The Blog
Whether you're just starting or scaling, the trends, tips, and to-dos to improve your parent engagement strategy.
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Five myths families busted about AI
With more than 170,000 Family AI Assistant messages across 275 college this summer, we learned a thing or two about how families really engage with AI.
AI for Family Engagement in Higher Education: What Comes Next?
How can colleges meet rising family expectations for timely support? Discover CampusESP’s thoughtful approach to AI-powered family engagement.
Your month-to-month roadmap for family communication
We’ve analyzed engagement data from more than 18 million clicks from families using CampusESP in order to understand what information they need – and when. Consider this your Roadmap for Family Communication.
A practical guide to scaling family engagement with campus partners, AI, and CampusESP
Texas Tech University and Webster University scaled family engagement year-round without adding more work to already stretched teams. Learn how campus partners, ready-to-use content, AI, and discussion boards made it possible.
The enrollment signal your team is missing: Parent Promoter Score™
Parent Promoter Score™ elevates the most engaged parents, so you can focus on the students most likely to move through the funnel. Parents in the top quartile of engagement are 3x more likely to have a student enroll!
Prospective parent content playbook: What to send and when to send it.
Prospective families want information, and studies show that providing it to them proactively can help boost application and yield rates. But what exactly should you be sending them? We analyzed communications across the enrollment cycle from 30 schools to find out.
4 top takeaways from the 2026 CampusESP Summit
Summit 2026 is a wrap! 156 attendees from 104 institutions descended on Philadelphia for two days of customer stories, peer swapping, and straight talk about what's working in family engagement. From AI assistants fielding 3am parent questions to schools finally fixing their clunkiest processes, here are the four takeaways worth borrowing for your own campus.
Your ultimate guide to managing Family Weekend
Planning Family Weekend? We know it’s not all smiles and selfies—behind the scenes, it’s a full-blown production! From getting the word out to managing check-ins and everything in between, pulling off a smooth Family Weekend takes serious hustle. Check out how CampusESP makes it easier to plan, promote, and actually enjoy one of your campus’s biggest events.
Your new parent orientation playbook
Orientation is a high-impact moment for families, but it can also be overwhelming. FSU turned three days of information into a lasting resource with their New Nole Orientation Hub, extending support well beyond move-in.
Summer Toolkit: Your guide to decreasing student melt
One of the best ways to ensure your newly deposited incoming class makes it to their first class? Keep in touch with their families this summer. Our guide takes you step by step through when, why, and how.
The top family engagement resources of 2025 … it’s CampusESP Wrapped!
How did 450+ colleges and universities use CampusESP to engage millions of families this year … and what were the amazing results they achieved? Find it all in our recap of the top resources, features, and success stories!
First-gen families: Support from day one
Early communication sets the tone for first-gen success. See how Montclair State University and Southern Oregon University are making thoughtful, strategic shifts in communication that help first-gen support feel personal, accessible, and culturally aware.
The missing piece in your enrollment funnel: Parent contact data
Parents play a major role in enrollment decisions, yet most institutions don’t engage them early enough. Discover eight proven ways to collect parent contact information sooner and turn early inclusion into real enrollment impact.
Florida Atlantic University is the first to launch student orientation registration in CampusESP
FAU launched a new orientation reservation system for students and families in just 4 weeks and achieved a 21% increase in reservations within the first two weeks.
AI and The Future of Family Engagement
AI talk is everywhere in higher ed. And yeah, it can sound like one more complicated, overwhelming thing on your plate. But here’s the good news: AI doesn’t have to be intimidating. In fact, it can actually make your life easier and your family engagement efforts stronger.
Cut through the FAFSA confusion: Strategies to support families
This year’s FAFSA is smoother but success depends on more than system updates. Collaboration and consistent communication are what help families feel confident, informed, and supported throughout one of higher education’s most stressful processes.
From recruit to retain: FAU’s blueprint for full-lifecycle family engagement
Families don’t care what office sends the email. And they shouldn’t have to. Every outreach from a college should feel like one voice: clear, consistent, and focused on student success.
Peak season playbook: Proven strategies to onboard first-year families
The summer before college is filled with questions for both students and their parents. That’s why the transition to college isn’t just about preparing students; it’s about equipping families with the information and support they need to guide them through it.
The power of personalization in recruitment and enrollment
Personalization can feel like an impossible task. You’re juggling shrinking teams, packed calendars, and a mile-long to-do list — do you really have time to tailor every message?
4 top takeaways from the 2025 CampusESP Summit
Last month, we welcomed hundreds of higher ed professionals to the 2025 CampusESP Summit. From campus collaborations to hyper-personalization with AI, these four takeaways show how institutions are turning ideas into action.