What it takes to win in grad and adult enrollment today

Graduate enrollment is getting harder. With shifting immigration policies, the rise of alternative credentials, and a rapidly changing digital search environment, today’s adult and graduate enrollment leaders face a more complex set of challenges than they did even just a few years ago. Meeting enrollment goals now requires not only working harder, but working smarter and more strategically.

To help make sense of these new imperatives, we asked four of EAB’s adult learner recruitment experts to share guidance on the biggest shifts affecting the field, and what enrollment teams can do to navigate them. From navigating AI-powered search to proving program ROI, here’s their take on what it will take to compete and win in this evolving landscape.

Imperative 1: Expanding your domestic student market

Advice from: Todd Heilman, Senior Consultant & Principal, Adult Learner Recruitment

With evolving immigration policies and a tighter student visa landscape, nearly every institution is feeling the impact of a diminished international applicant pool. Colleges that have long relied on international enrollment to meet their targets are now scrambling to fill the gap. But even schools less dependent on international students aren’t immune. As larger, more selective institutions shift their recruitment strategies, they’re dipping into domestic markets they previously ignored, pulling prospective students away from smaller or regional schools. In our 2025 Benchmarking Survey, nearly two-thirds of respondents reported being responsible for increasing their enrollment by over 3% over the next three years. So, with the shifting landscape and broadening competitor sets, focusing on expanding your domestic student market will be key to long-term success in meeting these growing goals.

Start by conducting competitor research—not just within your region, but across the country. At the same time, remember that location still matters, as most students apply to schools within 50 miles of where they live. That’s why building a broader, high-volume domestic lead pipeline is more important than ever. Investing in solutions like Appily Advance can help you do just that, by connecting your institution with a steady stream of high-intent domestic leads who are actively exploring their options. Expanding your top-of-funnel with the right leads can help set you up for sustained enrollment success term over term.

Imperative 2: Creating a lead nurture strategy that works year-round

Advice from: Jesse Holzbach, Managing Director, Appily Advance

In recent conversations with Appily Advance partners, I’ve heard a lot of concern around decreasing enrollment numbers—not just for the upcoming summer and fall classes, but for many terms to come. This is somewhat predictable, since we saw similar downturns during the COVID pandemic and other previous periods of economic hardship. Graduate and adult student journeys can stretch on for years as it is, and their return to the classroom is vulnerable to constantly changing factors such as work, family, and finances. That’s why it’s not enough to generate leads once or twice a year and hope they convert. If you haven’t already been creating a lead nurture system that supports year-round recruitment and engagement, you may already be a step behind where you need to be to fill your next classes.

At EAB, we’ve seen again and again that the schools who invest in ongoing and diverse lead nurture strategies are the ones who win in the long run. These institutions don’t just wait for students to come to them. They put relevant, intentional messages in front of prospective students year-round, helping them weigh their options and see how school fits into their busy lives. The payoff isn’t immediate—but it is impactful term after term. You’re not just filling the next term: you’re building a pipeline for the next few years. If you want to compete in today’s complex enrollment landscape, it’s important to stop thinking in cycles and start thinking in seasons. A well-built nurture strategy gives us the chance to meet students where they are, whether they’re ready to enroll now or multiple years down the line.

Imperative 3: Proving the ROI of your program

Advice from: Dan Olson, Managing Director, Appily Advance

Students today are doing the math—they’re weighing the cost, time, and energy it takes to earn a degree against what it might get them in return. That calculation is complex, and schools that ignore it risk losing students who are trying to make a smart investment. You can either meet them where they are or put your head in the sand. But make no mistake: they’re already asking, is this worth it?

In a market where alternative credentials and low-cost certificates are gaining ground, you can’t just assume your degree speaks for itself anymore. You have to defend it. Make sure your marketing messaging answers tough questions up front: What can I do with this degree? How long will it take? How much will it cost, and how might I offset that cost with credits, aid, or flexibility? Sharing success stories from graduates that show tangible career outcomes as social proof is another sound strategy. Those stories could feature a career pivot, a salary bump, or a graduate breaking through a ceiling in their current role. If it’s authentic and clearly shows how your program drives real career advancement, it’s doing its job.

Imperative 4: Adapting to the current AI search landscape

Advice from: Emily Upton, Vice President, Adult Learner Recruitment

It’s no exaggeration to say that AI has fundamentally changed how web search operates. Tools like Google’s AI Overviews have dramatically deepened the impact of the “zero-click” search environment, where users get direct answers without ever visiting a website. Now, if your content isn’t visible in Google’s AI Overviews, you’re not in the conversation. At the same time, college-aged Gen Z students are increasingly using AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Claude as personal assistants—asking questions like, “What are the best part-time MBA programs for working professionals in healthcare administration?”

For universities, this shift means that traditional SEO strategies are no longer enough. Ensuring your .edu site is visible, appearing in both AI Overviews and large language model (LLM) responses, is now more complex, as each platform uses different systems to determine what content gets promoted. Still, some foundational best practices can help boost visibility across both platforms. Focus on writing concise, fact-based answers to common student questions (ideally in 40–60 words), using clear subheadings that align with likely search queries. Adjust your keyword strategy to accommodate question-based queries and broader matches to maximize reach. Present information in clean, scannable formats like bulleted lists, definitions, or step-by-step guides. And be sure to add schema markup (such as FAQ, HowTo, or Q&A) to help AI better comprehend your content. By doing so, you’ll increase the odds that your messaging reaches students, whether they’re asking Google, ChatGPT, or any of the major AI assistants.

Where to go from here

From broadening your reach in the domestic market to optimizing your visibility in AI search, success in today’s graduate and adult learner space depends on how well institutions respond to evolving challenges. These imperatives may feel daunting, but they also create opportunities to build more intentional, data-driven strategies. Appily Advance helps institutions do just that by connecting you with high-intent domestic leads and supporting multi-term recruitment strategies that deliver results. As the landscape continues to evolve, the institutions that stay focused, flexible, and student-centered will be the ones best positioned to thrive.