Grow your
enrollment and retention and engagement and community

Burnout and disengagement are pressing problems

Increase student and staff engagement with the only platform consistently proven to boost enrollment, retention, and wellbeing.

Trusted by 225+ partners in Higher Education, College Access, Government, and Enterprise

HOW YOU SAY IT MATTERS

Backed by research

We’ve partnered with expert practitioners and leading researchers in cognitive science, emotional intelligence, and cultural context to develop customizable messaging proven to get results.

Hear

Listen and respond to your community’s needs at scale

Motivate

Proactively nudge learners to take the actions that matter most

Respond

Answer questions 24/7

What makes Mainstay different?

Today, there are so many communication platforms available that it can be hard to tell them apart. But sending reminders through a typical texting tool isn’t enough. Only Mainstay offers Artificial Intelligence chatbot technology that includes easy-to-use, research-backed messaging that is proven to get results and save you time.

1:06 am

Messages

Midterms are next week. This is a great time to prepare.

Don’t forget, Professor Smith is hosting a study session to help you prepare for the exam. It’s at March 3 at The Hub, room 305. I recommend going regardless of how much time you’ve spent studying so far, and don’t forget to bring any questions you have about the material!

Thanks, I’ll be there

AI-enabled engagement

Go beyond simple reminders and automated Q&A — create the change you want to see in your campus, without creating more work for your team. With Mainstay, you can take the pulse of community needs and reach out proactively at scale. Our AI handles the majority of inquiries, supporting learners with accurate answers tailored to their situation, 24/7. If learners need a little extra guidance, a human can jump in as needed.

1:06 am

Messages

I’m nervous about paying for school

Thank you for sharing this with me. Being nervous can be a sign that you care deeply about something.

I’m here to help! Which of the following do you want to learn more about:

1. Financial Aid
2. Scholarships
3. Work Study
4. Tuition Reimbursement
5. I want to talk to someone

A full year of content

When you don’t have time to invent the wheel, Mainstay has your back. Our ready-made content spans the full year, covering college access, enrollment, retention, academics, and stop outs — and it’s been proven to work for millions of learners. Other communication tools make you start from scratch, or only provide a limited set of automated answers to common questions.

1:06 am

Messages

School is really hard right now

I’m glad you shared this with me. Learning new things often comes with stress. And stress can give us the energy to push through challenges.

Understanding how you feel can help you take action. Which emotion is the closest to what you feel right now?

1. Excited
2. Nervous
3. Uncertain
4. Overwhelmed
5. Tired
6. Frustrated
7. Something else

Research-backed messaging

Mainstay is more than a chatbot — we set you up for success with AI messages and responses proven to spark positive behavior changes. Our content is created alongside expert researchers in mindset science, so you can drive the outcomes you want for your organization.

Mainstay’s platform is designed to guide learners to answers, reply with an empathetic response and build the trust needed to help them take advantage of the resources available.

1:06 am

Messages

I'm going through a hard time right now because I'm at a school where people want to party 24/7. I feel like I'm the only one prioritizing school. I always feel alone and sad.

That sounds really tough. it's hard to feel like you're the only one who want to focus on school. It's normal to feel lonely and sad if you're in that situation. Have you talked to your parents or a teacher about how you feel?

Mainstay

I don't want anyone to worry about me, but maybe I can talk to someone.

Channels we offer

To engage students and staff most effectively, meet them where they are. Mainstay connects you to learners through a web bot embedded on your website plus the text messaging app they already use every day. There’s no need for them to install a new app or tool — which means higher response rates and greater engagement.

A consultative approach

No matter your goals — or the challenges you face in reaching them — we can help. Our team of experts take a consultative approach and partner with you to engage students and deliver real results on the metrics that matter most to your students, your staff, and your institution. You’re in the driver’s seat, and we’re here to make our extensive learnings and proven processes work for you. We can run your bot for you in close collaboration with your team, or help you dig in and manage the details yourself.

Trusted by leaders.
Loved by learners.

"Mainstay is much more than a chatbot. It is an engagement platform backed by cutting-edge behavioral intelligence research."

Katie Condon, M.A.

Assistant Vice President of Enrollment Affairs
University of West Florida

"Thank you for all of your help with this process. I didn't have anyone in my life to help me out so this really made a huge difference with getting into college, and now I'm going to my dream school in my dream city :)"

Hannah

Student

"We built organic trust with students and (Mainstay) played a big part in that trust factor."

Dr. Christopher Smith

Executive Director of Enrollment Management & New Student Engagement
Kansas State University Polytechnic

"It frees up our time and allows us to have more in-depth and complex conversations that really do require human interaction."

Sheenah Hartigan

Director of Enrollment services
Ocean County College

"The AI-enhanced coach that we launched in partnership with Mainstay has helped us improve student outcomes and close equity gaps without increasing the workload of our advisors."

Tim Renick

Executive Director, National Institute for Student Success at Georgia State University

"Mainstay supports me as a Director and makes it a point to communicate with my staff on a regular basis to help us execute our ideas. I believe our ability to utilize the product is directly related to how students receive support in return, and our Partner Success Manager, Jonathan, has been super pleasant and helpful – I see him as a coworker!"

Joe LeDesma

GEAR UP Project Director, President of Administrative Association
Palomar College

187

stop outs re-enrolled

Hillsborough Community College

17%

higher retention

National University

increase in FAFSA completion

College Advising Corps

application yield

South Texas University

13%

more likely to earn a B or higher

Georgia State University

77%

of students took action

THECB

40%

increase in applications from first generation students

Kansas State Salina

20%

increase in recruiter efficiency

Wayfair

Our partners get results

7+ million people reached • 225+ partners

The only EdTech company with 9 successful research studies. Learn how Mainstay’s unique and proven, research-backed approach can help you reach your goals.

An extension of your team

Our partners love our ongoing support. We work with you to understand your challenges, define your desired outcomes, and create a plan to spark progress. Let’s get started.

Grow your
enrollment and retention and engagement and community

Trusted by 225+ partners in Higher Education, College Access, Government, and Enterprise

Backed by research