Why some applicants enroll while others scroll | The generation that changed faster than admissions | Akos Kiraly, SRH Higher Education

Why some applicants enroll while others scroll | The generation that changed faster than admissions | Akos Kiraly, SRH Higher Education

Every admissions team is working hard. But somewhere between the first inquiry and enrollment, students disappear. This conversation is about why that happens, and what the institutions getting it right are doing differently. EdTech and Pancakes is a podcast by DreamApply about admissions, student recruitment, and the trends reshaping higher education. In this episode, Razmik Sargsyan sits down with Akos Kiraly, Prokurist at SRH Higher Education, one of the leading providers of private higher education in Germany and the Netherlands, serving over 23,000 students across five universities and more than 100 study programs. Akos has spent 15 years on both sides of international student recruitment. He came to Germany as an international student himself and now leads international growth strategy for one of Germany's largest private university groups. SRH has been a DreamApply partner for several years, and in this conversation Akos speaks from direct experience about what works, what doesn't, and what most institutions are still getting wrong. TOPICS COVERED 00:00 A glimpse of the episode02:11 Welcome and introduction04:37 The SRH merger: what changed overnight for admissions07:08 How DreamApply supported the merger through co-creation11:18 Every intake is almost a new generation14:43 How global instability is reshaping student psychology15:44 From the Big 4 to the Big 14: Germany's moment19:14 What today's applicants actually want as proof of ROI25:30 Domestic vs international students: different recruitment principles27:21 When marketing brings the lead and admissions closes it28:44 Education has the value of a car — and should be treated like it31:09 The 3 KPIs admissions and marketing teams must align on33:09 Focus groups: the most underused tool in higher education34:12 How SRH uses DreamApply and what co-creation really means36:32 How to get the most out of your admissions system39:40 What takes most time in admissions and how technology helps42:06 AI in admissions: putting handcuffs on the right decisions42:36 Why consistency across 12 to 15 months matters more than most think44:06 The applicant launching 5 to 7 applications simultaneously45:06 Word of mouth starts at the application stage47:45 What most admissions leaders won't admit about their role in sales52:02 Automation vs personalization: how to combine both57:00 What Akos wishes he had known 10 years ago59:16 Exporting German higher education: a new way to think about growth01:00:22 Closing reflections RESOURCES Request your free Smart Admissions Plan:https://www.dreamapply.com/personalized-admissions-plan?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=akos_kiraly [https://www.dreamapply.com/personalized-admissions-plan?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=akos_kiraly] Book a demo:https://www.dreamapply.com/request-a-demo?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=akos_kiraly [https://www.dreamapply.com/request-a-demo?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=akos_kiraly] Explore case studies:https://www.dreamapply.com/case-studies?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=akos_kiraly [https://www.dreamapply.com/case-studies?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=akos_kiraly] Read the blog:https://www.dreamapply.com/blog?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=akos_kiraly [https://www.dreamapply.com/blog?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=akos_kiraly] ABOUT DREAMAPPLY Founded in 2011 in Estonia, DreamApply seeks to simplify the admissions process for educational institutions and millions of applicants globally. More than 300 educational institutions in more than 40 countries have benefited from DreamApply's application management software to improve admissions and related processes. DreamApply's easy-to-use and customizable software is known to increase international student enrollment by 50% and reduce application processing time by 40% on average. With features designed with and for educational institutions, and integrations with commonly used systems, DreamApply empowers teams to get more done with less effort.

Automate the routine, focus on what matters | Student recruitment lessons from France | Isidora Andjus, École Polytechnique

In this episode of EdTech & Pancakes, host Razmik Sargsyan speaks with Isidora Andjus, Senior Talent Acquisition Advisor at École Polytechnique, one of France's most prestigious engineering schools and one of DreamApply's latest partners. Isidora shares what student recruitment looks like at an institution where selectivity is the strategy, and candidates are C-level executives with nearly two decades of professional experience. The conversation covers the challenges of recruiting a niche, high-value audience, the importance of a fluid and personalized admissions process, and why Isidora's closing advice applies to any admissions professional regardless of country: automate what you can, and put your human energy where only you can make a difference. If you work in admissions or student recruitment and are looking to streamline your process, DreamApply offers a free Personalized Admissions Plan to help you identify the most impactful improvements for your specific context. DreamApply works with partners across 40+ countries, including France. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:53 Isidora's journey and role at École Polytechnique 05:40 Day-to-day work and primary challenges 10:18 Mistakes to avoid in international student recruitment 16:36 Qualities of an effective international student recruiter 18:27 How and why École Polytechnique chose DreamApply 23:17 The most surprising benefit of DreamApply 25:27 What makes student recruitment in France unique 28:39 Advice for institutions looking to streamline admissions 31:15 One insight to walk away with Request a free demo: https://www.dreamapply.com/request-a-demo?utm_source=Spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=podcast Get a free Personalized Admissions Plan: https://www.dreamapply.com/personalized-admissions-plan?utm_source=Spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=podcast More podcast episodes: https://www.dreamapply.com/podcast?utm_source=Spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=podcast --- Dans cet épisode d'EdTech & Pancakes, Razmik Sargsyan s'entretient avec Isidora Andjus, Senior Talent Acquisition Advisor à l'École Polytechnique, l'une des grandes écoles les plus prestigieuses de France et l'un des derniers partenaires de DreamApply. Isidora partage ce que représente le recrutement étudiant dans un établissement où la sélectivité est au coeur de la stratégie, avec des promotions limitées à 36 participants et des candidats dirigeants avec près de vingt ans d'expérience. La conversation aborde les défis du recrutement d'un public de niche à haute valeur, l'importance d'un processus fluide et personnalisé, et pourquoi le conseil final d'Isidora s'applique à tout professionnel de l'admission: automatisez ce qui peut l'être, et concentrez votre énergie là où vous seul pouvez faire la différence. DreamApply propose un Plan d'Admission Personnalisé gratuit pour vous aider à identifier les améliorations les plus impactantes pour votre contexte. DreamApply collabore avec des partenaires dans plus de 40 pays, dont la France. Plan d'Admission Personnalisé gratuit: https://www.dreamapply.com/personalized-admissions-plan?utm_source=Spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=podcast Demandez une démo gratuite: https://www.dreamapply.com/request-a-demo?utm_source=Spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=podcast

