Prospective parents can be your top influencers, if you reach them at the right time and with the right messages. Parents told us that how well a school communicates with them directly is the second most important experience in determining where their student will attend, after on-campus visits. 

We analyzed data from 6 institutions using CampusESP (across varying institution types, sizes, and regions) to study the impact of parent engagement on student enrollment. Results from 75,000 prospective parents show that:

• Students with a parent using CampusESP are 4x more likely to apply than average

• Students with a parent using CampusESP have yield rates 9% higher than average

• Parents in the top quartile of engagement have students 3x more likely to enroll

Read on for a breakdown of our top findings from the research — or jump to the bottom of the page and watch a recording of the webinar that shares further insights from enrollment leaders at Utah State, Buena Vista University, and New Mexico State University. 

Students with engaged parents are more likely to apply

Content from CampusESP encourages engagement at the top of the funnel. Automated email newsletters help families build an affinity with the institution early in the enrollment process. The result is a more robust pipeline, with students more likely to apply.

“Parents are very much part of the process,” said Amanda Craddock, VP for Enrollment Management at Coastal Carolina University. “We can’t ignore the fact that they’re part of the process — and sending relevant messaging to them at the right time helps drive actions like visiting campus and completing applications.” 

Students with engaged parents are more likely to enroll

CampusESP sends parents reminders to submit a deposit, apply for housing, and more — all based on a student’s stage in the enrollment funnel. In other words, institutions “nudge the nudgers” to keep students on track. 

Parents using CampusESP receive an average 24 emails during their student’s college search and selection process. With those regular, personalized nudges, students with parents using CampusESP yield at higher rates.

“We know that parents play an influential role,” said Ryan Jensen, Director of Enrollment Marketing at Utah State. “And when parents feel part of the process, it’s impactful. The results show it.” 

Parent engagement predicts student enrollment

CampusESP offers a predictive model to help enrollment teams focus their efforts on students most likely to yield. Parent Promoter Score™ is an index that qualifies parent engagement levels — highly engaged parents are correlated with highly interested students. In fact, if a parent goes a step further and completes their profile in CampusESP, their student is 11x more likely to enroll. 

“CampusESP is invaluable in our enrollment strategy,” said Conner Ellinghuysen, Director of Admissions at Buena Vista University. “The data we receive allows us to prioritize outreach, predict enrollment outcomes, and see results.”

Looking to dive deeper into how families influence enrollment? Watch the full webinar:

Parents are students’ #1 influencers. Leverage that influence to drive enrollment results and meet your goals.

Ready to boost student enrollment at your institution?