Tag: Ideas

Exit Tickets in Higher Ed: Easy Ideas for Educators
Some say that first impressions are most important. But every professor who finds their students aimlessly filing out of class two-thirds of the way through will say that students’ final impressions of class tend to last longest—what did they get from showing up, if they just breezed out again? Luckily, there’s an established way you can make sure students go out of the door with purpose and accomplishment: exit tickets. Aligning exit tickets with the key concept of the day’s lesson is essential for effective assessment and ensures that you are measuring student understanding of the most important learning objectives. Exit tickets are also used to assess understanding of a specific skill or concept from the day’s lesson, helping instructors identify areas that may need further attention.

Exit tickets are one of the fastest, lowest-commitment types of active learning tools to implement. Essentially, you ask your students to provide a written answer to a question about their learning before they’re “allowed” to leave your class. Students can decide how to respond, such as through writing, drawing, or other formats, to best demonstrate their understanding. Exit tickets should take only a few minutes for students to complete, ensuring students spend their time meaningfully and efficiently at the end of the lesson. This helps students clarify, understand, and recall their learning better. And, if you feel the need, you can tie attendance or participation grades to completion. However, exit tickets are low stakes and are not meant to be graded, which encourages honest self-reflection. Designing effective exit ticket questions takes practice, and providing an example can help educators get started. Teachers design their own exit tickets linked to the objective of the lesson, ensuring alignment with the intended learning outcomes.

Access customizable exit ticket templates for ideas to spark conversation and meaningful learning.

Introduction to Exit Tickets

Exit tickets are a simple yet powerful tool that educators can use to check student understanding and student learning at the end of a class period. These quick assessments—sometimes called exit slips—ask students to reflect on the day’s lesson and share their thoughts before leaving the classroom. Exit tickets promote student reflection and give quiet students a voice in expressing their understanding. Whether you teach a science class or any other subject, exit tickets can take many forms, from a sticky note handed in at the door to a digital form submitted online.

Using varied formats for exit tickets, such as written notes or drawings, keeps students engaged and prevents boredom. Because they are low stakes, students feel comfortable sharing what they know and where they might need more help. For educators, exit tickets provide immediate feedback, making it easier to identify student needs and adjust instruction accordingly. Teachers must account for individual student perceptions and needs when reviewing exit ticket responses. By regularly using exit tickets, educators can ensure that every class ends with a clear sense of what students have learned and what concepts may need further attention in future lessons.

Benefits of Using Exit Tickets

Incorporating exit tickets into your teaching routine offers a range of benefits for both students and educators. In a college setting, exit tickets are widely used to foster effective teaching strategies and support educational goals. First and foremost, exit tickets provide a quick snapshot of student understanding, allowing you to identify areas where students may need additional support. By reviewing student responses, you can tailor your instruction to better meet the learning goals of your class and address any gaps in knowledge. Exit tickets also encourage students to reflect on their learning, helping them process and retain new information from the lesson. Because they are low stakes, students feel comfortable sharing what they know and where they might need more help. Maintaining low stakes with exit tickets encourages honest self-reflection and reduces student stress. This reflection not only boosts student engagement but also gives students a voice in their own learning by providing feedback to their teachers.

As a resource, exit tickets make it easier to differentiate instruction and plan future lessons that are responsive to student needs. Exit tickets can be differentiated to meet the diverse needs of students in the classroom. Ultimately, using exit tickets can lead to improved student learning and achievement by ensuring that instruction is always focused on what students need most.

There are a number of different kinds of exit tickets. Here are three examples, each with a different emphasis, to illustrate different approaches to exit tickets and how students respond to prompts.

Minute Paper

The minute paper is one of the favorite tools of James Lang, Professor of Practice at the Kaneb Center for Teaching Excellence at the University of Notre Dame. The minute paper exit ticket idea is particularly helpful in classes that are discussion- or lab-led.

According to Lang, the end of the lecture is “when you want to say, ‘Okay class, we had a great discussion. Last five minutes here, I want everyone to write down in your notebook or index card, what are three key takeaways you had from this discussion, and what’s one question that you still have?’” This exercise helps students focus on the main points of the discussion, track their progress in mastering key skills, and reflect on their understanding. To further explain, this activity helps students consolidate their learning and allows teachers to assess specific skills or concepts covered in the lesson.

If it takes place at the end of a lively class discussion, a minute paper won’t derail your students’ train of thought, but help to connect their ideas with the wider aim of the class. In addition to writing down key takeaways and questions, exit tickets can include specific prompts such as solving a math problem or defining a key term from the lesson. The best class discussions always spill out into the hallway, and a minute paper won’t dampen student enthusiasm.

Muddiest Point

If you are interested in customizing exit tickets to better support student learning, consider using the muddiest point exercise to focus on areas where students need the most clarification.

In the ‘muddiest point’ exercise, students are given index cards and asked to write down what they least understood about that day’s lesson. You could consider making this anonymous in order to encourage honest responses. This method allows teachers to provide feedback and differentiate instruction based on what was taught and what students still find unclear.

You can use this exit ticket to find out your class’s muddiest point by process of elimination. Ask your students to send you topics they feel most in need of clarification, consolidate them into a list, and see if there are any standout issues. Try to pre-dedicate time in the following class to address these issues.

3-2-1 Reflection

The 3-2-1 Reflection is a versatile and straightforward exit ticket idea that encourages students to consolidate their learning and think critically about the day’s lesson. In this exercise, students list three things they learned, two interesting facts or ideas that caught their attention, and one question they still have. This format not only helps students reflect on key concepts but also provides teachers with valuable insights into student understanding and areas that may need further clarification. The 3-2-1 Reflection can be easily adapted for any subject, making it a flexible tool to promote active learning and student engagement at the end of a class period.

Formative Assessment and Student Accountability

Formative assessment plays a crucial role in keeping students accountable for their own learning by encouraging continuous reflection and self-assessment throughout the course. Exit tickets serve as an effective formative assessment tool by prompting students to actively engage with the material and articulate their understanding or challenges. This process fosters a sense of responsibility and ownership over their learning journey, motivating students to identify areas where they need improvement and to connect classroom concepts to real-life contexts.

To enhance student accountability, exit tickets can include reflective questions that encourage deeper thinking and personal connection to the material. Some examples of effective formative assessment questions include:
- Describe a connection you can see between today’s material and your life.
- What gave you the most difficulty today and why?
- In 50 words or less, summarize today’s material.
These prompts not only help students consolidate their learning but also provide teachers with valuable insights into student perspectives and potential obstacles. By regularly incorporating such reflective questions into exit tickets, educators can support a growth mindset and promote active, self-directed learning that extends beyond the classroom.

Using Technology to Enhance Exit Tickets

Technology offers exciting new ways to make exit tickets more engaging, efficient, and insightful. With digital exit ticket templates, teachers can quickly create and distribute exit slips that students can complete on their laptops, tablets, or phones. Digital access to exit tickets through tools like Google Forms or Top Hat makes participation easy and allows for immediate data collection. Using a platform allows students to submit their responses from anywhere, and for educators to collect and review data in real time. Exit tickets can be completed digitally through online polls, surveys, quizzes, and forms. Digital tools also allow for a variety of question types, such as multiple choice, short answer, or even interactive elements like videos or images, making the process more fun and accessible for students.

Incorporating multimedia and creative projects can make exit tickets more enjoyable for students. Educators can use learning management systems, online survey platforms, or educational apps such as Top Hat to create and manage exit tickets, often with features like automatic grading and instant feedback. Digital exit tickets can also supplement online courses and support remote learning, making them a valuable tool for virtual or hybrid classrooms. By leveraging technology, educators can gain deeper insights into student understanding and learning, streamline the assessment process, and create a more dynamic classroom experience. Using digital exit tickets is similar to accessing information in a library—students benefit from the efficiency and breadth of digital resources, enabling more self-directed and effective learning. Digital exit tickets not only save time but also provide valuable analytics that help instructors identify trends, adjust instruction and support student achievement more effectively. Integrating technology into exit tickets reflects the role of technology in modern life and helps prepare students for real-life situations where digital skills are essential.

Using Data to Inform Instruction

One of the most powerful aspects of exit tickets is the wealth of data they provide to inform instruction and enhance student learning. When students submit their exit tickets at the end of a class period, educators gain immediate insight into student understanding of the day’s lesson. By carefully reviewing student responses—whether from multiple choice questions, short written answers, or creative formats—educators can quickly identify which concepts have been mastered and which require further attention.

This real-time feedback allows educators to make informed decisions about how to adjust their teaching strategies to better meet student needs. For example, if exit ticket data reveals that many students struggled with a key concept, teachers can decide to revisit that material in the next class, provide targeted practice, or offer additional resources. Conversely, if students demonstrate strong understanding, instructors might accelerate the pace or introduce more advanced topics, ensuring that learning remains challenging and engaging.

Regularly analyzing exit ticket responses is essential for differentiating instruction. By identifying patterns and trends in student learning, educators can create targeted interventions for those who need extra support and enrichment opportunities for those ready to move ahead. This approach not only supports individual student achievement but also helps the entire class progress more effectively toward learning goals.

In addition to shaping instruction, exit ticket data serves as a valuable tool for providing feedback to students. When instructors review and respond to student answers, they help students reflect on their own progress, recognize areas of strength, and set goals for improvement. This ongoing communication fosters a sense of ownership and agency in learning, encouraging students to take an active role in their educational journey.

To maximize the benefits of exit tickets, educators can use a variety of exit ticket templates and formats—ranging from traditional paper slips to digital forms. Digital tools, in particular, make it easy to collect, organize, and analyze data, allowing teachers to track student progress over time and quickly identify areas for instructional focus. Whether using sticky notes, online surveys, or interactive apps, the key is to create a system that regularly gathers meaningful data and uses it to inform future instruction.

Ultimately, using data from exit tickets is an essential strategy for any educator committed to improving student understanding and achievement. By making exit tickets a routine part of your assessment toolkit, you can ensure that every lesson is responsive to student needs, every student has the opportunity to succeed, and your teaching is always informed by real evidence of learning.

Exit Tickets: Classroom-Ready Examples

Top Hat’s exit ticket template, designed with the help of instructional design experts, contains many helpful printouts. This helpful instructor resource offers four versions with two templates per category. Two of the versions can be used as jumping-off points for minute papers (assessing understanding and asking students to reflect and summarize), and the other two can be used for muddiest point exercises (finding gaps in learning, and what students would want covered the following class). These exit tickets serve not only as formative assessments but also offer additional benefits by supporting a variety of assessment strategies, gathering student feedback and enhancing classroom engagement.

Access free exit ticket ideas here.

Frequently Asked Questions About Exit Tickets

1. What is an exit ticket in the classroom?

An exit ticket is a short formative assessment that students complete at the end of a class to demonstrate what they learned. Exit tickets typically consist of one to three questions and help instructors quickly assess understanding, identify misconceptions, and adjust future instruction.

2. What are the benefits of using exit tickets?

Exit tickets help instructors check for understanding in real time, encourage student reflection, and provide actionable feedback without adding significant grading time. When used consistently, exit tickets can improve student engagement, support data-informed teaching decisions, and increase retention of key concepts.

3. What are some effective exit ticket ideas for the classroom?

Effective exit ticket ideas include asking students to summarize the key concept in one sentence, identify the “muddiest point” from the lesson, answer a quick multiple-choice question, apply what they learned to a real-world example, or predict how the concept will be used in a future lesson or exam. These prompts encourage reflection and help instructors quickly assess student understanding.

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Active Learning, Student Assessment
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January 16, 2026
Festive Ideas to Engage Students and Alumni

Reading Time: 15 minutes

The holiday season offers a valuable opportunity for schools to foster connection and celebrate community. Each year, Higher Education Marketing reviews holiday videos from institutions across the education spectrum to spotlight standout examples that capture the spirit of the season while supporting broader marketing goals.

This annual holiday video post brings together some of our favourite picks from this year’s festive content. From heartfelt messages of gratitude to creative student-led performances, these videos show how colleges and universities are using year-end storytelling to connect with students, staff, alumni, and prospective families in meaningful ways. Beyond tradition, holiday videos have become a strategic tool in higher education marketing, helping schools showcase their personality, values, and milestones from the past year.

Whether it is a lighthearted campus moment or a thoughtful message from institutional leadership, a well-crafted holiday video can generate goodwill, boost social engagement, and reinforce school spirit. The best part is that these moments do not require a Hollywood budget. With a strong concept, authentic voices, and a little seasonal creativity, schools of any size can produce compelling year-end content.

In this post, we will explore what makes an effective holiday video, share practical production tips, and highlight some of the best holiday videos of the season, according to the HEM team.

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What Is a Holiday Highlight Video for Schools?

A holiday highlight video is a short, engaging piece of content that schools create to celebrate the festive season while reflecting on the year’s milestones. Blending seasonal charm with storytelling, these videos typically showcase memorable moments, achievements, and community messages, wrapped in a festive tone that resonates with audiences across generations.

Unlike a standard event recap, holiday highlight videos often include holiday music, decorations, or creative themes to evoke warmth and cheer. They may feature snippets from campus events, student performances, messages of thanks from leadership, or lighthearted skits that show off your school’s personality.

These videos are usually concise and shareable, perfect for distribution across social media, email newsletters, and your website. Whether heartwarming or humorous, the goal is to celebrate your school community, express appreciation, and leave viewers with a lasting positive impression. Think of it as a year-in-review meets a holiday greeting card, brought to life on screen.

Why Should Colleges and Universities Create Holiday Videos For Their Community?

Producing a holiday video might seem like a lighthearted tradition, but it holds serious strategic value for educational institutions. From strengthening community ties to enhancing your brand visibility, here are five reasons why colleges and universities should consider creating a holiday highlight video:

1. Strengthen Community Connections

Holiday videos offer a powerful way to reinforce a sense of belonging. By featuring students, faculty, staff, and alumni, schools can celebrate their shared experiences and spirit. These videos become a reflection of community life, highlighting festive events, volunteer efforts, and everyday moments that matter.

