Southwest Baptist University is excited to announce a partnership with Niche and its Direct Admissions program as an innovative way to provide real-time acceptance
and scholarship offers to incoming undergraduate students interested in attending
the Bolivar campus.
“This is an incredible opportunity for SBU to reach an even broader range of students who will be great fits at our university,” said Brandt Merritt, vice president for enrollment and marketing. “Our team is excited to become a Niche partner and introduce our Christ-centered, caring community to more future Bearcats.”
Direct admissions programs are rapidly expanding across the country and increasing in popularity as more forward-thinking colleges like SBU look to provide students and families with a simplified process and to encourage more high school students to pursue higher education. Based on the information in their Niche Profile, high school seniors who meet the criteria for enrolling at SBU will immediately be notified that the university wants them to join its incoming class.
Every year, one in two college-bound seniors creates a profile on Niche, and over 50 million people annually rely on Niche to research and choose their best-fit college. With Niche Direct Admissions®, a TIMES 2024 Best Inventions winner, students who meet criteria set by the institutions can in real time see if they’ve been accepted, receive a scholarship offer, access detailed information about the institution, and initiate the enrollment process — all within their Niche account. Niche Direct Admissions enables colleges like SBU to extend their reach beyond traditional regions, helping students discover and connect with institutions outside their home state.
“Niche is changing how colleges connect with students and build their future classes,” says Luke Skurman, Founder and CEO of Niche. “By leveraging Niche Direct Admissions, admissions teams are equipped with an efficient, user-friendly way to meet students where they are, providing a modern experience that drives meaningful, measurable results.”
SBU has had three consecutive years of growth in its freshman class size on the Bolivar campus, and the addition of Niche will help the university continue that streak with the Fall 2025 class.
“Our admissions office has been working hard to move incoming freshmen from applicant to admitted student as quickly as possible so that they can begin receiving financial aid packages, attend our Scholars Days, and take the next step in their SBU journey,” Merritt said.
For students interested in learning more about Niche Direct Admissions, visit: niche.com/about/direct-admissions/.
ABOUT NICHE
Niche is changing how colleges connect with students and build their future classes. As the trusted partner to hundreds of colleges, Niche is helping higher education institutions across the country streamline operations, forge genuine connections with students and achieve their enrollment targets. Our nationally recognized Niche Direct Admissions program enables colleges to proactively accept qualified students based on their Niche Profile alone. Through real-time acceptance and scholarship opportunities, Niche Direct Admissions offers a modern experience for today’s students, resulting in more enrollments for college admissions teams. Learn more about how over 125 institutions are already leveraging Niche Direct Admissions.
Published on December 13, 2024