How UVM Turned a Math Competition into a Powerful Enrollment Engine
With over 120,000 students and 38 campuses, UVM took a bold approach to attract future students. Discover how a creative online math challenge evolved into a modern enrollment funnel, connecting high school students to hybrid and online university programs.
Transforming Student Enrollment with Curiosity and Creativity
As one of Mexico’s largest and most innovative private universities, Universidad del Valle de México (UVM) is no stranger to scale. With thousands of new students enrolling every year, the university wanted to modernize how it guided applicants through its expanding hybrid and online programs.
But instead of relying solely on conventional outreach or advertising, UVM went a step further. It invited high schools across the country to participate in an online math competition — a fun and intellectually engaging way to spark curiosity and connect with future students.
This wasn’t just a contest. It was a strategic lead-generation initiative that allowed students to explore UVM’s programs naturally, get to know the campus culture, and begin their enrollment journey with confidence.
The Opportunity
UVM wanted to reach digitally native students in ways that felt relevant, personalized, and inspiring. By using an interactive math competition as the entry point, it attracted high-performing students while reinforcing UVM’s academic strength and forward-thinking approach.
This initiative required a funnel that could:
Adapt based on student profiles, locations, and interests
Showcase UVM’s academic programs in context — right after the competition
Enable students to begin their application seamlessly
Provide visibility into every step of the journey, from competition to confirmed enrollment
The Solution
We helped UVM design a smart, modular onboarding funnel that began where students were most engaged: the competition itself.
Once students completed the challenge, the funnel adapted dynamically — presenting them with tailored academic paths, application steps, and required documentation. Smart forms guided students with real-time validations and contextual support, reducing errors and boosting completion rates.
Applicants could track their progress, upload documents, and receive timely notifications as they advanced through the enrollment process. University staff had real-time visibility into applicant status and could move swiftly across departments to process submissions.
The Outcome
The math competition provided UVM with a differentiated lead-generation tool that sparked genuine engagement. More than just collecting names, it offered students a meaningful reason to connect with the university and continue their journey.
The onboarding funnel that followed was designed to meet this momentum — clear, personalized, and scalable. It improved the enrollment experience for both students and staff while reinforcing UVM’s identity as an institution that values innovation and academic excellence.
We wanted to stand out — not just with technology, but with the kind of experience that reflects who we are as a university. This competition and the onboarding platform helped us do that.
- UVM Marketing & Admissions Lead
Powered by CXF
With CXF’s composable framework, UVM created an onboarding journey that combines creativity, personalization, and performance — laying the foundation for future engagement across channels and student profiles.
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What Went Into It
This onboarding initiative was built on several key CXF capabilities:
- Funnel Builder: Custom flows triggered from campaign-based participation (like the math contest)
- Workflow Automations: Streamlined internal review across departments
- Real-Time Progress Tracking: For students and administrators
- Magic Link Login: Secure, passwordless access to continue onboarding steps