Indiana Tech Doubled Student Yield And Gave Staff 375 Hours Back. Here's How They Did It

In 2025, many university staff are under continuing pressure to do more with less. On any given day this can mean:

• less federal support
• fewer high school graduates entering the college pipeline
• smaller admissions teams
• tighter budgets
• declining public confidence in the value of a degree

Schools are having to quickly adapt and pivot during this very unpredictable time. And it's reminiscent of another challenging period in recent history: the pandemic.

One school that took the leap and switched to digital at that time was Indiana Tech. Their admissions team ditched traditional printed packets, replacing them with a mobile-first experience.

The result?

• 375 hours saved
• 29% cost reduction
• 105% increase in student yield

Here’s how they pulled it off and why their approach still holds up today.

The Challenge: Streamlining Admitted Students Day

Based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Indiana Tech serves approximately 1,400 undergraduate students and has hosted Admitted Students Day since 2015. However, the admissions department faced several challenges with their approach:

• High labor and time costs: Producing printed booklets required 400 hours of effort across five staff members from October to February.
• Inflexibility: Content finalized in January often required corrections, resulting in extra printed inserts.
• Rising costs: Printing booklets and envelopes reached $4,350 per event by 2020.
• Difficult user experience: Families struggled to share a single booklet and manage multiple papers during the event.
• Low student yield: Despite their efforts, the event’s yield hovered at 40%.

Today, these challenges are even more acute. With leaner teams and tighter timelines, few institutions can afford to spend hundreds of hours building materials students may never use.

The Solution: Build A University Event App With Guidebook

While attending an educational conference, the Indiana Tech admissions team experienced the ease of using a Guidebook-powered app for schedules and maps. Inspired by this, they decided to transition from printed booklets to a mobile app for their Admitted Students Day.

With no prior experience in app development, Indiana Tech launched their custom event app in 2021 using Guidebook’s easy-to use platform. The end result was a fully branded, mobile-first experience that transformed Admitted Students Day for students and the university.

What the App Delivered For Staff and Students

Indiana Tech's app didn’t just replace paper. It transformed how students and families moved through the day.

Here’s what it enabled:

Custom Schedules

The app provided families with personalized schedules, ensuring they had the most relevant session information at their fingertips.

Real-Time Updates

No more last-minute inserts or corrections. If something changed, the update was live in seconds.

Interactive Campus Maps

No more asking for directions or wandering halls. Families could navigate campus confidently using interactive digital maps.

Flexible Access

The app worked on every phone, and even via a web browser for those who preferred not to download.

Single Source of Truth

No paper stacks, no information gaps. Just clarity when students and families needed it.

Results: A 105% Increase in Admitted Student Yield and a Lot Less Stress

• 375 hours saved: Transitioning to the app reduced planning and execution time from 400 hours to just 25.
• 29% cost reduction: Indiana Tech saved four figures per event by cutting printing costs.
• 105% yield increase: Student yield from Admitted Students Day attendees rose from 40% to 82%.
• 128% influence increase: Admitted Students Day attendees now account for 32% of total enrollment, compared to 14% prior.

And for the admissions team? The time saved meant more energy for student engagement, follow-ups, and strategic planning (not formatting PDFs and stuffing envelopes).

→ Download the full Indiana Tech Case Study

Why This Still Matters In 2025

Admitted Students Day is no longer just a feel-good tradition. In a year like 2025, it’s a moment to:

• Rebuild confidence with families navigating the impact of Department of Education changes
• Combat melt in an uncertain enrollment climate
• Deepen early student engagement to drive yield
• Support small teams by cutting down on manual work
• Meet Gen Z (and soon Gen Alpha) with the tech experience they expect

Indiana Tech’s decision wasn’t about going digital for digital’s sake. It was about creating clarity, connection, and control at a time when families need all three.

Why Indiana Tech Chose (and Still Trusts) Guidebook For Their Admitted Students Day App

Guidebook's platform aligned perfectly with Indiana Tech's goals, offering:

• Ease of use: With no prior experience in app development, the team built and launched their app with Guidebook’s user-friendly, drag-and-drop interface.
• Cost savings: Digital guides were significantly cheaper than printed booklets.
• Flexibility: Real-time updates ensured families had accurate information throughout the event.
• Improved engagement: Families could access event details from their phones, creating a smoother experience.

Ready to Rethink Your Next Yield Event?

If you’re planning your next Admitted Students Day, orientation, or campus preview event, we’d love to help.

Guidebook makes it easy to build mobile-first experiences that help students feel informed and excited, while giving your team back the time and sanity they need. Come visit us at NACAC 2025 or book a demo with one of our product experts now.