The Application with Allison Turcio

In Part 3 of The Admissions Travel Season Playbook , host Allison Turcio dives into how admissions counselors and enrollment marketers can stop working in silos and start building a stronger, AI-powered partnership. Fall travel is a team sport, but too often it feels like two separate games. By using AI to bridge the gap, institutions can make their outreach smarter, faster, and more effective. -...

In this episode of The Admissions Travel Season Playbook , host Allison Turcio tackles the crucial moment that determines whether your travel season efforts pay off: the follow-up. A great high school visit or college fair conversation is only the beginning. Without timely, relevant, and personalized follow-up, your chances of turning interest into applications drop fast. - - - - Connect With Our...

Welcome to Part 1 of this mini series — The Admissions Travel Season Playbook. In this episode of The Admissions Travel Season Playbook, host Allison Turcio dives into how admissions counselors can make their high school visits more personal, engaging, and effective — without reinventing the wheel. With a focus on AI in higher education, Allison shares four actionable strategies for using tools li...

In this episode of The Application, Allison is joined by Faton Sopa , Cofounder and CEO at Manaferra , to dissect the groundbreaking findings from the State of College Search 2025 report. Based on a survey of over 1,500 recently enrolled students, Faton reveals a seismic shift in student search behavior. He shares surprising insights, from the rise of platforms like Reddit for authentic validation...

In this episode, Allison sits down with Simon Lewis , founder of Binary & Co. , to dive deep into his Pillars and Layers framework. This smarter, student-centered approach helps nurture higher-ed leads throughout their long and emotional decision-making journey. We explore why lead capture is only the starting point, not the goal, and how to keep students engaged well beyond the initial form fill....

What if your institution stopped playing it safe and started thinking like a startup? DéRecco Lynch , Assistant Vice Provost of Enrollment Management at the University of Cincinnati , asked that question and answered it by launching Our City , one of higher ed’s boldest brand activations. In this episode, DéRecco tells Allison how his team broke down silos, built trust, and aligned four divisions...

Allison Turcio delivers a recap of one of the most compelling sessions from EduWeb Summit 2025 from R. Ethan Braden, Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Texas A&M University. Braden tackled the question we all wrestle with: Does your brand actually matter? His answer: absolutely, but only if it’s rooted in values, clarity, and great storytelling. From challenging the i...

Allison breaks down one of the most buzzed-about sessions from LeduWeb Summit 2025, sharing about Western Governors University’s approach to using AI and decision intelligence to stop student dropouts before they happen. WGU’s tech-forward system can predict, with 80% accuracy, which students are at risk of disengaging—within the first week of classes. But what makes this a must-listen for enrollm...

Allison unpacks a powerhouse session from EduWeb 2025 featuring Montclair State University’s innovative approach to enrollment marketing. By leveraging National Student Clearinghouse data and integrating it into Slate, Montclair isn’t just re-engaging stop-outs—they’re stealing market share and rewriting program value props with clarity and confidence. From “spring-back” campaigns to faculty-drive...

Search marketing isn’t what it used to be, and in higher ed, that opens the door to new possibilities. In this episode, Sarah Russell , Vice President of Marketing at Education Dynamics , joins Allison to explore how AI is reshaping the way prospective students search for and engage with colleges and universities. From Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) to the rise of zero-click search, S...

Allison Turcio dives into a fascinating panel discussion from EduWeb 2025 featuring the real decision-makers in college admissions: parents, school counselors, and high school teachers. They revealed how students actually search for schools, what turns families off immediately, and what colleges must do better when it comes to communication, transparency, and retention. - - - - Connect With Our Ho...

In this recap episode from EduWeb Summit 2025, host Allison Turcio shares a transformational case study from Vermont Law and Graduate School that proves why authenticity—not polish—is the future of higher ed marketing. Struggling with brand confusion after adding new grad programs, the school found itself drifting from its core identity. The turning point? A bold shift back to its mission, its stu...