For example, the University of Louisville once released a holiday video where its mascot delivered handwritten cards across campus, culminating in a warm message from an administrator. This kind of storytelling reinforces school pride and strengthens emotional bonds among viewers.

2. Showcase Values and Campus Culture

A holiday video is also a chance to communicate your school’s values in action. Whether it’s highlighting inclusivity, creativity, service, or academic excellence, these videos offer a glimpse of campus life through a seasonal lens.

Adelphi University, for instance, created a holiday video featuring its panther mascot distributing scarves and hats to students. Along the way, viewers were treated to quick scenes in the library, labs, and dorms, an engaging way to showcase school spirit while spotlighting facilities and values like generosity and community support.

3. Engage Students, Prospects, and Alumni

Video is a highly engaging content format, especially across platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. A well-produced holiday video grabs attention more effectively than a typical end-of-year message and offers entertainment, recognition, and emotional connection in one package.

Students enjoy seeing familiar faces and moments captured, while prospective students gain a glimpse of campus life and the people who shape it. A great holiday video can humanize your institution and offer a feel-good experience that’s easy to share, extending your reach organically.

4. Celebrate Successes and Boost Morale

The end of the calendar year is the perfect moment to celebrate your school’s accomplishments. A holiday video allows you to highlight academic achievements, sports victories, community impact, and institutional milestones, all wrapped in a festive, uplifting tone.

The University of Michigan, for example, once released a holiday video of its annual tree lighting ceremony that featured pediatric patients as special guests. The message was heartwarming and celebratory, perfectly blending joy with meaning, boosting morale, and reinforcing shared values.

5. Build Tradition and Institutional Memory

Producing a holiday video each year can evolve into a cherished tradition. These videos serve as visual keepsakes, documenting your institution’s journey and growth. Schools like UNC Greensboro (UNCG) have become known for their annual holiday productions, consistently showcasing creativity and school spirit. Over time, these videos build anticipation, tradition, and a deeper emotional connection with your audience.

In short, holiday videos are more than just festive fun; they’re powerful storytelling tools that strengthen community, showcase culture, engage audiences, and leave a lasting impression.

Using Holiday Videos for Student Recruitment and Brand Awareness

Beyond community engagement, holiday videos can also be a strategic asset for student recruitment and brand visibility. How can a school use holiday videos to support student recruitment and brand awareness? Schools can use holiday videos to showcase campus culture, student life, and values in a warm, authentic way. These videos humanize the brand, create an emotional connection, and give prospective students a real glimpse of the community, helping strengthen brand awareness and support recruitment decisions.

Here’s how they support marketing objectives:

Showcasing Campus Life to Prospects

Prospective students want to feel a connection with a school before applying. Holiday videos, featuring real moments, smiling faces, and decorated spaces, offer a genuine snapshot of campus life. When students from diverse backgrounds or student clubs are included, the video subtly highlights key differentiators such as diversity, inclusivity, and student support services.

Highlighting Unique Selling Points (USPs)

Some institutions weave their USPs directly into their holiday messaging. Loyola Marymount University’s business school did this creatively with a festive jingle that spotlighted the school’s mission and LA location. Similarly, the University of Georgia released a video featuring the excitement of acceptance letters, reminding viewers of the transformative power of education.

Boosting Reach and Engagement on Social Media

Posting your holiday video on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok can significantly increase impressions and engagement. These platforms are ideal for spreading festive content organically, with the potential to reach prospective students through shares, likes, and algorithmic boosts.

Humanizing Your Brand

Holiday videos put a friendly face on your institution. Whether it’s professors sending greetings, mascots dancing, or students sharing traditions, this content feels personal. Boston University’s College of Arts & Sciences, for example, created a multilingual video featuring holiday wishes from staff and faculty, an inclusive gesture that made the school feel warm and welcoming.

Standing Out in the Recruitment Cycle

Not every school produces a holiday video. Doing so, especially with creativity, helps differentiate your institution. A joyful, thoughtful video signals school spirit, attention to detail, and a people-first culture. In short, holiday videos serve as soft-sell marketing: warm, memorable, and brand-enhancing.

Creative Holiday Video Ideas (Even on a Small Budget)

Producing a standout holiday video doesn’t require a Hollywood budget, just heart, creativity, and smart use of the resources at your disposal. In fact, many of the most engaging school holiday videos are simple in execution but rich in authenticity and charm. Here are cost-effective ideas to inspire your next festive project:

1. Leverage Student Talent

Involve students in video creation, whether through filming, editing, animation, or music. Georgia State University’s College of the Arts, for example, produced a delightful animated video created entirely by students and alumni. It doubled as a class project and portfolio piece. Similarly, student musicians can perform holiday tunes as soundtracks, adding personality while saving on licensing and production costs.

2. Use Smartphones and Free Tools

A smartphone, a tripod (or steady hand), and free apps like iMovie or TikTok are all you need. Many schools shoot short clips of decorated halls, festive events, or faculty greetings using DIY techniques. Planning your shots ahead of time and keeping edits tight will go a long way in producing polished results.

3. Keep It Short and Focused

Short videos (under 60 seconds) are cheaper to make and often more effective online. UWE Bristol, for instance, shared a short clip of its lit Christmas tree and the season’s first snow, a serene moment that resonated with viewers. Viewership stats show drop-off rates after two minutes, so brevity is best.

4. Pick a Simple Theme

Stick to one clever idea. Clackamas Community College parodied Home Alone with its president on an empty campus, while James Madison University reimagined ’Twas the Night Before Christmas for finals week. Both relied on humor, recognizable formats, and minimal props, proving that creativity trumps complexity.

5. Crowdsource Clips

Ask students and staff to submit short videos or photos answering a seasonal prompt (“What’s your favorite winter tradition?”). Compile the submissions into a festive montage with background music. UNC Greensboro’s Bryan School used this approach for a holiday tips video, creating a lively, inclusive piece with no production costs.

6. Repurpose Existing Content

Footage from recent concerts, service events, or campus celebrations can be repackaged into a highlight reel. Layer in a new narration or a simple greeting to refresh the narrative and give it a festive twist.

7. Add Holiday Magic with Simple Effects

Basic editing tricks, like sparkles, snowfall overlays, or festive text, can elevate even the simplest shots. Trent University created a magical moment by using a glowing book effect in its holiday greeting. Free overlays and royalty-free music can help polish your final product without added expense.

8. Embrace Authenticity

When production quality is limited, lean into warmth and sincerity. A candid thank-you message from your president or a casual walk through campus celebrations can feel more genuine, and often more engaging, than a heavily scripted production.

Ultimately, holiday videos are about joy, gratitude, and connection. With a little planning and a lot of heart, even a small-budget project can leave a lasting impact.

Optimal Length and Platform: Making Sure Your Holiday Video Hits the Mark

When planning a holiday video, two key questions often come up: How long should it be? And where should it be posted for the best engagement? Getting these right can make a big difference in how your video performs.

Ideal Length

The sweet spot for holiday videos is typically between one and three minutes. Shorter videos tend to perform better across all platforms. Data shows that videos under one minute retain up to 70 percent of viewers, while completion rates drop sharply after the two-minute mark. Unless your content is highly compelling, longer videos are at risk of losing viewers before the message is delivered.

Platform-Specific Strategy

Each social platform has its own best practices. TikTok and Instagram Reels are ideal for short-form content under 60 seconds. Facebook and YouTube are more accommodating for videos in the one-to-three-minute range. If your video is for social sharing, create a quick version under a minute. For website placement or email campaigns, a slightly longer version may be appropriate.

Editing for Pace and Impact

A well-edited video can deliver a meaningful message in a short amount of time. Quick cuts, engaging visuals, and upbeat music help keep viewers interested. If you have a lot of content, consider creating a teaser or trailer version for social media, with a call to action to watch the full video on your website.

Aim for clarity, energy, and brevity. Your audience will appreciate a concise, thoughtful message that respects their time.

Best Platforms for Sharing School Holiday Videos

To maximize the reach and impact of your holiday video, share it across multiple platforms. Each channel offers unique advantages:

YouTube
YouTube is essential. It functions as both a content hub and a search engine, making it ideal for embedding on your website and sharing in emails. Optimize your video with a descriptive title, a thoughtful caption, and tags that include your school’s name and keywords like “holiday video” or “seasonal greeting.” YouTube is particularly effective for reaching a wide audience, including prospective students, alumni, and the public.

Facebook and Instagram
These platforms are perfect for community engagement. Upload the video directly to Facebook for better reach and visibility in the algorithm. On Instagram, short videos (under 60 seconds) work well as Reels or posts. For longer content, consider sharing a teaser with a link in your bio or stories. Both platforms allow easy sharing, which helps spread the message organically.

Twitter (X)
While not a primary video platform, Twitter is useful for posting short clips or teasers, especially if you want to reach media or partners. Keep videos under the platform’s time limit, or link to the full version elsewhere.

TikTok
If your school has a presence on TikTok, share a short, creative version of your holiday message here. This could be a behind-the-scenes moment, a student-led skit, or a festive transformation. TikTok content thrives on authenticity and trend alignment, making it a powerful tool for reaching Gen Z.

School Website and Emails
Feature your holiday video prominently on your homepage, news section, or in year-end emails. A dedicated landing page adds a professional touch and provides space for a message or photo gallery.

Final Tip
Use strong thumbnails and captions. A festive visual and on-screen text can capture attention and ensure your message gets across, even when the sound is off.

Planning and Timing: When to Start Working on Your Holiday Video

Timing is crucial to producing a successful school holiday video. Here’s how to ensure your video comes together smoothly and on schedule.

Begin Early in the Fall
Start brainstorming in September or October. This gives you time to develop the concept, write a script, recruit participants, and schedule filming. If your video needs approvals from administration or marketing, building in lead time is essential. Early planning also allows for creativity; you’ll have time to troubleshoot or reshoot if needed.

Work Around Academic Calendars
Aim to film before the busiest part of the term. November is ideal, before finals and year-end events begin. If you plan to include winter decorations, schedule shoots for late November when the campus is typically dressed for the season.

Target a December Release
The first two weeks of December are the sweet spot. Audiences are still engaged, and the festive mood is building. Releasing too late, such as during winter break, means missing students and staff who have already checked out for the holidays.

Leave Time for Editing and Approvals
Once filming is complete, allocate at least one to two weeks for editing and stakeholder review. You’ll need time for feedback, fine-tuning, and adding polish such as titles, transitions, music, and captions.

Consider a Campus Premiere
Launch your video at a holiday event or on the last day of classes. Play it on big screens or in student lounges to create buzz, then share it widely online.

Promote Everywhere All at Once
Coordinate your launch across YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, email newsletters, and student portals. Simultaneous posting helps your video gain traction and reach the widest audience.

Learn for Next Year
After launch, note what worked and what you’d change. Holiday videos often become annual traditions, and each cycle brings opportunities to refine the process.

Examples of Outstanding School Holiday Videos

Looking for inspiration for your school’s next holiday video? These 10 standout examples from colleges and universities around the world illustrate the wide range of creative approaches available. From lighthearted skits to heartfelt messages, these videos show how festive storytelling can connect and delight on any budget.

The University of Vermont

The University of Vermont’s 2025 holiday greeting video, titled “Holiday Gratitudes, from UVM to You,” compiles touching moments of gratitude from across the campus community. It features students, faculty, and staff expressing what they’re most thankful for amid warm, wintry scenes of campus. This uplifting montage works as a holiday message because it fosters a sense of community and reflection, leaving viewers feeling appreciative and connected.

Source: YouTube

Camosun College

Camosun College’s 2025 holiday video features President Dr. Lane Trotter delivering a warm thank-you to the community and a hopeful outlook for the year ahead. Filmed at the new John Horgan Campus, the video highlights the resilience and spirit of the Camosun community. This personal approach works because it puts a familiar face front and center, making the gratitude and optimism feel genuine and resonant.

Source: Facebook

University of Toronto (New College)

New College at the University of Toronto’s 2025 holiday video takes an inclusive approach, uniting heartfelt greetings from alumni, donors, faculty, staff, and students into one festive montage. This warm compilation works well because viewers see themselves represented, which truly reinforces a sense of belonging for all and community pride during the holidays while celebrating the entire New College family’s diversity.

Source: YouTube

Simon Fraser University

Marking SFU’s 60th anniversary, the 2025 holiday video asks the community, “What is your favourite holiday tradition?” and features students, faculty, and alumni sharing cherished customs old and new, showcasing SFU’s rich tapestry of celebrations.

This concept shines by inviting personal storytelling and nostalgia. Celebrating both long-held and emerging traditions creates a warm, inclusive atmosphere that honors the university’s history and diverse holiday spirit.

Source: YouTube

Quinnipiac University

Quinnipiac University’s 2025 video, “Home for the Holidays,” mixes fun and heart by having Boomer the Bobcat (the mascot) host a festive holiday party. It’s designed to capture the sense of belonging the community gave the new president and her family.

This “home” narrative works because a beloved mascot and charming storyline showcase the university community as a family, yielding a feel-good message full of school spirit and inclusivity.

Source: YouTube

Kutztown University

Kutztown University chose a daring and endearing route this time. Seeking to do something different, the university settled on recreating scenes from some of the most beloved Christmas movies (including, you guessed it, Home Alone), with Kutztown University President Dr. Phil Cavalier dressed as the protagonists each time.

Later on, the president appears alongside the student government president and secretary to wish everyone in the community a safe, happy holiday. The simplicity of this concept is its strength: uniting administrators and students in one sincere greeting makes it feel authentic and inclusive to the whole K.U. family.

Source: YouTube

Widener University

Widener University’s 2025 video, “Holiday Lights: A Chester & Melrose Story,” is a playful short film starring the university’s lion mascots, Chester and Melrose. Framed as a mini holiday movie (even earning cheeky “reviews” like “the purr-fect holiday movie”), it follows the mascots on a festive adventure to light up campus.

This fun approach brims with school spirit and works by using mascots in a humorous narrative that makes the message memorable.

