NACAC 2025: Reimagining Student Engagement Through Mobile-First Storytelling

Why Campus Engagement Needs a Rethink

Today’s prospective students crave personalization, interactivity, and a sense of belonging long before decision day. Traditional campus tours and admissions brochures aren’t cutting it. According to NACAC’s 2024 State of College Admissions report, 74% of students said a campus visit influenced their final choice — but only 23% felt the visit experience was memorable. 

That’s where tools like Bandwango come in. Universities are launching mobile-first engagement passes that turn campus visits into immersive, gamified experiences — while collecting first-party data that helps admissions teams better understand and nurture prospects.

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Case Study: 97% Application Rate from Pass Users at UNR

At the University of Nevada, Reno, the admissions team partnered with Bandwango to offer a digital pass during campus visits. Students could check in at campus landmarks, watch embedded student story videos, and unlock exclusive perks.

Result: 97% of pass users went on to apply.‍

Not only did the pass increase application conversion, but it also gave the admissions team rich behavioral insights — like which buildings were most visited and which stories resonated most.

Read the full UNR case study

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Why Bandwango at NACAC 2025 Matters

We're heading to NACAC in Columbus, Ohio on September 18-20, 2025 because we believe that mobile experiences are the future of student recruitment. And we want to partner with forward-thinking admissions leaders who are ready to bring digital innovation to yield strategies, campus tours, and beyond.

Here’s what we’ll be showcasing:

• Live examples of admissions, tours, orientation passes and more
• Student story campaigns delivered through location-based check-ins
• Lead-gen opt-ins for Admissions follow-up
• Real-time analytics dashboards to achieve your ROI goals
• A scavenger hunt pass around NACAC / Columbus, Ohio

Find us on the NACAC floor (Booth 613) or schedule a meeting in advance → Book a time.

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Not Just for Prospects: Year-Round Use Cases

Our partners in higher ed are going beyond campus tours and using Bandwango for:

• Prospective Students - City Exploration, Savings/Discounts, Prize Giveaways, Group Tours, Scalable Engagement when the Admissions Office is Closed
• Current Students - New Student Orientation, 1st Year Tradition Passes
• Alumni - Homecoming & Alumni Weekends, Alumni Nostalgia Quiz Passes
• Fans - Engage community visitors to create new donor pipelines

Each pass can be customized, launched in days, and easily updated without tech support.

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Your NACAC 5-Step Playbook for Digital Engagement

1. Audit Your Campus Visit Experience: Is it interactive? Personalized? Memorable? Capturing the data you need?
2. Build a Digital Touchpoint for Prospects: Use a pass to guide, inspire, and collect data during in-person visits.
3. Integrate Stories and Authentic Voices: Embed video or audio clips from students, faculty, or alumni that reflect your brand.
4. Capture & Use First-Party Data: Collect opt-ins, track engagement, and sync with your CRM to nurture leads.‍
5. Optimize for Yield & Retention: Follow up with pass users and re-engage them throughout the funnel.

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Let’s Connect at NACAC‍

Whether you’re looking to boost yield, build brand affinity, or just deliver a better visit experience, Bandwango is ready to partner. Visit us at NACAC Booth 613 or book a strategy call today.