From Broadcast to Dialogue: The Shift Higher Ed Can’t Ignore

In higher ed, it’s no longer enough to send a message and hope for the best. Students today expect more than reminders and mass emails—they expect a reply. 

That’s the core message from Mongoose’s recent webinar, From Broadcast to Dialogue: How Higher Ed Leaders Are Leveling Up Student Communications, which unpacked insights from a joint survey with Higher Ed Dive.

And the data backs it up.

According to the survey of over 100 higher ed leaders, 57% of institutions now enable two-way messaging at scale—but there’s a huge difference between being able to receive a response and actually having a conversation.

Students don’t want one-way notifications. They want real answers. In real time. On their phones. And the institutions willing to meet them there? They’re seeing the payoff.

Here’s what we found:

• Students who engaged in two-way texting conversations were 7.5x more likely to take key enrollment actions than those who only received generic notifications.
• Application completion rates jumped by 34x when conversations went two ways instead of just one.
• 83% of student inquiries through AI-assisted chat were resolved without human intervention, and 82% of those interactions happened outside business hours.

This is what Conversation Intelligence is all about. It’s not just about being available—it’s about being responsive, relevant, and ready to talk to students. It’s a shift from campaigns to conversations, from broadcast to dialogue.

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The Old Way Isn’t Working Anymore

Hosts Dave Marshall, CEO and Founder, and Josie Sutcliffe, VP of Marketing at Mongoose, both emphasized the risks of sticking to outdated communication strategies. Tools like CRMs may offer basic messaging features, but they aren’t built for real, back-and-forth engagement.

CRMs are great for sending a message. But when a student texts back with “I’m stuck on FAFSA,” most schools aren’t staffed—or equipped—to respond quickly.

That’s how ghosting happens. And ghosting, in higher ed, means missed enrollments, unfinished applications, and lost trust.

Students Aren’t Checking Email, They’re Checking WhatsApp

Only 37% of survey respondents said email is “very effective” with students. In contrast, 61% said texting is highly effective, and over half now use WhatsApp for student engagement.

Mongoose users are meeting students where they are: on their phones, in the moment, with AI-powered chat and real human responses when it matters most.

Resolution > Response

The new gold standard? Not open rates. Not clicks. Resolution.

As Marshall put it: “Are student questions being answered?” Conversation Intelligence helps you spot unresolved issues and fix them before students give up entirely.

The Big Picture

Every text thread is an opportunity to retain a student, complete an application, or deepen a relationship. But only if someone’s listening—and ready to respond. When institutions shift from message blasting to actual conversations, students feel seen and supported. And that support turns into action.

This isn’t a trend. It’s a new standard.

Want the full data and insights?  Explore the full survey report below.

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Or book a demo to see how Mongoose’s Conversation Intelligence Platform can help your institution engage more students, more meaningfully.

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