Source: Facebook

University of St Andrews

The University of St Andrews’ 2025 festive video celebrates tradition with a beautiful performance by the St Salvator’s Chapel Choir set against a festively decorated campus. It also thanks the global St Andrews community for their support.

This concept succeeds by showcasing a cherished university tradition (the chapel choir), evoking nostalgia and pride. The blend of music, scenery, and gratitude creates a heartfelt connection with alumni and students around the world.

Source: YouTube

Loyola Marymount University (College of Business Administration)

LMU’s College of Business Administration goes musical with a catchy holiday jingle. Students wrote and performed custom lyrics (set to a familiar holiday tune) that highlight the school’s programs and its Los Angeles locale. The video feels like a mini music number. A group of business students don Santa hats and LMU gear as they sing about CBA’s offerings, from entrepreneurship to the sunny L.A. campus, all to the melody of a well-known Christmas song. It’s professionally shot but student-driven.

Notably, LMU credited two student marketing interns for leading the production, emphasizing the student involvement. It’s catchy, festive, and informative. The jingle sticks in your head while subtly conveying the college’s strengths (academic programs, location, vibe). This fun approach differentiates LMU CBA from more standard greetings. Plus, showcasing student talent (both on camera and behind the scenes) sends a message that CBA is a creative, close-knit community, one that knows how to celebrate in style.

Source: Instagram

Make Sure To Spread Your Message This Festive Season

The holiday season is a meaningful opportunity for schools to highlight community, values, and accomplishments in a creative and heartfelt way. A thoughtfully produced holiday video can engage students, alumni, faculty, and prospective families alike, while reinforcing your school’s brand and culture.

As we’ve seen, schools don’t need a big budget to make a big impression. With early planning, creativity, and collaboration, even small teams can produce memorable content that brings people together. Whether your video is humorous, reflective, musical, or student-led, the most impactful ones are authentic and community-driven.

So gather your creative team, involve students and staff, and let your school’s spirit shine. Your holiday video won’t just be a seasonal greeting; it will become a tradition, a marketing asset, and a lasting keepsake.

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Our expert digital marketing services can help you attract and enroll more students!

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: What is a holiday highlight video for schools?

Answer: A holiday highlight video is a short, engaging piece of content that schools create to celebrate the festive season while reflecting on the year’s milestones. Blending seasonal charm with storytelling, these videos typically showcase memorable moments, achievements, and community messages, wrapped in a festive tone that resonates with audiences across generations.

Question: Why should colleges and universities create holiday videos for their community?

Answer: Producing a holiday video might seem like a lighthearted tradition, but it holds serious strategic value for educational institutions. From strengthening community ties to enhancing your brand visibility.

Question: How can a school use holiday videos to support student recruitment and brand awareness?

Answer: Schools can use holiday videos to showcase campus culture, student life, and values in a warm, authentic way. These videos humanize the brand, create emotional connection, and give prospective students a real glimpse of the community, helping strengthen brand awareness and support recruitment decisions.

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December 17, 2025

FTC Robot Build: Starter Kit and Drive Base Kit Upgrade Ideas

Quick Summary: Building a reliable, high-performing robot for the 2025-2026 DECODE Season is one of the most rewarding parts of the FTC robot build process. Whether your team is using the Studica Robotics FTC Starter Kit or the FTC Drive Base Kit, both systems provide a strong mechanical foundation. However, the real power lies in following an iterative design approach, where you prototype, test, analyze, and refine your robot over time.

This article guides teams through practical, beginner-friendly methods to upgrade both kits while enhancing their engineering skills.

Why Iteration Matters for Your FTC Robot Build

One of the most valuable lessons in FTC is understanding that robots are not built once; they’re built over time. Every test, every failure, every small adjustment moves your team closer to a stable, high-scoring machine.

Both Studica Robotics kits are designed to support that iterative design process:

Iterating early and often helps teams:

➡️ Improve driving performance

➡️ Test mechanisms in real-world conditions

➡️ Make informed upgrades instead of guessing

➡️ Build confidence with hardware and mechanical systems

The Engineering Cycle Behind FTC Iteration

Iterative design in FTC is not a random trial and error process. It is a structured engineering cycle that mirrors professional engineering practices. Every improvement your team makes follows the same core steps found in professional engineering:

Define → Ask → Imagine → Plan → Prototype → Test → Iterate

This cycle helps teams:

➡️ Identify what needs to change or improve

➡️ Explore constraints, rules, and existing solutions

➡️ Brainstorm multiple ways to solve the problem

➡️ Select an approach that fits strategy and resources

➡️ Build quick prototypes to try ideas early

➡️ Test designs on the field to gather real performance data

➡️ Refine based on what the tests reveal

Using these steps gives teams a clear, repeatable method for refining mechanisms, improving scoring consistency, and strengthening overall robot reliability throughout the season. Review the full breakdown of the Engineering Design Process.

How to Iterate Effectively During Your FTC Robot Build

No matter which kit your team uses, these principles ensure smarter, safer iteration.

➡️ Make one change at a time to isolate what works and what does not

➡️ Test early and test often to see real performance in the field

➡️ Take pictures and document changes to save time during troubleshooting

➡️ Keep wiring organized to reduce disconnects and simplify servicing

➡️ Build with symmetry when possible to make balancing and reinforcement easier

Iterating with the Studica Robotics Building System

The Studica Robotics building system is designed for easy reconfiguration, ideal for rapid prototyping and refinement during an FTC robot build.

Key Advantages:

✅ Radial Hole Pattern:
The unique hole pattern makes most structural pieces universally compatible, allowing parts to be easily repositioned or swapped.

✅ Versatile Structural Components:
Available in multiple lengths and colors for refined prototyping:

✅Easy to Swap and Adjust:
Consistent hole spacing allows teams to:

- - Reinforce weak points
  - Add bracing
  - Change wheel types
  - Adjust motor layout
  - Mount sensors cleanly

This flexibility is exactly what teams need when refining their robot design.

Upgrading the Starter Kit for Your FTC Robot Build

The FTC Starter Kit provides the baseline components for this season’s DECODE Starter Bot. It is designed to help teams:

Begin programming both autonomous and tele-op
Drive-test early
Understand drivetrain behavior
Work with OMS components
Add prototype mechanisms to the FTC Starter Bot to evaluate ideas early in the season.

Once the Starter Bot is assembled and tested, teams can begin upgrading it.

FTC Starter Kit Upgrade Ideas

Add Low-Profile U-Channel Wheel Guards:
Prevents field elements or other robots from catching on the drivetrain.
Experiment with Different Flex Wheels:
Different durometer (hardness) ratings affect how flex wheels compress and interact with game pieces, helping teams fine-tune intake behavior.
Explore Motor Options:
Studica Robotics offers Maverick HEX shaft motors with multiple planetary gearbox options available.
Teams frequently choose between higher torque options and higher RPM options, depending on their drive strategy or mechanism needs.
Reinforce the Chassis:
Extra brackets or beams help maintain rigidity as mechanisms are added.
Transition to a Mechanism-Ready Chassis:
Many teams take the FTC Starter Bot’s scoring mechanism concepts and move them onto a more competition-ready Mecanum chassis. This helps teams learn:
🔹 How to mount mechanisms cleanly
🔹 How to maintain access to wiring
🔹 How to improve scoring consistency

FTC Starter Bot: Shooter on Mecanum Chassis

This example takes the scoring system from the Studica Robotics FTC Starter Bot and places it onto a refined, competition ready Mecanum chassis. It’s a great starting point for teams looking to practice drivetrain control, get comfortable with strafing, and improve scoring efficiency.

FTC Starter Bot: Wheel Guard Configuration

This variation keeps the core Starter Bot design but adds wheel guards to boost durability and protect the drivetrain. The guards help prevent walls, other robots, and game elements from catching on the wheels or interfering with rotation.

FTC Starter Bot Shooter with Mecanum Wheels

What it demonstrates:
How teams can reuse a proven mechanism while upgrading mobility for smoother alignment, better field positioning, and more consistent scoring.

What it demonstrates:
A simple, low-effort upgrade that improves reliability without significant structural changes.

Upgrading the FTC Drive Base Kit

The FTC Drive Base Kit provides a complete mecanum drivetrain with omnidirectional movement, giving teams flexibility when designing mechanisms. Unlike the FTC Starter Kit, the FTC Drive Base Kit only provides the materials needed to create a drivetrain, giving teams total creative freedom to design their own scoring mechanisms.

FTC Drive Base Kit Upgrade Ideas

Reinforced Mecanum Wheel Guards – Helps protect rollers during contact-heavy gameplay using:
🔹 Standoffs
🔹 T Brackets
🔹 End Piece Plates
🔹 Low-Profile U-Channels
Vertical Motor Mounting – Some teams choose to mount motors vertically to create a clean underside with space for:
🔹 Odometry
🔹 Sensors
🔹 Cable routing
Leave Room for Sensors and Expansion – The area under the 288 mm U-Channels is ideal for:
🔹 Odometry pods
🔹 Distance sensors
🔹 IMU stabilization mounts
🔹 Future scoring mechanisms
Improve Structural Rigidity – As teams add mechanisms, reinforcing the drivetrain with additional brackets or cross-members helps maintain frame strength.

FTC Drive Base Kit: Protected Drivetrain with Odometry Support

This version doesn’t include scoring mechanisms, but it features reinforced wheel guards designed to shield the Mecanum rollers and support the drivetrain during high-contact DECODE gameplay and space for odometry pods.

FTC Drive Base Kit: Vertical Motor Mount for Under-Channel Odometry Space

This design is a more competition-focused refinement of the FTC Drive Base Kit v2. The motors are mounted vertically, leaving a clean channel beneath the 288 mm U-Channels—perfect for odometry pods, sensors, or future add-ons. It also includes reinforced Mecanum wheel guards built using standoffs, T-brackets, end plates, and low-profile U-Channels to help protect the wheels from hard impacts.

FTC Drivebase Kit with Wheel Guards and Odometry Kit Top View

FTC Drivebase Kit vertical motor mount drivebase

What it demonstrates:
Wheel guards and integrated odometry pods for more accurate autonomous tracking and movement.

What it demonstrates:
A clean, expandable layout optimized for sensors and autonomous performance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the main difference between the FTC Starter Kit and the FTC Drive Base Kit?
The FTC Starter Kit includes everything needed for a baseline Starter Bot. The FTC Drive Base Kit is drivetrain-only, giving teams full freedom to design.

Do I need special tools to upgrade the FTC Starter Bot?
No. The unique Studica Robotics hole pattern allows parts, motors, gears, and other components to connect easily without special equipment.

Can I use the FTC Starter Bot for prototyping?
Yes. Many teams test early mechanisms or scoring ideas on the FTC Starter Bot.

Can the FTC Drive Base Kit support advanced mechanisms?
Absolutely. Its open layout is designed for sensors, scoring systems, and expansion structures.

Should I choose torque or high-RPM motors?
It depends on your design. Many teams prototype with different planetary gearbox ratios on their motor to determine their preferred performance.

Why is iteration so important in FTC?
Each change helps teams improve reliability, score faster, and understand how mechanical decisions affect robot behavior.

Where can I learn more about the engineering design process?
Learn more here: Dive into Robotics with the Engineering Design Process

Closing Thoughts

Both the FTC Starter Kit and FTC Drive Base Kit give teams a reliable starting point for their FTC robot build. Most teams improve performance by using the design-test-refine process reinforcing structure and refining layouts throughout the season. These adjustments help teams understand mechanical behavior while gradually developing a more consistent robot.

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December 16, 2025

10 of the Best School Marketing Ideas to Boost Enrollment in 2025
Reading Time: 16 minutes

In today’s highly competitive education landscape, schools at every level, from K–12 academies to public universities, must embrace modern, digital-first marketing strategies to attract and retain students. The era of relying solely on word-of-mouth or physical brochures is long gone. Today’s families and prospective students are browsing school websites, scrolling through social media, and watching virtual campus tours before they fill out an inquiry form or attend an open house.

To stay relevant and competitive in 2025 and beyond, schools need to meet their audiences where they are: online. That means showing up with targeted, compelling content and a clearly articulated value proposition. This is especially true for private and independent institutions, where high tuition fees and rising parental expectations demand a more persuasive, proactive approach to enrollment marketing.

So, how can your school stand out in an increasingly crowded space?

In this article, we break down 10 of the most effective marketing strategies for schools, with a strong emphasis on digital tactics. From strengthening your web presence to leveraging alumni stories and optimizing for SEO, these proven approaches help build awareness, trust, and engagement. Each strategy includes real-world examples from schools and colleges around the world to inspire your next campaign.

Whether you’re marketing a small language institute or a large university, these strategies are adaptable to your goals and designed to drive results.

Struggling with enrollment and retention?

Our innovative marketing strategies can help you generate more leads.

1. Understand Your Audience and Craft Your Message

A strong school marketing strategy begins with clarity: who exactly are you trying to reach, and what do they need to hear from you? Whether you’re a K–12 school or a higher ed institution, knowing your audience inside and out is essential. That means digging deeper than just age or location. Consider their priorities, concerns, motivations, and communication preferences.

Creating audience personas helps bring these insights to life. Is your ideal family looking for academic rigor, a supportive community, or flexible scheduling? Are your prospective students career changers seeking fast-track credentials, or teens drawn to innovation and student life? When you define who you’re speaking to, you can tailor your messaging to resonate and avoid generic outreach that falls flat.

Your next step is to articulate your school’s unique value proposition. What makes you different? Highlight that core message consistently across all channels. For some schools, it might be small class sizes and a nurturing environment. For others, it could be career outcomes, cutting-edge labs, or global learning opportunities.

Finally, data can deepen your understanding of your audience. Track behavior, segment leads, and personalize your outreach accordingly. The more relevant your message, the more likely it is to convert.

