Kean University
Driving Record Enrollment for New Jersey’s Most Diverse University
About
Founded in 1855, Kean University is New Jersey’s most diverse public institution of higher education, serving more than 18,000 students across its campuses in the United States, China, and online. Kean offers more than 50 undergraduate programs and 70 graduate options, blending academic rigor with real-world learning experiences. With a mission to make a world-class education accessible and inclusive, Kean prepares students to think critically, innovate boldly, and serve as leaders in their communities and beyond.
Length of Relationship
2018 - Present
CRM & Marketing Automation Platforms
Slate
main Objective
Student enrollment
Modalities Supported
- Online
- On-Campus
- Regional Campuses
Primary KPIs
- Cost per Lead (CPL)
- Total Leads
- Lead Quality (based on CRM-defined conversions)
- Application Starts/Complete (Count, Cost per, Conv. Rate)
- Enrollments (Count, Cost per, Conv. Rate, ROAS)
The Challenge
Kean University needed to navigate shifting enrollment patterns, increasing competition for both on-campus and online students, and changing student expectations. With prospective learners exploring more options than ever, and decision timelines growing shorter, the university faced the need to capture attention earlier in the funnel, communicate value clearly, and convert interest into enrollments across multiple program types.
- Increasing competition from regional and national universities offering similar programs, often with larger marketing budgets.
- Declining traditional undergraduate pipelines, requiring new strategies to attract transfers, adult learners, and online students.
- Shorter decision timelines among prospective students, putting pressure on marketing to deliver higher-quality leads faster.
- Need for differentiated messaging that speaks to the unique benefits of a Kean education while aligning with diverse audience motivations.
- Expanding into more competitive online program markets where brand awareness is lower.
The Approach
We built a nimble, data-driven marketing strategy designed to move prospective students from interest to enrollment as quickly and efficiently as possible. By aligning tightly with Kean’s admissions team, leveraging first-party data, and maintaining the flexibility to shift channels and messaging on demand, we created a responsive enrollment marketing engine that adapts in real time to market performance. High-converting landing pages were developed to meet students where they were in their journey, ensuring every touchpoint moved them closer to enrollment.
Key initiatives:
- Implemented an aggressive “speed to lead” strategy to connect with prospective students within minutes of inquiry.
- Collaborated closely with the admissions department to capture and activate first-party data across platforms.
- Leveraged platform algorithms to expand reach and improve audience targeting with high-quality, in-market prospects.
- Developed high-converting, student-journey-focused landing pages to maximize inquiry and application rates.
- Deployed elaborate yield campaigns to convert admitted students into confirmed enrollments.
- Shifted budgets and creative quickly when campaigns or programs underperformed, ensuring minimal wasted spend.
- Expanded channel mix to include LinkedIn, Reddit, and YouTube alongside high-converting low-funnel channels like Meta and Google Search.
The Results
01
5Y+
- Sustained above-average lead-to-enrollment conversion rates for five consecutive years.
-
02
+20%
Online enrollment increased year-over-year in 2024, showing strong digital growth and engagement.
03
<$52 CPL
- Digital campaigns maintained cost-efficient student acquisition over seven years.
04
18K+
- Record Fall 2024 enrollment across Kean’s global campuses, spanning 36 states and 88 countries.
