Case Study: How Riverdale Community College Increased Yield by 18% Using Live Enrollment Sessions

Riverdale Community College faced a familiar problem: strong application volume but low confirmed deposits. Over two years, Riverdale piloted a live enrollment strategy that focused on personalized touchpoints for admitted students. The result: an 18% increase in yield and a measurable decrease in post-deposit melt. This case study walks through their approach, metrics, and key lessons learned.

Background

Riverdale is a mid-sized community college with a diverse student body and a substantial number of first-generation applicants. Admissions historically relied on campus tours and email campaigns — both of which struggled to provide timely, individualized support for admitted students who had questions about financial aid, transfer credits, and housing.

Goals

The institution set three measurable goals:

• Increase yield from admitted to deposited students by 15% within two cycles.
• Reduce melt among deposited students during orientation by 10%.
• Shorten counselor outreach time by automating routine follow-ups.

Strategy and execution

Riverdale designed an intake-driven live funnel with the following components:

1. Segmented invite lists: admitted students were segmented by program interest, Pell eligibility, and transfer status.
2. Weekly live office hours: programs hosted 30-minute drop-in sessions where counselors, faculty, and current students answered real questions.
3. Financial aid clinics: hosted weekly, these sessions included live document walk-throughs and a dedicated counselor to check FAFSA status live.
4. Automated follow-up flows: attendance triggered personalized emails, tasks for counselors, and a checklist for deposits.

Technology stack

Riverdale used a low-code live event platform integrated with their CRM and SIS. The platform recorded attendance, poll responses, and chat transcripts. Integration allowed the CRM to automatically assign high-intent attendees to counselors and schedule follow-ups within 24 hours.

Outcomes

After two enrollment cycles, Riverdale reported:

• Yield improvement: Yield increased from 32% to 37.8% — an 18% relative gain.
• Reduced melt: Melt during the orientation-to-term-start window dropped by 12%.
• Operational efficiency: Automation reduced manual counselor email sends by an estimated 220 hours during the peak season.

What worked

Specific elements that drove success included:

• Targeted financial aid clinics that addressed application-to-award confusion.
• Use of student ambassadors in sessions to provide social proof and relatability.
• Actionable follow-ups that translated live questions into prioritized tasks for counselors.

Challenges

Scaling the program required shoring up staff schedules and ensuring consistent moderation. Additionally, Riverdale had to manage a learning curve for faculty participation — not every academic was comfortable presenting in a live setting. They resolved this with short training sessions and rehearsal time.

Key takeaways

For institutions considering a similar approach:

• Start with the highest-friction decision points, like financial aid and transfer credit.
• Embed student voices as part of the experience for credibility.
• Invest early in CRM automation to turn attendance into prioritized counselor workflows.

Conclusion

Riverdale’s case shows that even modest investments in live engagement yield strong returns when the program is tightly focused on admitted students’ pain points. By combining segmentation, targeted live sessions, and automation, institutions can shift enrollment outcomes and create a better experience for prospective students.