Example: Oregon State University (OSU). OSU’s enrollment team uses a CRM (Slate) to segment prospective students by factors like academic interests, intended majors, and geographic location. This lets OSU deliver tailored messages to each audience segment. For example, sharing engineering content with STEM-interested prospects or inviting nearby students to local events. By defining clear audience personas and emphasizing OSU’s unique offerings (like its “Beaver Nation” community and research opportunities) in communications, OSU ensures its outreach resonates more and converts better than one-size-fits-all marketing.

Source: Oregon State University

In a nutshell, how do you create a marketing strategy for a school? A strong school marketing strategy starts by defining your goals and audience, then clarifying your unique value proposition. Choose the right channels: website, SEO, social media, email, events, etc., all while keeping messaging consistent. Implement your plan, track performance with analytics, and adjust as needed to improve enrollment results.

2. Turn Your Website into a Top-Performing Recruiter

Your school’s website is more than just a digital brochure. It’s your hardest-working recruiter, available 24/7. In most cases, it’s the first real impression you make on prospective students and their families. If it’s outdated, hard to navigate, or slow to load, visitors may bounce before they ever reach your inquiry form. On the other hand, a fast, intuitive, and compelling site can drive real results: inquiries, campus visit bookings, and applications.

To make your website enrollment-friendly, focus on these key areas:
- Navigation and user experience: Make it easy for visitors to find what matters most: admissions, tuition, programs, and deadlines, within one or two clicks. Prioritize clarity and mobile optimization, since the majority of users now browse on their phones.
- Engaging content: Use vibrant photos, student stories, and program highlights to showcase your school’s personality and value. Don’t just state facts; tell stories that build emotional connection.
- Clear CTAs: Every page should lead users to the next step, whether it’s “Book a Tour” or “Start Your Application.” Make buttons visible, and forms short and intuitive.
- SEO and visibility: Build search-friendly content using keywords like “STEM high school Toronto” or “MBA in Montreal.” This boosts your visibility when families search online.
Example: South Seattle College. This college launched a fully redesigned, mobile-responsive website to serve as a “24/7 digital front door” for prospective students. The new site features simplified navigation (with intuitive menus and audience-specific landing pages), fast load times, and engaging content like student stories and virtual tour videos. Key information: admissions steps, programs, costs etc., is now accessible within one or two clicks. After the revamp, South Seattle College saw improved user engagement and more inquiries, validating that an optimized website can effectively guide visitors from interest to application.

Source: South Seattle College

3. Meet Students Where They Scroll: Social Media Engagement

If you’re wondering how to effectively reach today’s students, social media is your answer. Teenagers, young adults, and even their parents spend hours every day scrolling through platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn. That’s why a modern marketing strategy for schools must go beyond occasional polished posts. It also requires consistent, authentic, and engaging content that brings your school community to life online.

Social media allows prospective students to virtually experience your school before they set foot on campus. They can witness student life, explore your values, and interact with your team through comments and DMs. It’s a space where schools can showcase achievements, run virtual events, answer questions, and create lasting impressions, all within the platforms students already use. Social media engagement fosters emotional connection, builds trust, and nudges prospective students closer to applying.

Here are some proven tactics to strengthen your social media presence:
- Student Takeovers: Give students the reins of your Instagram or TikTok for a day to showcase a “real life” perspective of your campus.
- Interactive Campaigns: Launch challenges, quizzes, or hashtag contests to generate user content and boost engagement.
- Alumni & Academic Outcomes: Share stories of success to inspire and build credibility with prospective students and their families.
- Paid Targeted Ads: Reach niche audiences with specific messaging using Facebook, YouTube, or TikTok ad campaigns.
- Responsive Community Management: Monitor comments and messages daily. Prompt, friendly responses go a long way in reinforcing your school’s reputation.
Above all, be authentic. Today’s students crave realness. A spontaneous student dorm tour recorded on a phone often outperforms a high-production video. Showcasing your campus culture in a way that’s natural and not overly scripted can drive stronger connections and higher conversions.

Example: Randolph-Macon Academy (R-MA). This college-prep boarding school brings campus life directly to student prospects through interactive social media campaigns. On Instagram, R-MA runs “Takeover Tuesday” events where a student cadet literally “takes over” the school’s Story for the day, posting candid glimpses of classes, dorm life, and activities. This unfiltered, student-eye view generates high engagement from peers. R-MA also leverages LinkedIn to celebrate outcomes with a recent post that 100% of its senior class earned college acceptances and over $15 million in scholarships. By showcasing real student experiences and achievements on the platforms teens (and their parents) already use, R-MA humanizes its brand and builds trust.

Source: Facebook

4. Bring Your Campus to Their Couch: Virtual Tours and Online Events

For many families, a campus visit is a pivotal moment in the school decision process. It’s their chance to imagine themselves in your hallways, dorms, and classrooms. But not every prospective student can visit in person, whether due to distance, cost, or scheduling. This is where virtual tours and online events come into play, offering an immersive, flexible way to connect with your audience.

Virtual campus tours can now offer interactive 360° experiences that let students “walk” the grounds from their laptop or phone. These tours help build familiarity and emotional connection, especially for international or out-of-state students who might otherwise never see your campus. To boost engagement, add clickable info points, video testimonials, or even voiceover guides.

Online events like virtual open houses or themed webinars allow families to meet admissions teams, ask questions, and hear directly from current students, all from home. They not only replicate key elements of in-person experiences but also allow for on-demand access after the event.

Example: Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU). ENMU launched an upgraded 360° virtual tour that lets prospective students explore the campus from anywhere in the world. This immersive tour includes interactive 360° views of key locations (from dorms to labs), pop-up info points with photos/videos of traditions, and even student-narrated segments sharing personal stories. A voiceover guide leads viewers through the experience, making it feel like an actual guided tour. ENMU’s chancellor noted the virtual tour “makes a potential student feel like they are on campus” and has become invaluable for out-of-state and international recruits. The tour’s engaging features (clickable videos, student testimonials embedded at certain stops) have driven higher web engagement and helped ENMU widen its reach beyond those able to visit in person.

Source: ENMU

5. Let Video Tell Your Story: Content Marketing That Connects

There’s a reason platforms like YouTube, Instagram Reels, and TikTok dominate attention spans. Video provides an immersive, emotional, and memorable experience. For schools trying to reach prospective students and families, video marketing is one of the most powerful tools available. Whether it’s showcasing campus energy, highlighting academic strengths, or sharing personal student journeys, video content brings your story to life in a way text and photos simply can’t.

To make the most of this format, consider these video types:
- Campus Tour Highlights: Condense your full tour into a 2–3 minute walkthrough with student narration. Post it on your homepage and YouTube channel for first-time visitors.
- Student Testimonials and Success Stories: Capture authentic, unscripted interviews with students or alumni. These peer voices create trust and make your school’s impact tangible.
- Faculty and Program Spotlights: Let your passionate educators shine. A quick feature on a robotics project or an art studio session can attract students with similar interests.
- Event Recaps: Turn school events into fast-paced highlight reels for Instagram and Facebook. It shows your community is vibrant and active.
- Explainer Videos: Break down complex topics, like admissions or financial aid, into short, helpful animations or on-camera guides.
Authenticity beats polish. Videos filmed on smartphones by students or “vlog ambassadors” can feel more relatable than professional productions. Consistent content, especially when optimized with keywords on YouTube, also improves discoverability in search.

Example: Academy of Applied Pharmaceutical Sciences (AAPS, Canada). AAPS relies heavily on short-form video content to showcase student life and outcomes viscerally. The college regularly produces “Student Success Story” videos – for example, a 2-minute clip of an alum describing how AAPS training led to their new career in clinical research. It also shares behind-the-scenes footage of lab sessions and student projects on its YouTube channel and Instagram. These authentic clips (often featuring actual students and instructors) put a human face on AAPS’s programs and build credibility.

Source: YouTube

In short, video marketing allows your school to connect emotionally and visually with prospective students, meeting them where they already spend time. If you want to advertise in a way that engages and inspires, video is essential.

6. Be There 24/7 with Smart Chatbots and Live Chat

Imagine a student browsing your website at midnight, wondering, “Does this college offer scholarships for international students?” If no one’s there to answer, that potential lead might bounce and never return. This is where chatbots and live chat tools step in, transforming your website into a 24/7 support hub.

Modern AI-powered chatbots go far beyond basic FAQ responses. They’re now capable of delivering personalized answers based on user input, guiding visitors to the right pages, and capturing lead information in real time. In fact, some bots can handle up to 80% of standard inquiries, freeing your admissions team to focus on complex cases or high-touch prospects.

Schools use chatbots to address questions about tuition, program options, campus life, deadlines, and more. Better still, if a query goes beyond the bot’s programming, it can prompt a human follow-up, keeping the conversation going instead of losing the lead.

Live chat is another powerful layer. Having staff available during business hours to chat in real time, whether on your site or via Messenger, feels like having a front-desk greeter online. Quick answers build trust and reduce friction in the inquiry process.

Example: Arlington Central School District (New York). This K–12 district rolled out an AI virtual assistant named “AlwaysOn – Admiral Al” across all its school websites to ensure families can get information anytime. The friendly chatbot (branded with the high school’s mascot) offers 24/7 multilingual support, answering common questions about programs, enrollment procedures, event schedules, and more in English or Spanish. If the question is too specific, “Admiral Al” even lets the user submit an email query right within the chat, guaranteeing a human follow-up by the next business day. The district implemented this tool to improve customer service for busy parents and saw immediate benefits – families could instantly find out, say, how to register a new student or the date of graduation, without calling the office.

Source: Arlington Central School District

To make your chatbot successful, keep it friendly and transparent (let users know it’s a virtual assistant), program it with up-to-date FAQs, and offer a handoff to a real person when needed. For international recruitment, consider a multilingual bot to expand your global accessibility.

Ultimately, integrating chatbot and live chat tools into your school’s marketing strategy ensures you never miss a lead because of timing. Today’s students expect immediate answers. With the right tools, your school can be ready.

7. Leverage Testimonials and Reviews (Let Your Community Do the Talking)

Word-of-mouth has long been a trusted marketing strategy for schools, and in today’s digital world, it has taken on new forms, testimonials, reviews, and social proof. These are powerful tools that lend credibility to your school’s messaging by showing that real families and students have had positive experiences.

Start by gathering testimonials from students and parents. A few genuine quotes or short videos can build trust quickly. Display these across your website, especially on admissions pages and brochures. A heartfelt statement like, “After enrolling here, my daughter blossomed academically and socially,” resonates more than polished ad copy.

In parallel, encourage online reviews on platforms like Google or Facebook. Higher ratings improve visibility and ease prospective families’ doubts. Politely prompt current families to share feedback after positive experiences, such as school events or parent meetings.

Social media also plays a role. Repost authentic student or alumni praise, and consider launching hashtags to gather testimonials organically.

Example: Discovery Community College (Canada). This career college amplifies positive word-of-mouth by actively sharing student reviews on social media. For example, Discovery CC monitors its Google Reviews, and when a 5-star review comes in, the marketing team creates an Instagram post thanking the student by name and highlighting their feedback. One such post reads: “Thank you for your wonderful Google review, Jessi! We’re glad you had an amazing experience training to be a health care assistant!” – accompanied by a screenshot of the review. By publicly celebrating real student voices, the college not only boosts morale but also provides authentic social proof to prospective students scrolling by.

Source: Instagram

Letting your community advocate for you builds trust faster than any ad campaign, and it costs nothing.

8. Nurture Leads with Email Marketing and Personal Touches

What is the best marketing for independent schools? Independent schools succeed with targeted, budget-friendly inbound marketing. The best approach is a strong online presence: a content-rich, search-optimized website, active social media that highlights student life, and helpful emails or blogs that build trust. These tactics attract the right families and strengthen community engagement.

Once an inquiry is made, the follow-up becomes mission-critical. One of the most effective marketing strategies for schools includes consistent, personalized nurturing, especially through email and SMS.

Email remains a powerful tool when tailored. Instead of generic blasts, use segmentation to send relevant content. For instance, a prospect interested in Nursing should receive a series featuring faculty profiles, student success in healthcare, and clinical placement details. Someone focused on Athletics? Highlight sports facilities, team achievements, and balancing academics with sports.

Drip campaigns work best: Day 1, a welcome email; Day 3, value-focused content; Day 7, a testimonial or event invite. Marketing automation tools like HubSpot or Mailchimp make this scalable and adaptive based on user behavior.

Complement email with timely SMS reminders for events or deadlines. Use sparingly for impact.

Finally, add a personal touch. A call or handwritten note after a campus visit or audition can leave a lasting impression. These gestures build trust and demonstrate care, key ingredients in a family’s final decision. Effective nurturing turns interest into action and inquiries into enrollments.

Example: University of South Carolina (USC). USC’s admissions team adds a decidedly personal touch to lead nurturing by picking up the phone to congratulate admitted students. These informal chats help admitted students feel valued and give them a chance to voice any concerns. USC also involves faculty and current students in the follow-up process; for instance, an admitted engineering major might get an email or call from an engineering professor or student ambassador.

Source: Facebook

9. Host Events (On-Campus and Virtual) That Educate and Inspire

Hosting well-crafted events is one of the most effective ways to turn interest into enrollment. On-campus events like open houses and shadow days allow families to experience your community firsthand. Keep them interactive, offer student-led tours, informal chats with faculty, and performances to showcase school spirit. These real-world interactions make your school more memorable.

Virtual events also carry weight, especially for international or out-of-town prospects. Live webinars, themed Q&A panels, and online workshops let families connect from anywhere. Consider sessions like “How to Write a Great Application Essay” or alumni panels sharing career outcomes.

Each event is also a content opportunity. Record webinars, collect quotes, and share visuals across your channels. Personalized follow-ups (“Thanks for attending, here’s what’s next”) help nurture those leads further.

Example: University of North Texas (UNT). UNT offers an array of admissions events designed to welcome and inform prospective students, including both in-person programs and online sessions. One flagship initiative is the UNT Admissions Webinar Series – live virtual information sessions “designed just for students who haven’t applied yet.” These free webinars walk attendees through what makes UNT unique, tips on the application process, and key deadlines, all from the comfort of home. Admissions counselors appear on camera to answer questions in real time, so participants leave with personalized info and confidence about next steps. For those who can visit campus, UNT also hosts large open-house events like “UNT Preview,” a conference-style open day with academic fairs, tours, and even an on-site Application Station where students can apply and get the fee waived.

