The Hidden Power of Smart Messages in Higher Ed

Ever wondered what keeps conversations going (and students moving forward) in higher education? 

Spoiler: It’s not generic batch messaging. The 2025 Mongoose Messaging Benchmark Reports show that Smart Messages empower admissions, student success, and advancement teams to have two-way, meaningful interactions and offer personalized, empathetic support when it matters most. 

In this blog, we’ll explore how Smart Messages contributes to better student outcomes across 2-year and 4-year institutions and share practical tips to help your teams make the shift to a high-performing Smart Message strategy.

Engaging With Today’s Students: Batch Messages vs. Smart Messages

Traditional batch messages allow higher education institutions to share key updates and reminders across all student segments at once. But their one-way, static format leaves little room for real interactions. 

Compared to one-size-fits-all blasts, Mongoose’s Smart Messages combine AI-driven automation and intentional human intervention to foster two-way, personalized conversations. 

These messages use interactive prompts, yes/no and multiple choice questions, and clear calls-to-action to encourage dialogue and capture real-time student feedback. Teams can leverage this input to optimize text messaging strategies and achieve higher conversion and retention rates.

Take open house invites, for example. A broadcast-style message like “Don’t forget about our Open House event tomorrow at 8 am. See you there!” easily gets ignored. A Smart Message, however, drives engagement by inviting students to share what they’re most excited about: 

“Which part of our Friday Open House has you most excited?

1. Clubs & Activities Fair
2. Campus Tour
3. Student Panel”

The Data Is In: Smart Messages Increase Student Engagement and Conversion Rates 

One of the clearest trends highlighted in the 2025 Mongoose Benchmark Reports is that Smart Messages consistently outperform traditional batch messaging across departments, institution types, and stages of the student lifecycle. 

This happens because Smart Messages enable higher education institutions to have real-time, personalized conversations that increase student response rates and accurately capture audience sentiment and intent. 

When students have the chance to engage even in shorter two-way conversations, they’re 4.5x more likely to respond and 7.5x more likely to take action than those who receive generic mass broadcasts. 

Here’s a closer look at the key insights uncovered in our reports:

2-Year Institutions

• Two thirds of 2-year institutions have adopted Smart Messages, highlighting a major shift in student communication strategy across community and technical colleges. 

• Smart Messages get 4.5x higher reply rates than regular messages. 

4-Year Institutions

• Admissions: Smart Messages triple reply rates compared to traditional batch messages.

• Student Success: Smart Messages drive 4.5x higher reply rates than regular messages. 

• Advancement: Smart Messages generate 2.5x higher reply rates than one-way mass broadcasts.

“Mongoose offered the personalized, one-on-one interface we needed. The integration with Slate made it easy to create segments and send texts, and features like smart messages saved us valuable time while keeping communication personal.“

ALEX GALBREATH, DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS, OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY – CASCADES​

Seeing Smart Messages in Action

• The Advancement teams at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) used Mongoose’s Smart Messages alongside customized MMS to transform alumni engagement, achieving a 170% increase in responses for their 2024 Orientation Messages campaign.

• At Olivet Nazarene University (ONU), each admissions counselor is responsible for more than 4,200 prospective students. In 2023, Smart Messages helped the Admissions team provide timely, personalized support at scale and welcome the largest freshman class in the university’s history.

• By integrating Smart Messages into its enrollment strategy, Oregon State University – Cascades (OSU-Cascades) increased prospect outreach by 58%. The approach reduced manual workload, fostered impactful conversations, and drove more students to take action and secure enrollment for the next term.

From One-Size-Fits-All Outreach to A Personalized, AI-Powered Text Messaging Strategy 

Here are 3 key practical steps to help your institution transition to a Smart Message strategy:

1. Think of AI as An Assistant, Not A Replacement

An AI-driven text messaging strategy can help your campus teams efficiently scale personalized outreach across campus without losing the human touch. By streamlining communication efforts and doubling batch sizes, Smart Messages help free up staff to focus on building meaningful relationships with prospects, enrolled students, and alumni.

2. Write Smart Messages With Conversation in Mind 

Smart Messages use branching logic to tailor responses based on students’ real-time input, creating a more engaging experience. Asking simple questions like “Have you registered for orientation yet?” with yes/no options or offering multiple-choice prompts can help guide students through next steps while capturing valuable feedback for future conversations.

3. Measure Communication Success Beyond Open Rates

Tracking resolution rates, sentiment, and opt-out rates offers your institution a better view of what works and what doesn’t than open rates alone. Conversations with low resolution and neutral or negative sentiment often lead to more opt-outs, highlighting areas where staff can improve student and alumni engagement.

Get Your Free Mongoose Benchmark Reports 

Want to improve student engagement without burning out your teams? Download the full 2025 State of Higher Ed Messaging Benchmark Reports to learn more about the benefits of Smart Messages.

Download the Free Benchmark Reports

Or book a demo to see how Mongoose’s Conversation Intelligence Platform can help your institution shift from broadcast-style messaging to high-impact conversations.

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