Case Study: Simmons College achieves higher-quality applicants and increased yield with Ruffalo Noel Levitz RNL Complete Enrollment™

Simmons College - Customer Case Study

Simmons College, a private liberal arts women’s college in Boston, faced an enrollment problem: an influx of inflated, incomplete applications that bogged down admissions staff and depressed yield. To move from generating raw application volume to recruiting genuinely interested applicants, Simmons partnered with Ruffalo Noel Levitz and implemented RNL Complete Enrollment—specifically RNL Demand Builder and RNL Applicant Cultivator.

Ruffalo Noel Levitz used predictive analytics, targeted search, surveying, and a customized fulfillment campaign to focus on high-propensity inquirers and manage application logistics. The results: inquiry-to-application rates more than doubled, the team identified the top 15% of inquirers who comprised nearly one-third of freshman enrollees, application completion rose from 73.9% (2014) to 86.1% (2016), yield increased from 15.0% to 22.4%, early-file completion hit 97%, the college met enrollment/SAT/diversity targets while enrolling its second-largest class, and the discount rate fell nearly one point.

Simmons College

John F. Dolan

Vice President of Enrollment Management