Source: University of North Texas

10. Showcase Outcomes and Alumni Success (Paint the Long-Term Picture)

When families invest in an education, whether paying private tuition or college fees, they want proof that it leads to success. That’s why one of the most compelling marketing strategies for schools is to showcase outcomes. You’re not just selling a school experience; you’re selling what it makes possible.

For K–12 and college-prep institutions, highlight metrics like college acceptance rates and scholarship totals. Randolph-Macon Academy (R-MA), for example, proudly advertises a 100% college acceptance rate and over $15 million in scholarship offers for its 2025 graduates. That kind of evidence quickly signals ROI to prospective families.

Example: Randolph-Macon Academy (R-MA). R-MA prominently advertises its student outcomes to give families confidence in the long-term ROI of its program. For example, the academy proudly announced that 100% of its Class of 2025 earned college acceptances, collectively securing over $15 million in scholarships and 18 appointments to prestigious U.S. Service Academies. This kind of outcome data is highlighted on R-MA’s website and social media, signaling to prospective parents that an R-MA education leads to tangible success. The school also regularly publishes lists of colleges and universities its graduates attend (Ivies, top public universities, military academies, etc.), and shares alumni spotlights – like profiles of graduates who have become pilots, doctors, or entrepreneurs. By showcasing these results, R-MA helps future students (and their parents) visualize their own potential trajectory and trust that the tuition investment will pay off in opportunities.

Source: LinkedIn

Vocational or language schools should spotlight relevant results: job placement rates, certifications earned, or skill development gains.

Don’t just rely on stats. Share alumni stories that reflect diverse paths: scientists, entrepreneurs, activists, artists. Feature them on your blog or social channels, and invite them to participate in webinars or info sessions.

On your website, dedicate a section to “Success After Graduation,” including employer logos, testimonials, or infographics. And use social media to celebrate alumni news. These stories build credibility, trust, and vision, which help future students imagine their path through your school.

Turning Strategy into Enrollment Success

In today’s dynamic and competitive education landscape, schools can no longer rely on traditional tactics or word-of-mouth alone. To thrive, they need a strategic, student-centric marketing approach that speaks to modern families across digital platforms. The ten strategies outlined in this article, from optimizing your website and leveraging social media to showcasing alumni outcomes, offer a blueprint for schools to increase visibility, build trust, and convert interest into enrollment.

Whether you’re a K–12 academy, career college, language school, or university, the key is to meet prospective students where they are, communicate your unique value clearly, and guide them confidently through their decision-making journey. When implemented with authenticity and consistency, these strategies not only help fill seats, they strengthen your school’s brand and foster lasting relationships with students and families. In short, great marketing helps the right students find their right-fit school.

Struggling with enrollment and retention?

Our innovative marketing strategies can help you generate more leads.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: How do you create a marketing strategy for a school?

Answer: A strong school marketing strategy starts by defining your goals and audience, then clarifying your unique value proposition. Choose the right channels: website, SEO, social media, email, events, etc., all while keeping messaging consistent. Implement your plan, track performance with analytics, and adjust as needed to improve enrollment results.

Question: What is the best marketing for independent schools?

Answer: Independent schools succeed with targeted, budget-friendly inbound marketing. The best approach is a strong online presence: a content-rich, search-optimized website, active social media that highlights student life, and helpful emails or blogs that build trust. These tactics attract the right families and strengthen community engagement.
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December 10, 2025
Why ideas of graduate success need to catch up with portfolio careers

For many graduates in the creative industries, the question “what do you do?” has never had a simple answer.

A graduate might be holding down part-time work in a gallery, freelancing in digital design, tutoring on the side, stage managing in the summer, and selling their own work online. It’s a patchwork, a blend, a portfolio.

And yet when we measure their success through Graduate Outcomes, the official data collection exercise on graduate employment, they’re told to tick a single box. The reality of hybridity is flattened into the illusion of underemployment.

This is not a trivial issue. Policymakers rely on Graduate Outcomes (and reports based on the collection, like this year’s What do graduates do? out today) to make judgements about which subjects, courses and institutions are “succeeding” in employability terms. Yet in the creative arts, where portfolio working is both the norm and, in many ways, a strength, these categories misrepresent lived reality. The result is a story told back to government, employers and students in which creative graduates appear more precarious, less stable, and less successful than they often are.

Portfolio careers are current and they’re the future

The creative economy has been pointing towards this future for years. In What Do Graduates Do? , the creative arts overview that Elli Whitefoot and I authored, we found repeated evidence of graduates combining multiple sources of income, employment, freelancing, self-employment, often in ways that nurtured both security and creativity. The forthcoming 2025 overview by Burtin and Halfin reinforces the same point: hybridity is a structural feature, not a marginal quirk.

This hybridity is not inherently negative. Portfolio work can provide resilience, satisfaction and autonomy. As Sharland and Slesser argued in 2024, the future workforce needs creative thinkers who can move across boundaries. Portfolio careers develop precisely those capabilities. At the Advance HE Symposium earlier this year, I led a workshop on future-proofing creative graduates through AI, entrepreneurship and digital skills, all of which thrive in a portfolio setting.

Policy writers and senior leaders need to wake up quickly to realise that creative graduates are early adopters of what more of the labour market is beginning to look like. Academic staff, for example, increasingly combine research grants, teaching roles, consultancy and side projects. Tech and green industries are also normalising project-based work, short-term contracts and hybrid roles. In other words, the creative industries are not an outlier; they are a preview.

Why measurement matters

If the data system is misaligned with reality, the consequences are serious. Universities risk being penalised in performance frameworks like TEF or in media rankings if their graduates’ outcomes are deemed “poor.” Students risk being discouraged from pursuing creative courses because outcomes data suggests they are less employable. Policymakers risk designing interventions based on a caricature rather than the real graduate experience.

As Conroy and Firth highlight, employability education must learn from the present, and the present is messy, hybrid, and global. Yet our data systems remain stuck in a single-job paradigm.

The wider sector context is equally pressing. Graduate vacancies have collapsed from around 180,000 in 2023 to just 55,000 this year, according to Reed. Almost seven in ten undergraduates are now working during term-time just to keep going according to the latest student academic experience survey. And international graduates face higher unemployment rates, around 11 per cent, compared with 3 per cent for UK PGT graduates. The labour market picture is not just challenging, it is distorted when portfolio working is coded as failure.

Without intervention, this issue will persist. Not because creative graduates are difficult to track, but because our measurement tools are still based on outdated assumptions. It is therefore encouraging that HESA is taking steps to improve the Graduate Outcomes survey questionnaire through its cognitive testing exercise. I am currently working with HESA and Jisc to explore how we can better capture hybrid and portfolio careers. These efforts will help bridge the gap in understanding, but far more nuanced data is needed if we are to fully represent the complex and evolving realities of creative graduates.

So what should change?

Data collection needs to become more granular, capturing the combination of employment, self-employment, freelancing and further study rather than forcing graduates into a false hierarchy. Recognising hybridity would make Graduate Outcomes a more accurate reflection of real graduate lives.

One complicating factor is that students who do not complete a creative programme, for example, those who transfer courses or graduate from non-creative disciplines but sustain a creative portfolio, are even less likely to record or recognise that work within Graduate Outcomes. Because it isn’t linked to their area of study, they rarely see it as a legitimate graduate destination, and valuable evidence of creative contribution goes uncounted.

We also need to value more than salary. The “graduate premium” may be shrinking in monetary terms, but its non-monetary returns, civic participation, wellbeing, and resilience, are expanding. Research from Firth and Gratrick in BERA Bites identifies clear gaps in how universities support learners to develop and articulate these broader forms of employability.

Evidence must also become richer and longer-term. The work of Prospects Luminate, AGCAS CITG and the Policy and Evidence Centre on skills mismatches shows that snapshot surveys are no longer sufficient. Graduates’ careers unfold over years, not months, and portfolio working often evolves into sustainable, fulfilling trajectories.

Beyond the UK there are instructive examples of how others have rethought the link between learning and employability. None offers a perfect model for capturing the complexity of graduate working lives, but together they point the way. The Netherlands Validation of Prior Learning system recognises skills gained from outside formal education, Canada’s ELMLP platform connects education and earnings data to map real career pathways, and Denmarks register-based labour statistics explicitly track people holding more than one job. If the UK continues to rely on outdated, single-job measures, it risks being left behind.

Beyond the creative industries

This is not an argument limited to art schools or design faculties. The wider labour market is moving in the same direction. Skills-based hiring is on the rise, with employers in AI and green sectors already downplaying traditional degree requirements in favour of demonstrable competencies. Academic precarity is, in effect, a form of portfolio career. The idea of a single linear graduate role is increasingly a historical fiction.

In this context, the creative industries offer higher education a lesson. They have been navigating portfolio realities for decades. Rather than treating this as a problem to be solved, policymakers could treat it as a model to be understood.

The full beauty of graduate success

When we collapse a graduate’s career into a single tick-box, we erase the full beauty of what they are building. We turn resilience into precarity, adaptability into instability, creativity into failure.

If higher education is serious about employability, we need to update our measures to reflect reality. That means capturing hybridity, valuing breadth as well as salary, and designing policy that starts with the lived experiences of graduates rather than the convenience of categories.

Portfolio careers are not the exception. They are the shape of things to come. And higher education, if it is to remain relevant, must learn how to see them clearly.

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November 25, 2025
3 State Policy Ideas to Accelerate Success in Transfer
The Beyond Transfer Policy Advisory Board is thinking creatively about financial and reputational incentives to improve transfer and learning mobility. In this article, two of the PAB’s members—Sharon Morrissey and Ron Anderson—who are both seasoned, system-level leaders, share their reflections on what is needed next to accelerate success in transfer and learning mobility.

In April 2025, the Beyond Transfer Policy Advisory Board and Inside Higher Ed collaborated on a webcast entitled “Short-Term Reward, Long-Term Harm: How Current Transfer Practices Hurt Learners and Institutions.” This event drew nearly 400 live attendees across 46 states, including a mix of administrative, faculty and student service leaders from institutions of all kinds.

During the webcast, participants were polled on the following question: “To what extent do you agree that new financial incentives or budgeting models could help institutions to prioritize improving transfer student outcomes?” The audience’s response was positive, with 85 percent agreeing at least somewhat. However, we see some divisions within the data, with 32 percent saying they “strongly agree” and 53 percent saying they “somewhat agree.”

While that data might feel a bit hard to make sense of, it rings true to us. Between us we bring over seven decades of experience as faculty, institutional administrators and system office leaders across three states, Minnesota, North Carolina and Virginia. That experience has taught us that improving credit transfer and expanding learning mobility are some of the most complex challenges facing higher education.

Why is this? For one, improving recognition of learning and credit transfer requires higher education institutions to contend with a wide range of prior learning experiences, including traditional college coursework, high school dual-enrollment courses, career and technical education, work-based learning, military service, industry certification, and more. This implies the participation of numerous learning providers, such as institutions of higher education, high schools, employers and the military. And it involves multiple decision-makers, such as students who choose transfer pathways, faculty who determine what learning to recognize and how to apply that learning to program requirements, enrollment managers who wish to recruit transfer students, registrars who process transcripts, deans and provosts who oversee academic standards, and presidents who are held accountable by policymakers for serving transfer students. In short, there is complexity at every step of the process.

That complexity points to the fact that—as the mixed results of that poll show—if we are going to make true progress on transfer and learning mobility, we must find solutions that appeal to the priorities of multiple decision-makers. As we think about incentives, for example, the incentives that would influence the behavior of a faculty member are not the same as the incentives that would influence the behavior of an administrator. Those responsible for revenue may be more swayed by a policy that would augment an institution’s state appropriation for increased enrollment and graduation of transfer students, while those responsible for curriculum may be more inclined to accept and apply transfer credit to a degree program based on their assessment of how the prior learning aligns to the learning outcomes of their own local courses.

Another key theme of the webcast—and, let’s be honest, nearly every discussion held these days about transfer—was that we must zero in on the credential applicability of prior learning. Past reform efforts have advanced incredible work such as understanding the student experience, increasing transfer student belonging, strengthening advising and creating infrastructure for efforts such as credit for prior learning. All that work is critical and must continue. But we must also double down on how to advance credential applicability of courses and other forms of prior learning. We are not helping transfer students meet their educational goals if we fail to apply their prior learning to program requirements.

Finally, a third theme elevated in the webcast was about shifting culture and mindsets. Achieving increased credential applicability will require a shift away from the current culture that interrogates every aspect of a course or other prior learning experience to find a course-to-course equivalency. Does anyone really believe that a student cannot be successful in a subsequent course, or in the workforce, if they happen to read a different textbook? As the Council of Regional Accrediting Commissions recently elevated, the practice of interrogating the minutiae of courses and other learning experiences should, instead, focus at a higher level, on questions such as:
- Does the sum of a student’s learning provide an appropriate foundation to set them up for continued academic success?
- Can a student be successful in subsequent learning experiences, with appropriate just-in-time support? How can the institution provide that support?
- What data do we have that a student will not be successful in a subsequent course?
Based on our experience working with institutions and systems, we share here three state policy ideas that attend to these themes by 1) appealing to the priorities of multiple decision-makers, in this case both faculty and administrators; 2) zeroing in on credential applicability of prior learning; and 3) nudging broader cultural and mindset shifts.

The first idea is for policymakers to explicitly include credit transfer and applicability within the design of state funding models by pinning rewards to credential applicability of groups of many courses. Right now, some—but not all—states have funding formulas that focus attention on transfer students’ outcomes. Those that do often include metrics such as the rate of students who transfer and bachelor’s degree completion for those who enter as a transfer student.

