Several months after Ripon College admissions leaders enacted a new strategy focused on personalized campus visits, as covered in Taking a Different Route, early results suggest the approach is paying off, despite the initial controversy.
In fall 2025, a new cohort of Admissions Office staff, led by Director of Recruitment and Graduate Admissions Kristen Brown, Vice President of Enrollment Kimberly Zimmerman, and Admissions Visits & Events Coordinator Anna Kohls, helped roll out the new tour, which wasn’t received well on campus but returning students. With the elimination stops on the tour at Student Support Services (SSS) and the Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI), many were under the impression that the places would not be shown.
But that was a misconception.
“We knew we needed to create more meaningful touchpoints,” Brown said. “We were looking at the data, and seeing a return rate that wasn’t okay… With the fall visits, we want to make something that is custom to the student, and should they choose to return, which we hope they do, we will be able to show those areas [SSS and CDI].”
At the heart of this new strategy is a simple but powerful data point: students who visit campus are at 34% higher change for attending Ripon College, compared to just 1% for students who never set foot on campus. Admissions staff say that the likelihood increases even further when students visit multiple times, visit after admission, or return after receiving a financial aid package.
Compared to the previous recruitment cycle, the Admissions Office self-reported:
- An 11% increase in admitted students completing a campus visit
- A 19% rise in post-visit survey participation (with all feedback reported as positive)
- Encouraging reviews from Student Ambassadors hosting visitors
- Growth in non-athlete campus visitors
- Multiple students scheduling return visits
While full data on spring return visits won’t be available until summer, since many families plan months in advance, admissions leaders say early patterns are promising.
“There’s a delayed effect with visits,” Brown said. “Students are still scheduling, especially for spring. But everything we’re seeing suggests this is the right long-term approach.”
Kohls agreed, adding, “I know that when I visited, I can still remember the friendly interactions on campus. We are trying to capture that … making sure everyone knows that there are tour options and making enough of a difference with option 1 in the fall and option 2 in the spring.”
But in terms of results, as of the census, the previous class reflects “both stability and diversity,” per the Admissions Office. (See Figure 1)
(Photo Courtesy of Admission Office)
Admissions leaders say the class profile reinforces the importance of personal connection in a competitive higher education landscape, and Ripon stands out for making each visit to campus feel different for prospective students.
When the college shifted its recruitment philosophy last year, the goal was not immediate spikes, but sustainable growth through deeper engagement. Now, with measurable increases in campus visits and positive student response, admissions staff say that the shift appears to be gaining traction.
As of Feb. 28, in President Victoria Folse’s Monthly Report to the Ripon College community via email, “While total applications are down 9% (171 apps), this aligns with a deliberate shift toward targeted growth. We are seeing significant gains in key demographics, including female-identifying students, students of color, non-athlete prospects, and local students within 200 miles. These trends reflect the success of our EAB partnership, the expanded Ripon Commitment, and our Direct Admit programs. Additionally, we will continue to work to increase our application numbers.”
Final return-visit numbers will clarify the full impact later this year. But for now, admissions leaders remain optimistic.
“If students come to campus,” Zimmerman said, “they can see their future here. And that changes everything. But if we make that tour unique, that can help solidify it substantially.”
