The Admitted High-Need Family Engagement Strategy centers on proactive outreach and tailored communication designed to
establish clear pathways to enrollment and long-term retention for admitted students with significant demonstrated financial need. The goal of this effort is shifting the narrative beyond the immediate first-year deposit to emphasize four-year degree financing.
To deliver this messaging effectively, the Student Financial Services (SFS) team deployed a multi-channel outreach effort anchored by content-specific webinars and on-demand video resources. The targeted digital webinar sessions covered essential topics such as reading financial aid award letters, calculating net out-of-pocket costs, and exploring federal and institutional funding avenues, with dedicated segments reserved for multi-year financial planning. To complement these live sessions, easily accessible short-form videos were produced to break down complex aid concepts and loan options into digestible steps. Integrated throughout every webinar, video, and follow-up communication was a strong, deliberate call-to-action urging families to schedule individual consultations with an SFS counselor. These 1-on-1 appointments allowed staff to build personalized four-year financing blueprints tailored to each family’s unique circumstances.
This comprehensive approach generated strong direct engagement across the high-need cohort, driving high webinar participation, steady video viewership, and a notable rise in proactive SFS counselor appointments ahead of decision deadlines. By replacing uncertainty with transparent financial modeling and personalized support, the strategy boosted family confidence in long-term college affordability and created a stronger foundation for sustained student retention.
Supplemental funds were allocated to students with the highest financial need to reduce cost barriers and improve retention. First-to-second-year retention increased from 76.9% for the Fall 2022 cohort to 81.5% for the Fall 2025 cohort.