On their own, these goalposts are too broad and have not yet produced the level of change needed. How can states improve this approach? We think one approach might be for states to collaborate with institutions to build various program-aligned credit thresholds and then reward institutions for applying that credit to degree requirements, such as:
- Awarding and applying 15 program-aligned credits: The equivalent of what many refer to as a meta-major, designed to introduce students to a broad program area (e.g., allied health).
- Awarding and applying 30 program-aligned credits: The equivalent of roughly the first year of college, often represented by a general education transfer core that is customized to include program-aligned courses.
- Awarding and applying 60 program-aligned credits: The equivalent of a typical associate degree—but again, this must be a program-aligned associate degree.
The goal here is for receiving institutions to not pull these credit blocks apart and pick and choose which credits apply. If students have met a threshold and their preparation is program-aligned, they should be advanced toward program completion for all of those credits. The groups of courses students have completed add to more than the sum of their parts. Students are journeying through a learning experience, with a variety of learning outcomes, that when looked at holistically are offering strong preparation for not just subsequent courses, but life and work. The mindset shift here is: Students do not need to have met every single learning outcome addressed in the receiving institution courses to be successful. They need to be prepared enough to be successful in subsequent courses, learning experiences and the workforce.

Second, we encourage state policymakers to couple this policy change with demonstration projects that engage faculty in pedagogy, curriculum design and research. As receiving institutions accept and apply these groups of courses, what just-in-time supports should receiving institutions offer to students to ensure their success after transfer? How are students performing on a number of measures: in subsequent courses, for graduation and in the workforce? Which curricular design assumptions no longer hold? Where might classroom approaches be strengthened and evolved to reflect shifting needs of learners?

Finally, all the findings of this work should be elevated through state recognition awards (ideally coupled with some funding) that promote the visibility and reputation of colleges and universities that are embracing all high-quality learning and moving learners toward credential completion.

Through the Beyond Transfer Policy Advisory Board, we’ll continue to push against the status quo to imagine new possibilities for institutions and learners. Connect with us on Instagram (@beyondtransfer) to stay informed on the board’s latest policy insights and ideas, and visit our website to access prior research reports related to transfer, institutional finance and financial aid, including:
- Beyond Transfer Policy Advisory Board. (2023). Affordability Disconnects: Understanding Student Affordability in the Transfer and Credit Mobility Era. See paper with visuals and blog.
- Beyond Transfer Policy Advisory Board. (2023). Unpacking Financial Disincentives: Why and How they Stymie Degree-Applicable Credit Mobility and Equitable Transfer Outcomes. See paper with visuals and blog.
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November 13, 2025
10 Proven School Marketing Ideas to Boost Enrolment in 2025
Reading Time: 16 minutes

Competition for students has never been tougher. With rising parent expectations and limited budgets, school marketing ideas need to do more than get attention. They have to inspire trust and drive enrolment.

At its core, school marketing includes every effort your institution makes to strengthen brand visibility and attract families. Today’s parents research online, compare schools carefully, and look for authenticity at every touchpoint.

That’s why the most successful private schools are shifting toward creative, data-driven marketing strategies that meet families where they are. The goal isn’t just to promote your programs; it’s to tell your story in a way that highlights your school’s true value, whether that’s academic excellence, a close-knit community, or innovative extracurriculars.

So how can your school stand out? Through inbound marketing, strategies that pull families in rather than push messages out. Inbound marketing builds trust by being genuinely helpful: answering parents’ questions, showcasing real student stories, and creating an online experience that feels personal and sincere.

Even with modest resources, schools that use inbound methods see stronger engagement and higher enrolment.

In this guide, we’ll break down 10 proven school marketing ideas to help boost private school enrolment, from optimizing your website and social channels to using testimonials, events, and storytelling that connect on an emotional level.

Struggling with enrollment?

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1. Create a High-Quality, SEO-Optimized Website

Your school’s website is your digital front door, the first real impression most families will have of your community. It’s where curiosity turns into consideration, so design and usability matter. A great school website should feel both professional and personal: clean visuals, simple navigation, and all the essentials easy to find, such as tuition, programs, admissions steps, and contact details.

But here’s where many schools fall short: visibility. Even the most beautiful site won’t help if parents can’t find it on Google. That’s where search engine optimization (SEO) comes in. Most families begin their search online, typing things like “best private schools near me” or “bilingual schools in Toronto.” To show up for those queries, your site needs relevant keywords, descriptive titles and meta tags, and fast load times.

Localization also helps. If your school attracts families across regions, tailor content by geography. And don’t stop at information. Your website should engage visitors visually and emotionally. Use dynamic photos and videos of real students, candid campus moments, and parent or alumni testimonials to bring your story to life. Clear calls to action: Book a Tour, Request Info, Apply Now, guide families naturally toward the next step.

Example: Connections Academy (K–12 Online Public Schools): This online school network uses a geo-targeted approach on its site to connect families with their nearest program. A “Find Your School” tool routes visitors to state-specific pages based on ZIP code, ensuring that parents quickly find relevant information like curricula and enrolment steps for their locality. By organizing content by region and using local keywords (e.g., Georgia Connections Academy), the school boosts its presence in local search results.

Source: Connections Academy

Finally, make sure it’s mobile-first. Parents are browsing between meetings or from the car. A responsive, regularly updated website signals not only professionalism but also vitality, proof that your school is active, thriving, and ready to welcome new families.

2. Develop Valuable Blog Content and Resources

If your website is the front door, your blog is the conversation that happens once families walk in. It’s your chance to build trust, show expertise, and let your school’s personality shine.

Content marketing works because it educates while it engages. Blog posts, news stories, or downloadable guides can position your school as a thought leader on topics parents actually care about. From how to choose the right private school to how your teachers nurture student confidence. Every post is also an SEO opportunity: each new article gives Google another reason to show your site to searching parents.

Example: Great Lakes College of Toronto (Private High School, ON): GLCT’s blog targets the needs of international students and parents. The school regularly publishes practical articles, from “5 Essential Tips for ESL Students to Succeed in a Canadian Private School” to guides on university admissions. Each post provides valuable advice (e.g., study strategies, application how-tos) while naturally highlighting GLCT’s supportive programs. By answering real questions (like how to improve English or navigate applications) in its content, GLCT attracts the right audience via SEO and builds trust.

Source: GLCT

Here’s the key: write content that answers parents’ real questions and reflects your school’s strengths. End each post with a next step: Book a Tour, Download Our Admissions Guide, or Join Our Mailing List.

The result? A blog that informs while also converting curiosity into connection.

3. Leverage Social Media to Build Community

In 2025, a strong social media presence is essential. Parents (especially millennials) and students spend hours every day scrolling through platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. The majority of students say they use social media when researching schools. For K–12 families, these platforms are often their first window into your community, and leveraging them effectively is one of the most effective school marketing ideas.

Here’s the thing: social media is where your school’s story comes alive. Share moments that reflect your culture: a championship win, a robotics project, a candid classroom laugh. Posts with real photos and videos consistently outperform text-only updates, and they help families visualize what life at your school feels like.

Example: Temple University (Higher Ed, PA): Temple’s social media team has achieved award-winning success by sharing vibrant, authentic content that resonates with students and parents alike. One viral example was a TikTok video of a service dog at graduation, which garnered 3.2 million views and helped Temple achieve a top TikTok engagement rank. More importantly, Temple treats social media as a storytelling and outreach platform: posts across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube showcase campus life and student achievements in ways that help prospective students “see themselves” at Temple.

Source: TikTok

Consistency and tone matter just as much as creativity. Keep your voice genuine and community-driven, never overly promotional. Use a content calendar to maintain regular posting and highlight diverse voices from your community. Finally, don’t overlook targeted ads. Platforms like Meta and TikTok let you reach local parents by age, location, or interests, which makes them perfect for promoting open houses or admissions deadlines.

But above all, remember this: social media isn’t just about reach, it’s about connection. When families see a living, breathing community on your feeds, they’re provided the opportunity to imagine being part of it.

4. Implement Email Marketing & Lead Nurturing Campaigns

How do you market a private school? By combining digital strategies like SEO, email nurturing, and social media with in-person tactics like open houses and community events. Tailor messaging to families’ needs, use authentic storytelling, and provide clear calls-to-action to drive inquiries and enrolment.

When a prospective family fills out an inquiry form, downloads a guide, or subscribes to your newsletter, they’ve taken the first step, but they’re not ready to apply yet. That’s where email marketing and lead nurturing come in.

Most families need five or more touchpoints before they decide to apply or enrol. The key is staying in touch consistently, offering value each time, not just reminders to “apply now.”

Start by segmenting your email list. Group families by grade level, interests, or where they are in the admissions process, from first inquiry to scheduled tour. This allows you to send messages that actually matter. A parent curious about scholarships will appreciate updates about financial aid or payment plans. Another, interested in athletics, will engage more with stories about your latest championship or coaching philosophy. Modern CRM tools make this kind of personalization simple.

Effective lead nurturing happens through a drip campaign, a planned series of emails spaced over several weeks. The sequence might look like this:
1. A thank-you email and link to your virtual tour.
2. A week later, a student or parent testimonial.
3. Then, an update about upcoming events or key deadlines.
Track metrics like open and click-through rates to see what resonates. If engagement dips, tweak your subject lines or timing.

Example: Peddie School (Boarding High School, NJ): Peddie personalizes its follow-up emails based on each family’s interests. When inquiries come in, the admissions CRM captures details like academic or athletic interests. The school then connects prospects with relevant community members (coaches, teachers) and sends tailored content. For instance, a family noting interest in basketball might receive an email invite to a game and a note about Peddie’s sports facilities. This segmented approach (made clear on Peddie’s inquiry form, which promises to “connect you with coaches and teachers who match your interests”) makes families feel understood and keeps them engaged. A series of drip emails: thank-yous, student stories, deadline reminders, then nurtures each lead from initial inquiry to campus visit to application.

Source: Peddie School

Finally, make your emails two-way. Encourage replies, invite questions, and link to live chats or calls. When families feel heard and guided rather than “marketed to,” they’re far more likely to see your school as their future community.

5. Use Video Marketing to Showcase Your School’s Culture

If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video can tell the whole story. Video marketing gives prospective families an inside look at your school, its energy, community, and heart, in a way that text simply can’t. A great video captures what it feels like to be on campus, walking through halls, meeting teachers, or cheering at a game. It builds an emotional bridge between your school and the viewer, and harnessing it properly is another of the more impressive marketing ideas for schools.

Video doesn’t have to be flashy to work. Start small. Create short, story-driven clips: student testimonials, “day in the life” vlogs, quick faculty interviews, or highlight reels from school events. Keep them engaging and under three minutes when possible. Post across platforms: your website, YouTube, Instagram, even TikTok. Videos with strong storytelling and emotional authenticity consistently build trust and drive inquiries.

Example: Westminster Christian Academy (Day School, MO): Westminster created a cinematic short film called “The Wonders of Westminster” to encapsulate its school spirit. Premiered at an open house event to 550+ attendees, this nine-minute video weaves together stunning visuals of campus life with heartfelt student and teacher narratives. Beyond this feature film, Westminster produces numerous short clips: alumni testimonials, “day in the life” vlogs, and event highlight reels, all shared on YouTube and social media. These videos let viewers virtually walk the halls and imagine themselves as part of the community.

Source: YouTube

Authenticity is what matters. Even a smartphone-shot interview can outperform a high-budget ad if it’s real, relatable, and human. Use live streams, student-led content, and candid storytelling to show your school’s true culture, and let families see themselves as part of it.

6. Optimize Your Local Presence (Google Profile & Reviews)

When parents search “private schools near me,” your school should be one of the first names they see, complete with photos, reviews, and all the right details. That’s where your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) comes in. Think of it as your school’s digital front door.

Here’s what to do: claim your profile, verify it, and fill out every field: address, phone number, website, hours, and category. Upload high-quality photos of your campus, classrooms, and events. An optimized Google profile gives prospects “an easily digestible snapshot of your institution and makes it much easier for your target audience to find you” online. Schools that post regularly and add fresh visuals tend to appear more prominently in local search results and get more clicks.

Next, turn your attention to reviews. Parents trust other parents. Encourage satisfied families to share their experiences on Google, and respond to every review (good or bad) with professionalism and gratitude. It shows transparency and genuine care.

Example: Great Lakes College of Toronto (ON): GLCT leverages its happy families to boost local and global reputation. On its site, GLCT prominently links to external review platforms and showcases testimonials from international graduates. In fact, GLCT encourages parents to share their experiences on Google and Facebook, knowing that “parents trust other parents.” The school provides step-by-step instructions (via a dedicated page) on writing a Google review for GLCT, making it easy for busy parents to post feedback. By managing its online presence through accurate info on Google, active responses to every review, and abundant testimonials, GLCT ensures that when families search “best international high school Toronto,” they not only find GLCT but also see proof of its quality through peer reviews.

Source: GLCT

In short, managing your local presence is one of the simplest, most powerful enrolment tools you have. When families see accurate information, warm reviews, and vibrant imagery, your school instantly feels credible and worth exploring.

7. Host Open Houses and Community Events (Virtual & In-Person)

There’s nothing quite like seeing a school in action. Open houses, school tours, and community events let families feel what your school is really about. The energy in classrooms, the warmth of the community, the values that guide every interaction. That experience often does more to drive enrolment than any ad campaign ever could.

Today, the most effective schools blend in-person and virtual options. A well-run virtual open house allows busy or distant parents to attend from anywhere, while in-person events create the emotional connection that seals decisions. The key is to make every visit interactive, structured, and personal.

Start with a short welcome presentation from your head of school, followed by Q&A panels with teachers and students. Offer guided tours — physical or via livestream — and create themed “stations” where families can explore specific programs like arts, athletics, or STEM. Virtual attendees? Use breakout rooms or session links so they can choose what interests them most.

