Using AI to Fix Admissions and Enrollment Without Losing the Human Touch

AI can change how colleges and universities approach enrollment, making it faster, fairer, and more aligned with student success. In this episode of Changing Higher Ed® podcast, Dr. Drumm McNaughton talks with Ashish Fernando, founder and CEO of EDMO and iSchoolConnect, about how institutions can use artificial intelligence to improve admissions, automate routine tasks, and personalize support without losing the human touch.

Drawing on real-world implementations at Western Governors University, Franklin University, and others, Fernando outlines how AI enables institutions to make faster admissions decisions, better assess student fit, and improve long-term outcomes. He also explains where human judgment still matters and why redesigning broken enrollment processes is critical before adding automation.

This episode offers practical insights for presidents, provosts, enrollment leaders, and trustees seeking to modernize recruitment, increase yield, and align institutional capacity with student expectations.

Topics Covered

• Why enrollment strategy must prioritize student fit, not just volume
  
  
• How AI improves speed to decision and impacts yield
  
  
• What admissions tasks are appropriate for automation
  
  
• The strategic value of chatbots and real-time decision systems
  
  
• How to avoid automating broken or biased processes
  
  
• Balancing technology with human counseling in admissions
  
  
• Real-world examples of AI implementation in higher education

Real-World Examples Discussed

• Western Governors University’s scalable, self-paced enrollment model
  
  
• Franklin University’s five-minute transfer evaluation and admissions decision
  
  
• NYU’s BobChat and chatbot-supported student services
  National University’s approach to AI infrastructure

Three Key Takeaways

1. Think from the outside in. Understand student motivations and design enrollment to reflect their needs and expectations.
   
   
2. Use speed as strategy. Institutions that respond quickly improve yield, reduce melt, and gain a competitive edge.
   
   
3. Embed AI in operations. Treat AI as infrastructure built to support staff, not replace them.

Read the transcript: https://changinghighered.com/how-to-use-ai-to-improve-enrollment-and-admissions/

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