Live at AMA: Streamlining College Onboarding with AI

About the Episode: 

In this episode of The Hidden Gem Podcast, host Maya Demishkevich speaks with Brian Messer from Archer Education, live from the AMA conference in Las Vegas. They dive into the transformative role AI can play in improving the onboarding experience in community colleges, focusing on challenges like clarity in degree pathways, ease of enrollment, and completion timelines. Brian highlights how AI-driven tools can streamline processes, provide essential guidance, and create a more supportive onboarding experience, particularly for adult and first-generation students.

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Key Takeaways

• Community colleges face challenges in guiding students through clear paths to graduation, smooth enrollment processes, and reasonable degree completion times.
• AI can support onboarding by simulating an advisory session, helping prospective students navigate essential decisions before applying.
• Tools like AI chatbots and pre-application experiences, used by institutions like Kansas City Kansas Community College, can provide critical support and boost applicant confidence.
• AI-driven onboarding frameworks that incorporate inspiration, guidance, and campus connection can enhance prospective students' journey, making them more likely to apply.
• Enhanced AI integration in admissions can free up advisors to have deeper, more impactful conversations with students.

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Episode Summary

What are the main challenges in community college onboarding?

Community colleges often struggle with three main challenges in their onboarding process, especially for adult and first-generation students. First is the lack of a clear path to graduation—students often don’t understand what steps they need to take to achieve their degree. Second, the ease of enrollment is hindered by complex application processes, deterring students before they even apply. Lastly, degree completion timelines often lack flexibility, making it hard for students to plan their journey from enrollment to graduation within a reasonable timeframe. These obstacles can be intimidating and are a leading cause of prospective students abandoning their applications.

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How can AI help address these challenges?

AI offers a promising solution to these challenges by enabling a more guided, conversational onboarding experience for prospective students. Brian describes the potential for AI to simulate a "professional college advisory session" that provides key information—like the differences between degree programs, expected timelines, and financial aid options—before students apply. This AI-driven session would act like a virtual advisor, answering commonly asked questions, offering reassurance, and providing insights that typically require in-person meetings. AI could also empower enrollment teams to focus on meaningful conversations, enhancing the quality of their support for students who need deeper guidance.

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Are there any current examples of AI helping in the community college admissions process?

Yes, several community colleges have already started using AI to streamline their onboarding process. Athens Technical College and other schools use AI-powered chatbots that answer frequent inquiries, helping students navigate early stages. However, chatbots alone require students to know what questions to ask, which can be a barrier. Kansas City Kansas Community College and San Diego City College have implemented more interactive pre-application experiences, providing personalized, step-by-step guidance. These experiences engage students with questions and videos, building their confidence and helping them feel more connected to the college before applying.

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What does an AI-driven onboarding experience look like?

The AI-driven onboarding experience, modeled on frameworks like the Community College Research Center’s onboarding recommendations, provides a structured journey. It begins with questions that help personalize the experience, continues with motivational videos to inspire and connect students, and includes a planning phase. Each element is designed to make students feel informed, supported, and confident in their decision to pursue education at the institution. As Brian explains, this pre-application experience is accessible through links on marketing ads and community college websites, creating an inviting pathway into the college environment.

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Connect With Our Host:

Maya Demishkevich

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About The Enrollify Podcast Network:

The Hidden Gem: Marketing Community Colleges is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!  

Some of our favorites include Visionary Voices: The College President’s Playbook and Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO.

Enrollify is produced by Element451 — the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.