Example: Queen Anne’s School (Boarding, UK): Queen Anne’s offers a wide range of visit opportunities to fit every family’s needs. They host large Open Morning events each term (e.g., a Friday or Saturday with campus tours, student panels, and the Head’s welcome) and personal “bespoke” tours by appointment. For students, Queen Anne’s runs Taster Days: full school days where prospective girls join real classes, meet future classmates, and even try boarding for a night. This flexibility ensures that whether a family is local or overseas, busy weekdays or only free on weekends, they can experience the school. The Queen Anne’s website makes it easy to book tours or taster days online, and even features a 360° Virtual Tour so families can explore facilities remotely.

Source: Queen Anne’s School

Finally, don’t limit yourself to admissions events. Sponsor local fairs, host workshops, or open performances to the community. Every event is a brand moment. Capture contact info, follow up with thank-you messages and next steps, and keep the conversation going.

When families walk away feeling welcomed and informed, they’re already picturing themselves and their children as part of your school’s story.

8. Invest in Targeted Online Advertising (Including Retargeting)

Organic marketing builds awareness over time, but sometimes you need an extra push to reach the right families fast. That’s where targeted digital advertising comes in. Platforms like Google Ads, Facebook, and Instagram let you put your school in front of parents who are actively researching options, not just scrolling aimlessly.

Think of it this way: when someone searches “private schools in [Your City]” or browses parenting and education pages on Facebook, you can show them a perfectly timed ad for your next open house. These platforms let you narrow by location, age of children, and interests, ensuring your message hits families most likely to engage. Even a few hundred dollars can make a measurable impact when ads are well-targeted and optimized.

How much should a school spend on marketing? Most schools allocate 1–10% of their overall budget to marketing, depending on goals and enrolment needs. Competitive schools aiming to grow or reach new markets may invest more, especially in digital advertising, content, and lead-nurturing systems.

Make every ad count. Use inviting visuals, happy students, engaging classrooms, welcoming teachers, paired with clear headlines (“Discover [School Name]”) and direct CTAs (“Schedule a Tour,” “Join Our Open House”). Test two or three variations at once to see which version gets more clicks, then double down on the winner.

Example: Stenberg College (Private College): Stenberg partnered with HEM to elevate its Google Ads campaigns for student enrolment, ensuring the ads attracted more and higher-quality student leads. With HEM’s support in restructuring and managing these paid search campaigns, Stenberg’s marketing saw “record-breaking enrolments and lead flow” beyond previous levels. The refined advertising strategy also achieved a 28% reduction in cost per lead, demonstrating the efficiency of targeted online ads.

Source: Higher Education Marketing

Beyond new audiences, retargeting helps you reconnect with families who already visited your site or clicked on an earlier ad but didn’t inquire. Maybe they browsed your tuition page or watched your virtual tour. A gentle reminder later that week (“Still exploring schools? Visit us this fall!”) can bring them back.

Pro tip: segment retargeting by behavior. Parents who downloaded your admissions guide might see an ad about financial aid, while those who viewed athletics pages could get one about campus life. The more relevant your messaging, the better your conversion rates.

According to Google, every $1 spent on search advertising can generate up to $8 in value. For schools, that often means more inquiries, more tours, and more applications, without overspending. In short: targeted ads aren’t about throwing money at the problem; they’re about placing your story in front of the right families, right when they’re ready to listen.

9. Create Downloadable Guides and Lead Magnets

Want a steady stream of new inquiries from your website? Offer something valuable first. Downloadable resources like e-books, checklists, or planning guides give parents useful information and give your admissions team qualified leads to nurture.

Here’s how it works: you create a helpful resource (“5 Things to Consider When Choosing a Private School,” for example), place it behind a short form asking for a name and email, and voilà, you’ve started a conversation. It’s a win-win: parents get expert advice, and you get insight into who’s exploring your school.

Example: Fairfield Prep (High School, CT): Fairfield Prep entices prospective families with a free e-book called the “High School Decision Guide.” On its admissions page, a prompt acknowledges that “choosing a high school is a life-changing decision” and invites visitors to download the guide to help them weigh their options. To get the guide, parents simply fill out a short form (name, email, child’s grade), providing Prep with a valuable lead. The guide itself, “5 Things to Consider When Choosing a High School,” offers general tips on factors like academics, community, and fit – not a pure advertisement, but a genuinely useful resource for any 8th-grade parent.

Source: Fairfield Prep

The best lead magnets solve real questions: a “School Visit Checklist,” a “Private vs. Public Comparison Chart,” or a “Financial Aid Planning Worksheet.” Even quizzes like “What’s Your Child’s Learning Style?” can engage parents while introducing your school’s philosophy.

Design matters too. Make your guide visually appealing, branded, and easy to read. Include a final call-to-action inviting families to take the next step, like booking a tour or contacting admissions.

Finally, promote your downloads across your website, blog posts, and pop-ups. Each new subscriber is a potential applicant, and your content positions your school as the trusted expert helping them get there.

10. Encourage Reviews, Testimonials, and Word-of-Mouth

At the end of the day, no marketing tool is more powerful than a happy parent or student sharing their story. Families trust real voices over polished ads. It’s why word-of-mouth remains one of the strongest enrolment drivers for private schools.

Start by collecting testimonials from your most satisfied families, students, and alumni. These can take many forms: written quotes, short videos, or casual social posts. Display them prominently. Sprinkle parent quotes across your website, include testimonial snippets in your newsletters, or dedicate a full webpage or YouTube playlist to success stories. The goal is to help prospects think, “That could be us.”

Example: Tessa International School (Preschool & Elementary, NJ): Tessa turns its parent community into its best ambassadors. The school’s website features a dedicated Testimonials page with dozens of short parent videos and quotes. Each testimonial is labeled with the family’s name and program (e.g., “Etienne’s Dad – Elementary”, “Zoe & Sophia’s Mom – Preschool & Elementary”), adding a warm personal touch. Tessa promotes these stories on social media as well, regularly sharing “Thank you” posts to parents who give shout-outs on Facebook. Additionally, the school links to external reviews on Niche.com and invites new parents to talk to veteran parents. This open celebration of parent voice not only builds trust with prospects (they see real satisfaction) but also fuels a virtuous cycle: Tessa’s parents feel valued and are even more likely to spread the word.

Source: Tessa

Encourage satisfied families to leave Google and Facebook reviews after positive milestones such as a great report card or a successful event. Monitor those reviews and respond thoughtfully. An active, appreciative reply tells others that your school listens and cares.

Don’t stop there. Turn your current community into ambassadors. Offer small referral incentives or create shareable moments, photo days, spirit challenges, and alumni shoutouts that naturally spark pride and conversation.

The result? A thriving network of advocates. When people talk about your school with genuine enthusiasm, it builds credibility and attracts families who already believe in what you stand for.

Partner with HEM to Build Momentum That Lasts

Attracting new families is about consistency, connection, and authenticity. Every piece of your marketing matters: a clear website that tells your story, social media posts that capture daily life, thoughtful emails that guide parents, and real voices from your community that build trust. When all of these elements work together, they create something powerful: a lasting impression.

Schools that commit to steady, strategic communication see results that compound over time. Keep testing, refining, and listening to what families respond to. When your marketing reflects the real experience, your students and parents love, it shows, and it resonates.

If you’re ready to take your private school marketing to the next level, Higher Education Marketing (HEM) can help. We specialize in crafting digital strategies that combine creativity, data, and storytelling to boost visibility, engagement, and enrolment.

From SEO and content creation to paid ads and automation, we’ll help you connect with families who are searching for exactly what your school offers. Because when your marketing feels genuine, families don’t just notice, they believe. And that’s what turns interest into enrolment.

Struggling with enrollment?

Our expert digital marketing services can help you attract and enroll more students!

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: What is school marketing?

Answer: At its core, school marketing includes every effort your institution makes to strengthen brand visibility and attract families. It involves branding, outreach, and communications across channels like websites, ads, email, social media, and events to connect with prospective families.

Question: How do you market a private school?

Answer: By combining digital strategies like SEO, email nurturing, and social media with in-person tactics like open houses and community events. Tailor messaging to families’ needs, use authentic storytelling, and provide clear calls-to-action to drive inquiries and enrolment.

Question: How much should a school spend on marketing?

Answer: Most schools allocate 1–10% of their overall budget to marketing, depending on goals and enrolment needs. Competitive schools aiming to grow or reach new markets may invest more, especially in digital advertising, content, and lead-nurturing systems.
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October 29, 2025
Five myths: Higher education at this weekend’s Battle of Ideas
- HEPI Director, Nick Hillman OBE, spent some of his weekend listening to, and participating in, discussions about higher education at the Battle of Ideas at Church House in Westminster.
- Here are his remarks from a debate on whether we are now in ‘The Era of the Downwardly Mobile Graduate’.
Thanks for inviting me to speak. I agreed to do so for two reasons. First, the Battle of Ideas is a wonderful grassroots event. Secondly, Claire Fox invited me to speak immediately after the murder of Charlie Kirk. My daughter is keen on telling me where Charlie Kirk was misguided but, whether she is right or wrong, universities should be places where free and fervent debate thrives; not places where discussion gets closed down with a bullet. That should not need saying but, sadly, of course it does.

Last night, I went to a gig in Oxford by the fabulous band EMF – I first saw them as a fresher 35 years ago and, yes, they are still going. As you doubtless know, their most famous song is ‘Unbelievable’. And most of what we have heard, and are going to hear, is exactly that: unbelievable. Not in the ‘incroyable’ sense of the word, but in the sense that the claims are simply not true.

Let me explain in my few minutes why pretty much every point in the advertising blurb for this event is a myth.

Myth 1

We are told there are millions upon millions of people in ‘non-graduate roles’. But this relies on weird and poorly understood definitions of what graduate jobs are. Official definitions obviously rely on jobs being categorised into graduate and non-graduate.

My favourite critique of what this means comes from an – admittedly – old article by Peter Brant (on Wonkhe), which looked at the official classification from a few years ago, writing:

A civil servant who was promoted from an Executive Officer to a Higher Executive Officer would be moving from a graduate job to a non-graduate job. Managing an off-licence is a graduate job, managing a pub or a wine bar is a non-graduate job. A singer is a graduate role, a dancer is a non-graduate role. A clown is a graduate job, the manager of a circus is a non-graduate job. And – my personal favourite – a rag-and-bone man is a graduate job, an antiques dealer is a non-graduate job. The list goes on and on.

Myth 2

Myth number 2 is the idea that graduates ‘face grim prospects’. The OECD’s new Education at a Glance, which is an annual compendium of global education facts, shows this to be untrue.

Unemployment is much lower among UK graduates than among non-graduates – irrespective of subject area studied. Indeed, unemployment is much lower among UK graduates than graduates in other developed countries too.

OECD data, Education at a Glance https://www.hepi.ac.uk/events/launch-of-oecds-flagship-report-education-at-a-glance-2025-hosted-by-hepi-on-tuesday-9-september-2025/

There isn’t time to go into the huge other benefits of higher education but they include better physical and better mental health.

The OECD also show the UK does have a problem of low incomes. But this is not among graduates, where our outcomes are positive and comparable with those in other countries. We are literally at the bottom of the OECD league when it comes to earnings for people who have left school with low or no qualifications. They are the people being most let down.

Myth 3

The third myth in the blurb for today is that AI will remove the need for employers to recruit people with higher level skills. This is just a revamped version of John Maynard Keynes’s nonsense prediction that people at the end of this current decade would in future work for just 15-hours a week.

We published a collection of essays on AI last week. Perhaps the most thought-provoking one was by Professor Rose Luckin of the UCL Knowledge Lab. She argues persuasively that:

The AI revolution represents a pivotal moment where humans need to become more intelligent, not less, as we develop increasingly sophisticated tools.

Do come to our webinar on the back of the report early next month.

Myth 4

The fourth myth is that there are multiple really good alternative options to higher education. Ministers of different stripes have been telling us for years that there is about to be a huge expansion of apprenticeships for young people. Meanwhile, your children and mine are being pumped full of information about why they should do an apprenticeship rather than traditional higher education.

Yet the number of degree apprenticeships for school leaver is tiny, the number of apprenticeships has fallen since the Apprenticeship Levy was introduced and all those people who worry about university drop-outs should take a look at the high non-continuation rate for apprenticeships.

Apprenticeships don’t just happen because Keir Starmer or Kemi Badenoch say they should. Apprenticeships are jobs with training attached and the state of the labour market and the regulation of apprenticeships, not to mention the structure of the British economy, are not conducive to big increases in supply.

Myth 5

The final myth is the idea that there are tonnes of ‘disaffected university leavers’. Of course, higher education does not work out for all those who go all of the time. Indeed, we have shown in work with the University of Bristol that a high proportion of graduates would make a different choice, such as a different course and / or institution, if they were going back in time.

However, whether they chose exactly the right course or not, in our new work with King’s College Policy Institute, we show shows that a mere 8% of graduates regret their decision to enter higher education. Meanwhile other work shows younger graduates might have even lower regret rates than that.
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October 19, 2025
10 Creative Ideas to Stand Out

Reading Time: 13 minutes

Every year, prospective students and their families attend hundreds of open days at colleges and universities around the world. These events are more than just campus tours and presentations. They’re often the first real opportunity for students to picture themselves as part of your community. With so many options available, the challenge for institutions is clear: how do you create an open day that not only informs but also inspires?

While the essentials, like academic info sessions, tours, and welcome talks, set the foundation, the schools that stand out go further. They design experiences that feel memorable, personal, and true to their identity. With the right mix of creativity and strategy, your open day can shift from being just another stop on a student’s list to the moment they decide your institution is the right fit.

In this post, we’ll share 10 practical strategies to elevate your open days, whether you’re planning in-person events, virtual formats, or a blend of both. Drawing on real-world examples, including some from HEM’s own portfolio, we’ll explore how you can highlight what makes your institution unique, harness technology, and add thoughtful personal touches that resonate long after the event ends.

Struggling with enrollment?

Our expert digital marketing services can help you attract and enroll more students!

What Is an Open Day?

An open day is an event hosted by a college or university to give prospective students and their families the chance to experience the campus, meet faculty and staff, and learn more about academic programs and student life. Unlike brochures or websites, open days provide a first-hand look at the atmosphere of the institution. They typically include tours of facilities, information sessions, and opportunities to speak with current students and alumni. For many students, an open day is the key moment when they decide whether a school feels like the right fit for their academic and personal goals.

