Case Study
Doubling Enrollment & Achieving 3X Higher Yield with Raftr at Saint Louis University, Madrid
Discover how SLU-Madrid leveraged Raftr’s YieldRaiser solution to dramatically boost enrollment yields, secure tuition revenue, and more than double enrollment since launch.
3X
Higher Yield Among Raftr Users
95%
Enrollment of Students Whose Parents Engaged
118
Additional Students Retained in One Cycle
Institution:
Saint Louis University, Madrid
SLU-Madrid sought out a campus app to support their digital efforts, and chose to deploy two Raftr communities: one for admitted students and another for their parents & family members
Solutions:
Raftr YieldRaiser
Raftr FamilyConnect
Key Features Used:
- 1:1 & Group Messaging
- Resource Hub
- Insights
On-Demand Webinar
Building a 5-Year Roadmap for Sustainable Enrollment Growth at SLU-Madrid
Quick Navigation:
The Task
Since partnering with Raftr in 2021, the team at Saint Louis University, Madrid (SLU-Madrid), has been working hard to improve yield and reduce melt—especially among international students navigating long-distance transitions and cross-border complexities.
Like many global campuses, the team at SLU-Madrid needed to create a more engaging, student-first digital experience.
Not only that, it needed to successfully build meaningful connections among admitted students before they arrived on campus.
Additionally, the team at SLU-Madird sought tools to reduce repetitive inquiries and staff burden, and streamline essential communications.
“We’ve come a long way with Raftr in a very short time! After the first call with Raftr, I was excited about the possibilities of using the app, but also a bit daunted by the amount of work involved. But Raftr’s support throughout the process allowed us to set up our communities effectively with hands-on guided implementation help.“
Heidi Buffington,
Director of Admissions
SLU, Madrid
Implementation
The Saint Louis, Missouri-based university with a campus in Madrid, Spain prides itself on being the “American University in Spain,” delivering a world-class education that expands students’ cultural horizons. The Jesuit university is home to 900 students from the U.S., Spain and 50+ other countries, including a combination of short-term study abroad students and four-year degree seeking students.
SLU-Madrid has created a digital space where incoming students connect early, stay engaged, and receive critical updates in the formats they prefer.
In the most recent 2023–24 cycle, they saw a yield rate 3X higher among Raftr users (26.7%) compared to non-users (8.9%).
If Raftr students had yielded at the institutional average, SLU would have lost 118 enrolled students—a significant financial and strategic setback. Instead, Raftr’s community helped facilitate smoother transitions, real engagement, and stronger enrollment decisions.
Additionally, 95% of families who activated accounts had students who enrolled.
Looking ahead, the team at SLU-Madrid plans to continue leveraging Raftr as a core part of their enrollment and retention strategy—ensuring admitted students remain engaged, informed, and confident in their decision to enroll.
By placing students at the center of the yield experience, SLU-Madrid has built a model of enrollment growth, retention, and engagement that delivers measurable ROI and long-term value.
Sustained use of Raftr will help the university maintain these strong outcomes year over year, even as student expectations and enrollment challenges continue to evolve.
Results
3X
Higher yield among raftr users
92%
Activation rate
within the first 3 weeks
1,914
Total sessions logged by Raftr users
7 mins+
Avg session
duration
2X
Enrollment over 5 years
1.9K+
Total sessions
Final Thoughts
By introducing both an admitted students & a parent community, the team at SLU-Madrid was able to:
- Integrate and expand upon existing admissions strategies
- Connect students to campus life early on prior to the decision period
- Extend student & family reach to share necessary resources during the admissions process
- Empower admissions leaders and counselors with tools to help save time
- Provide dynamic omni-channel communication among current and admitted students