals, and payment plans read like a foreign language. This post unpacks why the money conversation is so confusing, how that confusion erodes trust, and what colleges can do to make financial aid communication clear, consistent, and genuinely first-gen friendly.

Higher education has its own language, but for first-generation families, that language can sound like a locked door. From jargon and acronyms to deficit-based labels, colleges often communicate in ways that confuse the very students they hope to include. This piece unpacks how words quietly shape belonging — and how marketers and enrollment leaders can rewrite them to open more doors.

After a year of secret shopping as a student and parent, I uncovered what most colleges get wrong about text messaging. Generic, one-off blasts don’t build trust—thoughtful, timely, personalized texts do. In this episode, we explore what works, what doesn’t, and how to make SMS a real relationship builder.

This year, I gave my cell number to 26 colleges as part of my annual secret shopping experiment. The results? 77% texted me as a student, but none texted me as a parent. In this blog, I share real examples of what colleges are sending, what’s working (and what’s not), and simple rewrites that turn one-way announcements into real conversations.

We say it all the time: “Parents are important,” but how often do our actions actually reflect that? Walk through specific, tangible strategies for making parents feel seen, heard and empowered to help their student say yes.

Students rule out colleges based on sticker price alone. Here’s how to make your Tuition & Fees page an affordability tool—not just a price

At my last institution, we had a real challenge: students just weren’t completing their enrollment forms. Counselors were calling, emails were going out daily, and portal reminders were non-stop—but nothing seemed to move the needle. That’s when I had a moment of clarity—what if the key wasn't reaching out to the student, but their parent?

Students abandon clunky inquiry forms. Here’s how to fix yours fast and capture more leads—without a major overhaul.

Parents aren’t just influencers in the college search—they’re co-decision makers. Here’s how to build a parent communication plan that works

Forget rankings. Show students real value through outcomes, faculty impact, program quality, and student support—what truly defines quality.

Families often wait too long to discuss college costs. Here’s how admissions and financial aid offices can help parents start The Money Talk

Financial aid shouldn’t be a mystery. Here’s how colleges can design award letters like LEGO instructions—clear, visual and easy to follow.

A college degree is an investment, but its value is not always clear to students. How can colleges make its return on investment more tangib

Could sending an email with the wrong name—on purpose—grab attention and reinforce personalization? A creative risk with potential rewards.

Marketing builds awareness, but admissions and campus connections seal the deal. Higher ed needs all three to turn students into deposits.

A holiday gift guide email to parents turned into a powerful way to predict yield. Here’s how it worked—and how colleges can do the same.

Your homepage isn’t your only first impression. Students land on major pages first—are yours built to convert?