Adding positive touchpoints throughout the student journey creates emotional attachment, leading to higher conversion and retention rates. In many cases, the touchpoints between admission and enrollment lean heavily toward administrative requirements. Students are checking off tasks, but how many of those interactions are truly inspiring?

The Power of Positive Touchpoints

A positive touchpoint is any moment that creates a sense of connection, excitement, or belonging. It’s not about the transactional tasks like paying fees or submitting documents but about creating emotional engagement. Fun, engaging touchpoints can make students feel more supported and valued, which is essential for maintaining their motivation and interest in joining your university.

For example, creating moments for students to engage with their peers before arriving on campus through community platforms, social media challenges, or virtual meetups can turn what would have been a waiting period into an exciting phase of their journey. This way, they arrive on campus already feeling like part of a community.

Balancing Logistics with Fun

While the practical elements of student recruitment and preparation are unavoidable, they don’t have to define the entire journey. The challenge is to balance these logistical needs with moments that build emotional connections. Adding positive, engaging touchpoints along the way can help students feel less like they’re going through a checklist and more like they’re stepping into an exciting new chapter of their lives.

By examining the student journey, universities can pinpoint areas where students could use a little extra support, encouragement, or fun. Whether it’s interactive experiences, opportunities to meet future classmates, or personalized messages of encouragement, these touchpoints can dramatically change how students feel about their upcoming experience.

How to Add Positive Touchpoints to Your Student Journey

1. Community Engagement: Build a platform or use existing community tools like Goin’ to allow offer holders to connect with each other. Early friendships and social ties lead to higher conversion and retention rates because students feel emotionally invested in their new environment before they even arrive.
2. Virtual Events and Meetups: Organize virtual events where students can meet faculty, staff, and their future peers. This can include interactive webinars, social hours, or casual chats that create an emotional connection to the university.
3. Gamification: Use gamified experiences to introduce students to your campus, its culture, and its people. Scavenger hunts, virtual tours, or even challenges that offer rewards (like university swag) are simple yet effective ways to build anticipation and excitement.
4. Personalized Touches: Send personalized notes, welcome videos, or shout-outs to students as they make their way through key milestones in the admission-to-enrollment process. Knowing they’re seen and appreciated can make a big difference.

By deliberately planning these positive touchpoints, universities can transform the often overwhelming process of transitioning from admission to enrollment into something exciting and engaging. Positive touchpoints lead to emotional attachment, and that attachment translates into higher conversion and retention rates.

Universities can elevate the student experience by creating more opportunities for students to have fun, feel connected, and truly engage with their future community.