The technology of high-performing admissions | Pitfalls and possibilities for educational institutions | Lauri Elevant, DreamApply Co-Founder and CTO

In this episode of EdTech & Pancakes, host Razmik Sargsyan speaks with Lauri Elevant, Chief Technical Officer and Co-founder of DreamApply. As DreamApply marks its 15th anniversary, they discuss the platform’s evolution and how it currently supports educational institutions with different needs: increasing qualified applicants, managing high-volume admissions and dealing with other marketing and student recruitment pain points.Drawing on DreamApply's experience with 300+ educational institutions in over 40 countries, Lauri shares practical principles and advice on the technology of admissions that the higher ed community can apply in 2026. The CTO also explains DreamApply’s careful approach to AI and how it manifests in DreamApply's new feature, the AI Highlighter. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙩 1: 𝙈𝙤𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙣 𝙖𝙙𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 00:00 Lauri Elevant and 15 years of building admissions tech 01:03 The origin and evolution of DreamApply 03:30 DreamApply's applicant-focused approach 05:43 Sense of mission in the DreamApply team 06:49 "We can't fail them": deadlines and last-day submissions 09:04 Equality and access to education as motivation for team DreamApply 10:17 DreamApply's software and what problems it solves in 2026 10:51 2 kinds of educational institutions and their priorities 11:47 What all universities and DreamApply clients have in common 13:24 DreamApply's priority with new clients: help save time first, then streamline more 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙩 2: 𝙄𝙣𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙦𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙨 16:41 3 layers to increasing qualified applicants 17:01 Layer 1: reduce the chance of losing high-value applicants 17:43 Layer 2: address the attention span of applicants 18:35 Remove friction for applicants and smoothen their ride 19:37 Layer 3: marketing tools and meaningful analytics 20:37 Cost and source per successful candidate, not clicks or vanity metrics 21:38 Integrating DreamApply with offline campaigns 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙩 3: 𝙃𝙞𝙜𝙝-𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙢𝙚 𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 22:38 Saving time in high-volume and high-pressure contexts 23:17 Staying fair to applicants while automating workflows 24:14 The logic of objective ranking and scoring algorithms 25:44 The video interview solution 26:25 Keeping admissions teams in power and solving the quota problem 28:16 Hybrid approach: bulk vs. live admissions 29:17 Post-evaluation communication with different applicants 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙩 4: 𝘾𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙙𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 30:48 Personalized solutions for different educational institutions 32:57 How DreamApply features are made with and for universities 35:38 Navigating the technological limitations of old systems 38:17 The role of setup managers in ensuring adoption success 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙩 5: 𝘼𝙄 𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨, 𝘿𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢𝘼𝙥𝙥𝙡𝙮'𝙨 𝘼𝙄 𝙝𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙚𝙧 40:32 What's most misunderstood about admissions by the higher ed community ? 41:40 Lauri's concerns about premature use of AI in admissions: signal vs. noise 43:42 The risk of fraud and impertinence of motivation letters 46:22 Positive possibilities of AI in admissions with proper guardrails 48:00 DreamApply's new tool: the AI Highlighter 48:30 How the name "highlighter" carries DreamApply's AI philosophy 50:17 Putting "handcuffs" on AI for objectiveness and legal reasons 50:56 Multiple ways to increase accuracy 57:51 How to use AI as a force multiplier for smart teams 1:01:13 What the AI Highlighter makes it possible for DreamApply users? 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 1:07:38 What is Lauri most excited about in terms of DreamApply's journey in 2026 1:12:55 CTO's advice: choose stability over revolution 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼 👉 https://www.dreamapply.com/?utm_source=Spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=podcast #EdTech #Admissions #HigherEducation #StudentRecruitment #AI #DreamApply #AdmissionsManagement

