In 2018, Elsmere Education partnered with a distinguished Carnegie-classified Special Focus Four-Year institution known for its excellence in art and design education. This university, with an enrollment of approximately 3,000 students, was seeking to expand and optimize its online Masters programs, which had seen some success but needed significant growth to meet institutional goals.
The Challenge
The institution launched its first online master’s program in 2011, attracting a modest number of students. Despite its stellar academic reputation, the institution struggled to scale the program, enrolling fewer than ten students in its early years. The administration recognized the need for a strategic shift to enroll more students, without compromising the high standards of its student-centric environment.
With the increasing demand for flexible and career-focused graduate programs, the university needed a partner who could help it realize its full potential. The challenge was clear: how to grow the program rapidly and sustainably while maintaining academic excellence.
The Solution
Elsmere Education stepped in with a tailored approach focused on internal capacity building, transparency, and strategic enrollment growth. From the outset, Elsmere identified key areas for improvement, repackaging the existing program and launching two additional online master’s programs.
Key elements of the solution included:
- Data-Driven Marketing & Recruitment: Utilizing targeted digital marketing strategies, Elsmere engaged prospective students more effectively.
- Optimized Enrollment Process: Streamlining the recruitment and enrollment process through tech-enabled solutions, ensuring prospective students received personalized support and prompt follow-ups.
- Strategic Program Expansion: Adding new program offerings to meet market demand, ensuring alignment with industry trends, and enhancing the institution’s appeal to a broader audience.
The Outcome
The partnership between Elsmere Education and the institution delivered transformative results within the first two years, setting the stage for sustained success. By Fall 2019, the institution not only expanded its academic offerings but also solidified its market position with the launch of two additional online programs.
Exponential Student Growth: In just one year, the institution experienced unprecedented growth, with enrollment soaring from fewer than 10 students per cohort to nearly 100 enrollments across two program starts for a single program. This dramatic increase reflects the effectiveness of Elsmere’s Growth Services support by best-in-class processes enabled by EEI technologies.
Sustainable Growth Milestones:
- Year 1 Fall intake exceeded expectations, achieving 137% of the original enrollment target.
- By Year 2, Fall intake reached an impressive 147% of the goal, cementing the foundation for long-term growth.
Continued Enrollment Expansion: Total enrollment across all online MPS programs surged by 81% from Academic Year (AY) 1 to AY 2, rising from 503 total enrollments to 909.
This sustained upward trajectory underscores the success of the partnership, demonstrating the institution’s growing appeal and capacity to attract and retain students across a wider portfolio of graduate programs.
Elsmere Education’s partnership with this institution demonstrates how a focused, strategic approach, powered by technology-enabled solutions and our suite of Growth Services, can transform online programs, drive sustainable growth, and help institutions achieve their goals.
Contact Elsmere Education today to learn how we can help your institution achieve similar success.
