Aug. 25, 2025

From Vanity Metrics to Real Results: Rethinking Higher Ed Marketing

From Vanity Metrics to Real Results: Rethinking Higher Ed Marketing

In this eye-opening episode of The Enrollment Clinic, we sit down with Robert Kadar, Senior Director of Marketing at Yeshiva University, to challenge one of higher ed’s most sacred cows: the lead form. Robert reveals the data behind why 85–90% of enrolled students never filled one out — and why most universities are optimizing their digital marketing for the wrong audience.

We unpack:

  • The fatal flaw in most higher ed ad strategies

  • Why your lead gen obsession may be costing you quality applications

  • The shift from form-filling to intent-tracking

  • The overlooked power of audience targeting and landing page design

  • How to talk to your leadership team about ditching vanity metrics

If you’re in enrollment marketing, admissions, or digital strategy, this is a must-listen episode—time to stop chasing ghosts — and start optimizing for the students who actually enroll.