Following the widely referenced launch of its industry-first Enrollment Index 2025, Meritto on April 24 released a Trends Report titled “The Impact of Re-inquiries, Engagement, and Velocity in Student Enrollments”, shedding light on a new frontier in enrollment intelligence. While the original index spotlighted the growing dominance of digital channels, this new report shifts focus to the quality of engagement, revealing how students who re-engage through multiple touchpoints contribute significantly more to enrollments than those who inquire just once.
The new report underscores a striking trend: While first-time inquiries account for the lion’s share of total leads (88.8%), they contribute only 55.68% of enrollments, with a modest conversion rate of 0.63%. Whereas 44% of student enrollments are driven by just 11.20% of re-inquired leads.
Among re-inquiries, secondary inquirers, those who engage with an institution through secondary sources, convert at a rate four times higher (2.69%), contributing 24.52% of enrollments despite representing only 8.64% of total leads. Tertiary inquirers, though comprising just 2.56% of all leads, convert at an even more impressive 7.24%, delivering 19.80% of enrollments.
The report reveals the critical role that timing plays in student enrollment decisions. While the majority of applications are submitted within the first five days of inquiry, those submitted after 30, 60, or even 90+ days indicate significantly stronger intent. In fact, students who complete applications even after 90+ days contribute to 6.5% of enrollments.
To help institutions navigate this evolving landscape, the report introduces a refined behavioral framework, segmenting students into three distinct categories: The Prepared Mind, On the Fence, and Unaware. Each group requires a tailored approach, ranging from seamless, low-barrier application experiences for The Prepared Mind, to personalized nudges for those On the Fence, and deeper, more engaging interventions for the Unaware.
“This Trends Report of the Enrollment Index reveals a powerful shift from volume-first approaches to intent-first strategies,” said Naveen Goyal, Founder & CEO of Meritto (A Product of NoPaperForms). “As student behavior becomes increasingly non-linear, educational institutions need more than just leads, they need a framework that helps them identify high-intent leads early, re-engage effectively, and adapt to the evolving student journey. The insights shared here offer exactly that, helping institutions shift from assumptions to strategies grounded in real behavioral intelligence.” he further added.
The trends report underscores that the future of enrollment lies not in moving the fastest, but in engaging with intent and understanding student needs at every touchpoint. It calls on institutions to adopt dynamic, responsive engagement strategies that prioritize re-engagement, reduce mid-funnel drop-offs, and adapt to the unique rhythms of each prospective student’s journey.
Where the first edition of the Enrollment Index provided a comprehensive roadmap for educational institutions to optimize their strategies by analyzing regional trends, top-performing channels, and key conversion challenges, this edition urges them to personalize and prioritize. It’s a call to action for enrollment teams to move beyond funnel templates and towards dynamic, responsive engagement strategies grounded in student behavior, not assumptions. The report is now available for download at: https://www.meritto.com/insights/the-impact-of-re-inquiries-engagement-and-velocity-in-student-enrollments/
