Best of CASE District VI Award
 

Institution: University of North Dakota

Title of entry: Admissions Admitted Student Packet

About this entry: One of the most awaited mailings for college-bound students is their acceptance packet. Our University of North Dakota acceptance packet had been similar for the past several years, but our Marketing team was tasked by Admissions to rethink the entire packet for the fall 2024 cycle. Admissions wanted to shift some funding historically used for the acceptance packet to create a new touchpoint for students who paid their confirmation deposit.

Beyond the cost-savings, we kept three additional goals in mind. First, build excitement around joining the UND Fighting Hawks family. Second, encourage students to post on social media. Third, provide students with their next steps to move from the admit stage to enrolled.

The new packet includes a branded envelope, the student’s official acceptance letter, a poster and checklist. The checklist and poster are nested together behind the acceptance letter. The poster's illustration completes missing elements from the checklist’s cover. When separated, the poster unfolds to reveal a “congrats” message, campus photo and UND Athletics logo to continue building brand affinity around an Athletics rebrand. Our goal is for students to use the #UNDproud hashtag on social media to celebrate being accepted to UND.

The redesign allowed Admissions to shift funds toward a new touchpoint while providing a unique item significant enough to be an impactful acceptance packet. From August to December 2023, our freshmen deposits were up 79% for fall 2024 compared to the previous year. That’s a notable trend given that many institutions are reporting enrollment declines.