"Admissions can’t take months anymore” | A Dean’s Perspective | Swiss Business School | Dr. Bert Wolfs

Admissions can’t take months anymore. Students expect clarity fast. In this episode of EdTech and Pancakes, Dr. Bert Wolfs, Academic Dean of SBS Swiss Business School, explains why traditional admissions timelines no longer match student expectations and how universities can adapt to stay competitive in a global market.We discuss the future of international higher education, the rise of “educational shopping,” shifting student behavior, AI readiness in universities, the role of data in enrollment decisions, and what an entrepreneurial mindset looks like inside admissions teams. This episode also touches on resilience, mental well-being, skill gaps, intrapreneurship, and other topics.SBS Swiss Business School is part of DreamApply’s global community of institutions optimizing their admissions workflows with DreamApply's software. Dr. Wolfs shares how SBS uses DreamApply not only to manage applications, but to understand where students struggle, improve communication, and make data-driven enrollment decisions. This conversation is relevant for admissions directors, international offices, enrollment managers, higher education strategists, EdTech professionals and enthusiasts who want practical insights into faster, clearer and more student-centered admissions. ⸻ About DreamApply Founded in 2011 in Estonia, DreamApply seeks to simplify the admissions process for educational institutions and millions of applicants globally.More than 300 educational institutions in more than 40 countries have benefited from DreamApply’s application management software to improve admissions and related processes. DreamApply’s easy-to-use and customizable software is known to increase international student enrollment by 50% and reduce application processing time by 40% on average. With features designed with and for educational institutions, and integrations with commonly used systems, DreamApply empowers teams to get more done with less effort. ⸻ Want a more efficient and student-friendly admissions strategy? 👉 Get a free Smart Admissions Plan: https://www.dreamapply.com/personalized-admissions-plan/ 🌍 Learn more about DreamApply: https://www.dreamapply.com 📆 Book a free demo: https://www.dreamapply.com/request-a-demo ⸻ Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Dr. Bert Wolfs, Academic Dean of SBS 01:42 How did you move from corporate life into academia? 04:21 What defines SBS Swiss Business School and what makes it distinct? 06:27 How international higher education will evolve in the next decade 12:15 What universities should understand about AI and accuracy 14:39 Biggest mistakes in admissions management 17:01 Attraction vs conversion: where educational institutions lose applicants 21:13 What today’s applicants are really looking for 26:47 How AI and automation will influence graduate career paths 29:30 Intrapreneurship vs entrepreneurship for future talent 32:20 What an entrepreneurial mindset means for admissions and enrollment teams 33:55 The strategic importance of DreamApply for Swiss Business School 35:32 How to use DreamApply beyond application processing 38:01 Which parts of admissions will change most in the next 5 years 39:07 The role of technology in ensuring resilience for educational institutions 42:13 Principles for strategic automation 44:07 If you could impose one rule on higher education 45:00 Final advice: Dr. Wolfs recommends DreamApply #higered #admssions #switzerland #education #management #productivity #software #studentrecruitment #enrollment #studentenrollment #DreamApply #edtech #internationaleducation #podcast #tips

Success without stress | Principles for a modern admissions leader | Corvinus University

What does it take to succeed in international admissions while staying grounded? In this episode of EdTech & Pancakes, recorded at Corvinus University of Budapest, we speak with Viktória Kulman-Bundy, International Student Recruitment Executive, and Adriana Villalobos, International Admissions Executive. Together, we explore their personal journeys, how their roles complement each other, and what it really takes to attract the right students — while staying collaborative and purpose-driven in an evolving higher education landscape. They also reflect on the behind-the-scenes complexity of student recruitment and admissions, the importance of team dynamics, and how tools like DreamApply help simplify communication and streamline processes for both students and staff. If you work in student recruitment, international admissions, or higher education marketing, this episode is for you. Segments 00:00 Intro 00:30 Introduction to the podcast guests 02:06 From an international student to an international recruiter 03:38 What’s misunderstood about working in admissions 10:30 Why tools like DreamApply are essential for modern admissions teams 12:12 Why Hungary and Corvinus attract international students 15:03 How to boost efficiency and save time in admissions management 16:30 Prioritizing well-being as a productivity hack 18:27 Final tips for admissions and higher ed professionals 📌 Learn more about DreamApply, book a free demo, explore case studies, blogs, podcast episodes and more at https://www.dreamapply.com/ 💡 Want small changes that lead to big admissions results? Request a Smart Admissions Plan, a resource packed with actionable tips and insights tailored for busy admissions teams. https://www.dreamapply.com/smart-admissions-plan/ ⸻ #EdTech #HigherEducation #StudentRecruitment #AdmissionsStrategy #DreamApply #InternationalAdmissions #UniversityMarketing #AdmissionsLeadership #DigitalAdmissions #EdTechAndPancakes