Colleges and universities are under growing pressure to do more with less, and automation often feels like the fastest path to efficiency. Naturally, that includes deploying technology to handle key parts of the recruitment process, from lead scoring to chatbots to self-service portals.
But in the rush to digitize, many institutions are making a critical mistake: scaling back live, person-to-person outreach. It’s an easy budget line to trim, but a costly one.
Despite the rise of AI and self-service tools, students still crave human support, especially when they hit a moment of uncertainty or decision. That’s when they want a real person, with real answers, to guide them forward.
Institutions are pulling back at the wrong time
Institutions are under more pressure than ever to grow enrollment, yet many are deprioritizing the very human touchpoints that move students through the funnel. It’s a paradox.
Prospective students are more selective and less responsive than they used to be. They’re not eager to talk on the phone or attend live events — until they are. And when that moment arrives, institutions need to be ready.
As I often tell partners, “Prospective students don’t want to talk to you until they need to talk to you.” But when they do, it’s not an automated email or AI chatbot they’re hoping for. It’s a knowledgeable voice that can answer questions, solve problems, and build confidence in their decision.
The power of human outreach
Strategic, human outreach isn’t an outdated approach. It’s a proven one.
Live conversations give prospective students what digital tools can’t: clarity, empathy, and connection. That’s especially important for students navigating financial aid, transfer credits, or personal life hurdles.
Technology enables scale, but people deliver reassurance. Even the most sophisticated AI can’t replace the feeling of being understood by someone who’s walked hundreds of students through the same decision before.
And when that interaction is powered by strong data — right student, right time, right message — it becomes a high-converting moment that no automated sequence can replicate.
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How scalable outreach drives real enrollment growth
One large public university partner of Collegis offers a real-life example of how human outreach can scale effectively. They’ve invested in a large-scale outreach operation, deploying hundreds of enrollment coaches who make and receive thousands of calls every day. A significant portion of that team is staffed by Collegis.
The enrollment gains speak volumes about what’s possible when outreach is resourced and prioritized.
This institution has reported consistent year-over-year growth, even as peer institutions face enrollment declines. According to state-level data, the broader university system recently hit a record high, with enrollment increasing by 1.6% over the prior year. Online program enrollment alone has grown 11.7% year over year and 41% over five years — a clear sign that scalable, strategic outreach works.
When other schools are scrambling to fill classes, those kinds of results speak volumes.
Rethinking your recruitment structure
If your institution is struggling to connect with prospective students, the issue may not be messaging — it may be structure.
Before scaling back or shifting strategy, consider asking these key questions:
- Do we have enough trained staff dedicated to meaningful student conversations?
- Are our outreach efforts fully integrated with CRM and student data platforms?
- Are we supporting students throughout the journey, not just at the top of the funnel?
- Are we tracking and optimizing the impact of live interactions?
- Have we clearly defined where automation ends and human engagement begins?
Many institutions have over-indexed on automation, expecting tools to do what only people can: build trust.
That doesn’t mean swinging the pendulum back toward high-touch everything. Instead, it’s about building a hybrid recruitment model that reserves human interaction for the moments that matter most.
Reinvest in the human advantage
The most successful institutions aren’t choosing between people and technology. They’re integrating both in a way that meets today’s student expectations.
Prospective students want to receive relevant, personalized information that is delivered efficiently and in the formats they prefer, whether that’s email, text, voice, or even AI-powered communication. At Collegis, we help our partners achieve this through platforms like Connected Core® and student digital twins, which enable personalized, multichannel communication grounded in real-time data.
But here’s the catch: Students also expect to speak with a real person the moment they need to. If institutions rely too heavily on automation without the infrastructure to support live, skilled human interactions, they risk creating a disconnected, frustrating experience.
Strike the right balance for enrollment success
The best recruitment models balance data, technology, and talent. Automation can open the door, but it’s trained people — backed by insights — who help students walk through it with confidence.
Finding that balance isn’t easy, but it’s essential. And it’s exactly where Collegis can help support your team.
If you’re rethinking how to connect with today’s students, we can help you build a balanced outreach strategy that’s powered by data, enabled by technology, and delivered by people.
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