In the same vein, what are Application Days at universities? Application days are special events hosted by universities to help prospective students complete their applications on-site. These events often provide access to admissions staff who can guide applicants through the application process, answer questions about requirements, and sometimes even waive application fees.

In many cases, students may receive an admission decision more quickly if they apply during these events, making application days both supportive and efficient for applicants.

1. Showcase What Makes Your School Unique

Every institution has a defining strength, whether that’s a standout program, a strong industry network, or a vibrant campus culture. Open days work best when they put that strength front and center.

Build around your USP: If partnerships are key, invite industry reps to host networking booths or demos. If location is a highlight, include guided tours of nearby attractions. For research-driven schools, showcase labs or projects with real impact.

Spotlight distinctive opportunities: Feature sessions on co-op programs, study abroad, or unique facilities like observatories or art galleries.

Example: Royal Roads University: This university played to its innovative reputation with a campaign called “Future View.” Instead of relying on traditional brochures, Royal Roads launched live virtual tours of its campus and classes using GoPro cameras and Google Glass. In other words, prospects could experience campus through a student’s eyes in real time. As part of the campaign, Royal Roads representatives strapped on GoPros and Google Glass to stream lectures, walking tours, and Q&As, giving would-be students a first-hand look at life at RRU.

Source: Times Colonist

2. Offer Interactive and Hands-on Experiences

Static presentations rarely capture the imagination. What sticks are experiences where prospects get to take part, experiment, and play an active role. Today’s students, especially Gen Z, respond best when an open day feels like something they can do, not just watch.

Classroom-style engagement: Replace long lectures with sample classes, workshops, or lab experiments where visitors actively participate, such as robotics builds or art jam sessions.

Campus showcase zones: Let departments display projects in interactive formats, flight simulators, artifact handling, or student performances.

Clubs and student life: Involve student groups with mini debates, telescope viewings, or sustainability scavenger hunts.

Virtual attendees: Use polls, VR tours, or guided avatars to replicate hands-on engagement online.

Example: The College of ACES at NMSU turned its open house into a family-friendly interactive fair. Visitors of all ages could roam through live animal exhibits, tour science labs and museums, and try their hand at various learning games and demonstrations at each stop. From petting zoo stations with the university’s farm animals to interactive science experiments, the event engaged guests on multiple levels.

Source: New Mexico State University

3. Empower Your Student Ambassadors as Guides

Your current students are among the most persuasive voices you can showcase on open day. While visitors expect polished messaging from admissions staff, what they really value are honest, relatable insights from peers who have lived the experience. Student ambassadors should therefore be central to the day, whether in person or online, acting as welcoming guides, storytellers, and role models.

Train them with talking points, but give them freedom to share their journeys authentically, from why they chose your school to how they’ve navigated challenges. Their warmth and candor create a sense of trust that brochures and presentations can’t replicate.

Example: University of Central Lancashire (UK): At UCLan’s open days, current students act as official ambassadors, easily spotted in their special red UCLan hoodies. These student ambassadors are stationed at campus entrances to give a warm welcome and directions, they lead campus and accommodation tours, and they hang around after info sessions to chat. Most importantly, they share authentic insights about their courses and social life – the kind of candid student-to-student advice that visitors crave. Attendees are encouraged to approach them with any question, no matter how trivial, making the whole experience feel peer-guided and relatable.

Source: University of Central Lancashire

4. Involve Successful Alumni for Real-World Perspective

Current students show the “here and now” of campus life, but alumni networks embody the long-term value of your institution. Featuring graduates in your open day event gives prospects and their parents confidence that an education with you leads to meaningful outcomes.

Alumni panels, guest talks, or casual meet-and-greet stations can showcase diverse career paths, from industry and entrepreneurship to research and community impact. You might also pair alumni with specific program sessions. Imagine an engineering graduate now at a leading tech firm sharing how campus experiences prepared them for success. Even an “alumni corner” for informal chats helps visitors picture their own future through authentic stories.

Example: The University of Exeter organized a special alumni networking event in Ho Chi Minh City for offer-holders (admitted prospective students) and local alumni. This “Alumni and Offer-Holder” gathering (27 Feb 2023) featured an alumni panel sharing personal stories about studying at Exeter and their career achievements since graduation. Prospective students and their parents were invited to network informally with these alumni and university staff over a reception.

Source: University of Exeter

5. Focus On Parents’ Needs and Questions

Parents and guardians often play a decisive role in a student’s choice, so winning them over is just as important as impressing prospects. A strong open day provides dedicated spaces and sessions tailored to their concerns.

Consider running parent-specific info sessions while students explore elsewhere. These can cover housing, safety, tuition, financial aid, support services, and graduate outcomes, offering direct access to staff from each area. Comfortable lounges, refreshments, and a “Parent HQ” make them feel welcome and valued throughout the day. Printed or digital materials should also speak directly to their perspective, highlighting career outcomes, security measures, and student support systems.

Example: At Cardiff University’s open day, for instance, they held a dedicated session titled “A Parents’ Guide to Higher Education,” where staff walked parents through supporting their child in the application process and beyond. Parents were invited to put their questions to a panel of university experts in finance, student support, and accommodation – essentially a frank Q&A just for them. The topics ranged from tuition fees and scholarship opportunities to the quality of campus facilities. This gave parents a chance to voice any worries in a forum designed for them, separate from their teens.

Source: Cardiff University

6. Personalize the Open Day Experience for Visitors

Students don’t all want the same thing from university open days, so personalization can make your event feel far more engaging. Use registration data to create tailored itineraries that reflect interests like intended major, extracurriculars, or career goals. Even simple touches, such as personalized name badges with a program of interest, help staff and ambassadors connect conversations to what matters most for each visitor.

Flexibility is also key. Offer a “choose your own adventure” approach where attendees pick sessions that align with their priorities, whether that’s a lab tour, a faculty panel, or a sports center visit. Train ambassadors to personalize on the fly, asking about interests and adjusting tours or recommendations accordingly.

Example: University of Cincinnati (USA): UC has embraced personalization in a big way. Their Open House events are described as “build your own schedule” experiences where each family creates a custom itinerary for the day. Upon registering for UC’s “Bearcat Open House,” students are prompted to select which academic presentations, campus tours, and special topics interest them. On the day, there isn’t a rigid tour everybody follows; instead, visitors might have a list like: 10:00 AM College of Engineering tour; 11:15 Residence hall open rooms; 1:00 PM Financial Aid Q&A; 2:00 PM Meet the Gaming Club, etc., based on what they choose.

Source: University of Cincinnati

7. Embrace Virtual and Hybrid Open Days to Expand Your Reach

What is a virtual open day? A virtual open day is an online event where prospective students and their families can explore a university without visiting campus in person. Typically hosted on a digital platform, it may include live webinars with faculty, virtual campus tours, student Q&A panels, and one-on-one chats with admissions staff. The goal is to replicate the open day experience digitally, giving participants access to information, interaction, and a feel for campus life, no matter where they are in the world.

Virtual and hybrid open days have become a staple of higher education recruitment, offering accessibility and reach that in-person events alone can’t match. A dedicated virtual event, complete with faculty webinars, student panels, and one-on-one admissions chats, can engage global audiences who might not have the time or resources to travel. Virtual campus tours, whether self-guided or live-streamed, keep your school “open” year-round and give prospects a chance to explore at their own pace.

Hybrid formats add another layer of inclusivity. You might livestream your keynote sessions, run interactive live chats for online viewers, or capture campus highlights to share on demand afterward. Interactive elements like polls, breakout sessions, and virtual “booths” ensure remote participants remain engaged rather than passive viewers.

Example: Brock University (Canada): Brock University has been an early adopter of immersive virtual open day experiences. One innovative approach they took was building an interactive online open house in a 3D virtual environment. Using a platform similar to a retro video game interface, Brock recreated key parts of its campus digitally and let prospective students log in as avatars to explore. When prospects entered this virtual campus, a simulated student guide (an avatar controlled by a Brock student or staff) would greet them and offer to lead a tour. Visitors could navigate their avatar through hallways, into classrooms and labs, and even chat when they “bumped into” other avatars representing faculty or current students.

Source: Brock University

8. Harness Social Media for Pre-Event Buzz and Post-Event Engagement

A strong social media strategy can turn your open day from a single event into a shared experience that builds excitement before, during, and after. Start with a dedicated event hashtag and use it across all promotions, encouraging attendees to post their questions and experiences.

During the event, showcase live content: Instagram Stories, TikTok snippets, or a feed of hashtagged posts, to engage both in-person and virtual audiences. Afterward, curate user-generated content into a recap post or gallery, and follow up with a thank-you message paired with a clear call-to-action, such as “Book a chat with a student ambassador” or “Apply now.”

Example: Lancaster University (UK): Lancaster provides a masterclass in using student-driven social media to boost recruitment events. In 2020, with in-person events off the table, Lancaster University asked its student ambassadors to create a series of fun TikTok videos as ads to generate excitement for its online open days. Instead of polished commercials, these were authentic clips following TikTok trends. Think students doing campus tours set to music, quick dorm room tours, or tongue-in-cheek “day in the life” sketches. The result? The campaign blew past expectations: over 10 million impressions and 90,000+ clicks through to Lancaster’s open day info page.

Source TikTok

9. Add Memorable Touches and Fun Surprises

Sometimes it’s the little extras that transform an open day from ordinary to unforgettable. First impressions matter, so think about how your visitors are welcomed the moment they arrive. Clear signage, friendly greeters, and a thoughtful welcome pack with a campus map, schedule, and small pieces of branded swag can immediately put families at ease.

Fun moments sprinkled throughout the day also make a difference. A student band playing in the quad, a scavenger hunt through key campus spots, or a quirky photo booth at the student life fair can lighten the mood and help prospects associate your institution with energy and creativity.

Example: Temple College (USA): This community college in Texas put a delightful twist on their open house by setting up a photo booth with their mascot, a leopard nicknamed “TC Leopard.” Students and families could pose with the costumed mascot and snap fun pictures – a perfect keepsake to take home and share on social media. Temple College even turned it into a mini-contest where participants could win small prizes for posting their mascot photos. The result was a lot of laughter, and every family left with a tangible memory (a photo print or a digital pic) of the day.

Source: Temple College

These kinds of small but meaningful touches linger in memory. Long after presentations fade, visitors will remember how welcome, entertained, and cared for they felt. That emotional connection can tip the scales when it comes time for students to make their final choice.

10. Follow Up and Continue the Conversation

An open day doesn’t end when the last tour wraps up. In fact, some of the most important work happens afterward. A thoughtful follow-up plan not only shows prospective students and parents that you value their visit, but also keeps the momentum going as they move closer to making a decision. Too many institutions stop at a generic “thank you for coming.” By going a step further, you stand out.

Send a prompt, personalized thank-you. Ideally, within 24-48 hours, shoot attendees an email (or even a text message, if they opted in). Make it more than just “Thanks for coming.” Use merge fields to include the student’s name and perhaps one detail from their registration or what they did.

For example: “Hi Alex, thank you for visiting our Open Day on Saturday! We hope you enjoyed the Biology lab tour and the sample lecture in psychology.” This level of detail shows that you noticed their presence. Then, include helpful next steps: links to apply, to book a one-on-one meeting, or to a video recap of the event.

Example: Morton College (USA): This college nailed the follow-up game. Right after their open house, Morton College rolled out a one-two punch of follow-ups. They sent out personal thank-you emails to attendees, and at the same time, they put out a public thank-you on their social media pages. Importantly, it didn’t stop at gratitude – the post also included a next step, reminding students that registration was open for the upcoming semester and providing a link to get started.

Source: Morton College

Strong follow-up also means nurturing interest over time. Sharing student stories, reminders about upcoming deadlines, or invitations to future events extends the relationship beyond one day. In the end, what sets your open day apart is how well you continue to guide students once they’ve left campus.

From Open Day to Enrollment: Your Next Step

Open days (or open house events) are a cornerstone of student recruitment in higher education. They’re your chance to say, “Here’s who we are, here’s what makes us special, and here’s the community you could join.” By implementing these strategies, from showcasing your unique strengths, creating interactive experiences, and leveraging students/alumni, to embracing virtual formats, social media, personalization, and strong follow-up, you can elevate your open day from a routine tour into an unforgettable event that resonates with attendees long after they’ve gone home.

Remember, the goal isn’t just to convey information, but to make prospective students feel something: excitement about an academic program, a sense of belonging on campus, confidence that your school is the right fit, or the inspiration to take the next step towards enrollment. When you make your open days stand out, you ultimately make your institution stand out in a crowded higher education market.

Planning an exceptional open day does take effort and creativity, but the rewards are enormous. Many students cite campus visits and open days as the moment they “knew” which school was right for them. By following the approaches outlined above, you’ll increase the chances that your event is the one that wins their hearts. Good luck with your next open day event, and have fun making it one to remember!

Struggling with enrollment?

Our expert digital marketing services can help you attract and enroll more students!

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: What is an open day?

Answer: An open day is an event hosted by a college or university to give prospective students and their families the chance to experience the campus, meet faculty and staff, and learn more about academic programs and student life.

Question: What are Application Days at universities?

Answer: Application days are special events hosted by universities to help prospective students complete their applications on-site.

Question: What is a virtual open day?

Answer: A virtual open day is an online event where prospective students and their families can explore a university without visiting campus in person. Typically hosted on a digital platform, it may include live webinars with faculty, virtual campus tours, student Q&A panels, and one-on-one chats with admissions staff.

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September 3, 2025
Mini Project Ideas for MBA Students (HR, Marketing, Finance, IT) – 2025 Guide

What is a mini project in MBA?

It’s a short research or practical study done by students to apply concepts from their coursework.

How do I choose a mini project topic?

Focus on relevance, data availability, and your area of interest.

How many pages should a mini project report be?

Usually 20–30 pages, depending on university guidelines.

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September 3, 2025