Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Education (Ed.D.)

Department

Administrative and Instructional Leadership

First Advisor

Dr. Jenny Yang

Second Advisor

Dr. Stephen Kotok

Third Advisor

Dr. John Kalaboukas

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine the influence of AI-driven chatbot technology on the progression through the undergraduate admissions funnel, including application, admission, and enrollment, and to explore how AI outreach intensity predicts these outcomes while addressing potential disparities across student subgroups. The study involved 24,141 data records, including both domestic and international undergraduate applicants to St. John’s University for the Fall 2025 semester. The study found that AI interaction was associated with higher admission rates (83.0% vs. 75.7%) but revealed no significant relationship between AI usage and final enrollment rates. Quantitative analyses, including chi-square tests, binary logistic regression, and MANOVA, indicated that AI chat messages had a small positive association with admission outcomes, while calls and emails had weaker or negative associations. Differences in AI outreach were observed across academic disciplines (e.g., Pharmacy and Health Sciences reported higher engagement) and residency status, with international students receiving more email outreach than domestic applicants. These results suggest AI’s potential in recruitment while emphasizing the need for human-centered strategies to enhance enrollment.

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