What Drives the Student College Search_LP Graphic

LIVE WEBINAR

Today's college search begins earlier and looks different than before.

Enrollment leaders must understand how students approach their college search process before it's too late to influence student decisions. Students are weighing affordability, career outcomes, academic interests, and institutional fit well before most colleges formally engage them. New research suggests that by senior year, many students have already narrowed their options and established the criteria they'll use to make their final decision. Join Liaison experts and Anna Ragno, Assistant Vice President of Admissions at Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology, as they examine findings from the 2026 Student College Search Project, a study exploring how more than 13,000 prospective students search for colleges, evaluate value, and move through the decision-making process. We'll discuss what the data reveals about student priorities and how enrollment leaders can create more effective search, communication, and recruitment strategies in response.

Who Should Attend: Enrollment, admissions, recruitment, marketing, and institutional leaders seeking a deeper understanding of student decision-making and practical ideas for strengthening recruitment strategy.

Discover what students prioritize, when they make key decisions, and where institutions still have opportunities to influence enrollment outcomes.

Speakers

What_Drives_the_Student_College_Search_Headshot_Circular__Anna_Ragno[1]

Anna Ragno
Assistant Vice President of Admissions, Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology

Anna Ragno serves as an admissions leader at Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology, where she oversees admissions operations, enrollment communications, and strategic enrollment initiatives. With extensive experience in student recruitment, enrollment management, and higher education leadership, she is committed to improving access to education and enhancing the student experience from inquiry through enrollment. Anna is actively involved in professional organizations, including NYSACAC, and contributes to initiatives focused on admissions best practices, staff development, and student success. She is passionate about process improvement, data-informed decision-making, and building meaningful connections with students, families, and educational partners.

Stop Losing Students at Hello_Headshot Mollie Ballaro

Mollie Ballaro
Associate Vice President, Enrollment Marketing Account Management, Liaison

Mollie brings over 24 years of higher education experience across several institutions to the team. She served multiple institutions in the Western New York area in senior leadership roles as a Chief Enrollment Officer, Dean of Admissions, and Director of Admissions before joining the Liaison team in 2021. Her extensive background includes oversight of enrollment management, financial aid, domestic and international admissions, graduate and undergraduate admissions, admissions marketing, workforce development, and registrar services. Mollie's expertise focuses on enrollment marketing, recruitment communication strategy, funnel strategy and lead generation, and prospect management guidance. Mollie graduated from Canisius University with a Master of Science in Higher Education Student Affairs Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies.

What_Drives_the_Student_College_Search_Headshot_Circular_Daniel_Graves[1]

Daniel Graves
Search Solutions Manager, Liaison

Daniel is a higher education professional specializing in enrollment strategy and campaign optimization. As a former Assistant Director of Admissions at a private university, he gained experience in search strategy, enrollment marketing, and CRM management. Now, as Search Solutions Manager at Liaison, he leverages machine learning and data analytics to develop personalized outreach strategies for diverse institutions.