Hosts Mallory and Seth dive into the complexities surrounding the 2024 FAFSA fiasco and its impact on enrollment. They discuss how institutions can adapt their strategies to support students during this chaotic time and share practical tips for enrollment marketing professionals. Tune in for insights on personalizing communication, extending deadlines, and leveraging marketing techniques to navigate these unprecedented challenges.

Key Takeaways:

• Understanding the Issue: The FAFSA redesign has caused significant delays in financial aid processing, creating widespread confusion and uncertainty for students and institutions.
• Education and Engagement: Institutions need to provide clear, constant communication about the situation and any deadline extensions to keep students informed.
• Personalized Outreach: One-on-one communication is crucial. Plain text emails from heads of admissions and direct phone calls can make a significant impact.
• Flexible Deadlines and Support: Schools should consider extending deadlines and offering additional resources, such as financial aid webinars and workshops, to assist students.
• Strategic Marketing: Boosting organic social content and leveraging paid social ads can help maintain visibility and engagement with prospective students.
• Collaborative Efforts: Engaging various campus stakeholders, including coaches and professors, in outreach efforts can enhance the personalization and effectiveness of communication.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/student-aid-policy/2024/03/04/how-ambitious-plans-new-fafsa-ended-fiasco

https://www.chronicle.com/article/stuck-in-limbo

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Connect With Our Co-Hosts:
Mallory Willsea
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/
https://twitter.com/mallorywillsea

Seth Odell
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethodell/
https://twitter.com/sethodell

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
The Higher Ed Pulse is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!

Some of our favorites include Generation AI and Confessions of a Higher Education Social Media Manager.

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.

Connect with Us at the Engage Summit:
Exciting news — Mallory will be at the 2024 Engage Summit in Raleigh, NC, on June 25 and 26, and we’d love to meet you there! Sessions will focus on cutting-edge AI applications that are reshaping student outreach, enhancing staff productivity, and offering deep insights into ROI.

Use the discount code Enrollify50 at checkout, and you can register for just $200! Learn more and register at engage.element451.com — we can’t wait to see you there!