How Colleges Are Using AI to Rethink Admissions

Summary

If higher ed institutions want to survive the shifting tides of demographics, competition, and financial pressure, enrollment management has to become smarter—a lot smarter. Not just tweaking what we’re already doing, but making a major leap, one that leans into advanced technology. That’s where AI comes in.

Even before the pandemic threw everyone for a loop, it was pretty clear that traditional strategies weren’t going to cut it for much longer. But here we are, and now the stakes are even higher. Whether in the thick of recruitment season or in the middle of the school year, many higher education institutions are still in the dark about how powerful AI could be for enrollment.

It’s time to move beyond the same old descriptive and diagnostic analytics we’ve relied on for years. It’s time to look forward to a future where AI is changing the higher education enrollment game.

AI for Smarter Enrollment

Imagine this: you’re driving toward a make-or-break event. You have to get there on time. You can’t be late, but getting there way too early doesn’t help either. Sound familiar? It’s a lot like trying to meet ambitious enrollment targets. In this competitive landscape, everything needs to align just right to make those numbers work.

Now, think about the road you’re taking. You know the basic route, but it’s long, winding, and full of unpredictable variables—think rush-hour traffic, unexpected construction, maybe even a sudden downpour. You’ve driven it before, so you feel confident. But this time, the stakes are different, and your old map and experience might not be enough. So, do you rely on a paper map, or do you fire up a smart navigation app that pulls in real-time data to guide you around obstacles and suggest better routes?

Most of us would choose the app. It shows you the way, adapts to changing conditions, predicts what’s up ahead, and even adjusts in real time to keep you on track. That’s exactly what AI can do for higher education enrollment.

Real Challenges, Real Solutions

One of the biggest challenges when adopting AI is the plethora of privacy concerns surrounding the tools you choose to use. There’s also the ever-present potential for algorithmic bias. If the data AI is trained on is flawed, you could end up perpetuating inequities instead of solving them. That’s why human oversight is crucial. AI is there to assist, not replace. Leaders still need to make judgment calls, weighing AI’s recommendations against institutional values and ethics.

Using AI effectively also requires training. It’s not something you just plug in and expect to work perfectly out of the box. Your team needs to understand how to use these tools, or you’re not going to see the full benefit.

More Than Just Recruitment

Once you understand how to implement and use AI effectively, its impact doesn’t stop at getting students in the door. Retention is the next step, with keeping students engaged and enrolled just as crucial as getting them in the door. With predictive models, you can identify which students are struggling and intervene early. This proactive support can make a real difference, like flagging a student who hasn’t logged into their online classes in a week or offering extra tutoring resources before they even know they need it.

And then there’s efficiency. AI can automate the routine, mind-numbing tasks that bog down your staff—things like sorting through applications or managing email follow-ups. That means your team can focus on building genuine connections with students instead of drowning in paperwork. Ultimately, AI helps higher education institutions work smarter, not harder—exactly the environment needed to thrive.

The Future Is Now

If you’re serious about making enrollment a true engine of growth, you need more than a big-picture view. You need real-time insights, adaptability, and the ability to course-correct before it’s too late. That’s the promise of AI in enrollment management.

So, are you ready to embrace this technology and see where it can take you? Because, like it or not, the road ahead is changing—and having the right tools could make all the difference.