5 Tips to Get Students to Read SAP Emails

By: Dan Dreves, Director of School Partnerships, FATV

Are you concerned that your students are not reading their SAP emails? With just a little effort, you may be able to increase how many students read and comprehend this content. Here are some suggestions to enhance your communications to these students to change outcomes.

Create a subject line they’ll read. Don’t bore your students with too many details. Be succinct. Add a deadline. Make it look less like bulk email by personalizing it with their name if possible. Create a sense of urgency to make them want to read more.

EXAMPLE:
Jenny, you are on Financial Aid Warning!
Complete your SAP appeal by 6/30.
Read more to find out why you are disqualified from financial aid…

Keep it short. No one likes to get unsolicited emails, particularly if they have bad news. Cut to the chase. Explain explicitly why this student is not eligible, not all the reasons or possibilities. This may mean creating more email templates so that students who have reached their maximum time frame don’t also receive content about the GPA minimum standard.
Add a video. Students love multimedia. Add videos or infographics that explain a part of the content. An image or video can increase content while decreasing the amount of text.

Clearly state an action plan. Outline their next steps. If a disqualification notice, add the steps to complete an appeal. When sending a Financial Aid Warning notice, encourage them to access your student success resources to get back on track.

Show you care. Trust is key to how people receive information, especially in stressful situations. To establish trust quickly, show you care. Let them know your team and/or your school cares about their educational success.

EXAMPLE:
Centennial University is committed to your academic success and wants to help you realize your potential.
The Financial Aid Office at Centennial University believes in you. Let us know how we can help you reach your educational goal.

kristinh