Aug 21 2025
How Montcalm Community College Gets Higher-Than-Average Reply Rates With Coach-Led Texting
Gateway Technical College Students Who Text Enroll at 55 Percent, vs. 3 Percent Without
TL;DR
Students who stall on the way to enrolling often just need someone to ask if they need help, and a text is the easiest way to ask. Gateway Technical College in Southeast Wisconsin has used Mongoose for more than six years to support technical college enrollment across recruitment, advising, financial aid, and the registrar. Its internal data shows students with 6 to 10 text conversations enrolled at 55 percent, compared with 3 percent for students with none, and canceled at 27 percent, compared with 64 percent.
- 55% enrollment vs. 3% with no texts
- 27% cancellations vs. 64%
- 98% of stalled admits enrolled
- 57% of active texters registered
Download the Full Case Study
At Gateway Technical College, many students aren’t deciding between colleges. They’re deciding whether to go to school at all. When one of them stalls, a recruiter texts something as simple as “Need help?” Gateway’s data shows how much those conversations matter: students with 6 to 10 text conversations enrolled at 55 percent, compared with 3 percent for students with none.
“Many of our students aren’t choosing between different colleges. They’re deciding whether to go to school at all. That makes timely, accessible support even more critical.”
Amanda Robillard, CRM Technology Manager, Gateway Technical College
Gateway is a two-year technical college in Southeast Wisconsin that serves traditional learners and working adults alike. It adopted Mongoose more than six years ago, and texting is now central to technical college enrollment and registration there.
Why Phone and Email Weren’t Reaching Students
Students juggling multiple responsibilities weren’t answering calls or reading email. Many, especially non-traditional students, paused or left the enrollment process because of unanswered questions or barriers they couldn’t get past.
“We were not connecting with students in the way they wanted to be communicated with. Texting gave us that real-time, low-pressure option to meet them where they are.”
Carrie Parworth, Executive Director, Student Affairs, Gateway Technical College
How Gateway Built a Texting-First Strategy
Gateway rolled out texting across recruitment, advising, financial aid, and the registrar. A CRM connector lets staff trigger personal messages based on each student’s stage in the funnel and follow up quickly when questions come up. Shared inboxes and Segments keep departments coordinated, so students don’t get confusing or overlapping messages.
“Texting feels easier and more informal for both students and staff. It’s the tool nobody complains about.”
Amanda Robillard
How Text Conversations Lift Technical College Enrollment
Gateway’s internal data shows a clear link between two-way conversations and progress through the funnel. Students who texted more with staff were more likely to take the next step and enroll.
- 55 percent vs. 3 percent: enrollment rate for students with 6 to 10 text conversations, compared with students with none.
- 27 percent vs. 64 percent: cancellation rate for students with 6 to 10 conversations, compared with students with none.
- 98 percent: of hesitant students stalled at the Admit stage who had 6 to 10 conversations went on to enroll.
- 57 percent and 13 percent: of current students with 10 or more conversations registered for the current term and the next term, well above students who didn’t text.
Nudges That Move Students Forward
Recruiters reach students stalled at stages like Admit with friendly prompts such as “Is there anything I can help you with regarding your application?”
“We see students stalling out. But if we text them something as simple as, ‘Need help?’ it opens the door. That nudge makes all the difference.”
Amanda Robillard
Real-Time Support at Peak Season
Staff answer registration and advising questions in minutes, not hours or days, which cuts frustration and drop-off at moments like registration holds and schedule finalization. During registration surges, teams text students to the right resource instead of playing phone tag.
Adopted Across Departments
Advisors, recruiters, financial aid, the registrar, and student support programs all use Mongoose, each tailoring messages to their own work. Opt-out and logging features protect privacy and simplify documentation, and even tech-hesitant staff find it easy to use.
“Our teams don’t just tolerate Mongoose, they love it. It’s rare to hear that about any system. That speaks volumes.”
Amanda Robillard
What Other Two-Year Colleges Can Take From Gateway
Watch for students who stall, and send a short, human question before they disappear. Gateway’s numbers show what a few conversations can do, and they line up with the bigger picture: in Mongoose’s 2026 community college benchmark, a message with a direct question earns 3.6 times the reply rate. For more on catching students before they go quiet, see how to prevent student ghosting and these five signs your enrollment follow-up is broken.
Other two-year colleges have seen similar results. McLennan Community College grew enrollment 8.7 percent with 28 teams texting, and Dutchess Community College grew admissions texting 133 percent while opt-outs fell.
Looking Ahead
Gateway plans to expand shared inboxes to peer advisors and student teams, and to explore AI-powered Web Chat and WhatsApp for international students.
“Our students expect real-time confirmation. Mongoose lets us give them that peace of mind, instantly.”
Carrie Parworth
“Mongoose has helped us close communication gaps that used to cost us enrollments. Now it’s helping us bring students across the finish line.”
Carrie Parworth
Download the Full Case Study
For a two-page summary of Gateway’s results to share with your enrollment and student success teams, download the Gateway Technical College case study (PDF).
Want to see what two-way texting could do for your enrollment funnel? Book a demo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do text conversations affect technical college enrollment?
How does Gateway re-engage students who stall?
Does texting help current students register?
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