Reporting from eduWeb Summit 2025, Allison Turcio unpacks groundbreaking research presented by Faton Sopa of Manaferra — research that redefines how students actually search for colleges in today’s digital-first landscape. Spoiler alert: the traditional enrollment funnel is officially broken. From anonymous, omnichannel discovery journeys to the increasing influence of AI and TikTok on college dec...

Recorded live from the eduWeb Summit 2025, Allison Turcio breaks down insightful research shared by Grant De Roo of ADV Market Research and Kristen Lainsbury, VP for Communications and Marketing at Bates College. The focus? Brand clarity in higher education—and how it significantly affects enrollment, retention, and even your discount rate. If your marketing still leans heavily on community messag...

In this special EDU Web Summit 2025 takeaway, Allison breaks down one of the most buzzworthy sessions of the conference — Boston University’s Metropolitan College’s SEO-savvy content strategy. Discover how they turned old newsletters and student spotlights into a powerhouse enrollment marketing tool that’s winning Google’s AI Overview and influencing prospective students to take action. This episo...

What if your most effective recruitment tool starts with a microphone? In this episode, Dr. Chris Lewis , Director of Graduate Programs at the University of Michigan-Flint and host of Victors in Grad School , shares how a grassroots podcast grew into a strategic enrollment asset. Chris walks us through how the show evolved into a multi-touchpoint engagement tool that supports prospective students,...

Allison takes listeners behind the scenes at the Engage Summit 2025 and breaks down a powerful insight from Mallory Willsea’s session. From the rise of ChatGPT-powered college research to the blunt, late-night questions students won’t ask on tours, this episode unpacks how Gen Z and Gen Alpha are redefining how they engage with higher ed—and what enrollment marketers must do now to meet them where...

Your website isn’t just a digital brochure. It’s your most powerful marketing asset. In this episode, Brittney Miller (Director of Communications and Marketing) and Britt Heppler (Digital Media Specialist) from Angelo State University join Allison to share how they turned underperforming academic program pages into high-converting recruitment tools. They break down the strategy, collaboration, and...

Allison dives into a powerful session recap from the Engage Summit, spotlighting a thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Matthew Winn and JC Bonilla . The episode, titled “Do We Have an AI Problem or a Culture Problem in Enrollment?” , unpacks the real obstacles preventing effective AI integration on campuses—and it’s not what most assume. Instead of a tech challenge, Winn and Bonilla argue, hig...

Coming to you live from Engage Summit 2025, Allison distills the must-know takeaways from Kosmas Karadimitriou’s opening keynote on the evolving role of AI in higher education. From redefining AI as a teammate to using it to enhance yield, student support, and team collaboration, this episode is packed with actionable insights for enrollment leaders and marketers looking to stay ahead of the AI cu...

Parents aren’t just supporting players in the college search — they're often leading the charge, especially when it comes to finances. In this episode, Will Geiger , Co-founder and CEO of Scholarships360 , joins Allison to talk about why parent engagement is no longer optional and how institutions can better meet parents where they are. From practical communication strategies to demystifying finan...

Melt season is fueled by mission, but often fueled by too much hustle. In this final installment of The Melt Season Playbook, Allison tackles a common challenge: how to support every student without running your team into the ground. The answer? Using AI to scale what’s already working. From turning counselor notes into personalized follow-ups, to helping your team embrace low-lift AI strategies,...

What happens when a university blog stops talking about itself and starts answering the real questions students are asking? In this episode, Allison sits down with Mary Flagg Lewis and Samantha McGill from the University of Pittsburgh to explore how Pitt’s blog evolved from a simple FAQ hub into a powerful, student-centered content strategy. You’ll hear how they use data, AI, and student personas...

In this episode of The Melt Season Playbook series, Allison explores how AI can help enrollment marketers communicate with more empathy, creativity, and strategic intent during melt season. From writing warmer nudges to supporting nervous parents, this episode is packed with practical ways to improve your student and family outreach—without losing your human touch. Whether you're staring at a blan...

How do you triple your lead generation while cutting costs in half? In this episode, Jeff Holeman from the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business reveals how his team transformed their paid lead generation strategy — leading to a 300% increase in leads and a 50% drop in costs. Jeff also shares insights on balancing automation with human oversight and building an effective lead enga...