A re-envisioned UALR admissions site is being launched as recruiters hit the road to visit high schools around the state.

The site, which breaks down the application process into task-oriented areas, gives a prospective student the ability to explore UALR, schedule a tour, apply for a scholarship, and even complete the application for admission all from the same site.

The site is one of the first major student-centered initiatives for the department of digital strategy, which has a goal of restructuring several ualr.edu sites to bring the student experience to the forefront. That goal is part of the larger campus strategy to increase enrollment and retention numbers.

“We continue to formulate our digital assets around a student focus. We feel that our admissions site should center on engaging a student with the tasks that have to be completed to join us at the university,” digital strategy director Dan Shisler said. “We wanted to provide several contact points, event information, and ease of access to engage with our admissions team.”

With a renewed focus on recruitment, the digital team took its direction from Dr. Dean Kahler, vice chancellor for enrollment management, and Katie Young, director of admissions. Their vision for how prospective students engage with UALR through various touchpoints is based on an open arms philosophy where students are treated as important members of our university society and the realization of the need to communicate with with them on their terms and in an efficient manner.

From this admissions site at ualr.edu/admissions, users can self-select whether they are interested in information about UALR’s undergraduate or graduate programs. Alternatively, a user can choose a third path and still receive customized information that will help them through the application process.

New enhancements will continue to make for a more personalized user experience. For instance, when a prospective student selects an area of academic interest, the site can then adjust to display information about that academic area, including a link to that program’s site.

The new site, while not all-encompassing of Enrollment Management, does provide an overview of the admissions process and UALR’s pride points, from financial aid and scholarships, to academics, housing, and campus life. The welcoming tone and engaging multimedia pieces invite users to experience UALR in a new, exciting way while still providing the information needed to complete an admissions application.

“We wanted to iconify much of the navigation, and add the bright colors, which are complementary to our brand standard maroon, to reflect the new spirit that is evolving on campus about how much we appreciate our student customers,” Shisler said. “We hope this is a good first step in a complete redesign of how a student engages with us on ualr.edu.”