The Challenge
Los Rios Community College District (LRCCD) serves over 70,000 students each year. Approximately 61% receive some type of state or federal need-based assistance. Administrators at LRCCD felt they could expand opportunity and access for more students if they could increase awareness of financial aid availability and encourage financial aid recipients to enroll. LRCCD was not able to deploy outreach efforts at the scale necessary to reach the targeted population of students in the window of time available prior to the start of the term.
The Solution
Following a successful pilot program with the California Community College Chancellor’s Office which focused on improving Verification completion and Pell take-up rates, LRCCD entered into a partnership with Edamerica to include proactive outreach targeting students at varying points in the financial aid cycle.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, community colleges experienced declines in enrollment. LRCCD saw an opportunity to focus additional support services on students who had been awarded financial aid but had not completed enrollment.
The Results
| College | Total Assigned | Total Enrolled | Enrolled % |
|---|---|---|---|
| American River College | 3,309 | 1,985 | 59.99% |
| Cosumnes River College | 2,149 | 960 | 44.67% |
| Folsom Lake College | 903 | 508 | 56.26% |
| Sacramento City College | 3,070 | 1,677 | 54.63% |
Impact and Net Return
The campaign led to increased enrollment for financial aid awardees and provided proactive support for students who needed basic financial aid guidance and answers to general questions. Approximately 54% of the LRCCD students assigned to Edamerica enrolled.
| Total Assigned | Total Enrolled | Enrolled % |
|---|---|---|
| 9,731 | 5,130 | 54.4% |
Enrollment Conversion Rate
Net Return $1,382,957*
*Based on half-time, in-state tuition and fee cost only
and rounded to nearest whole dollar.
