KEY FACTORS INFLUENCING PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS’ ENROLLMENT DECISIONS In the competitive higher education world, institutions are increasingly assessing what prospective students want most in their education. To understand how prospective students make their enrollment decisions, Hanover Research conducted a national survey of more than 1,000 current high school students who are interested in enrolling in an undergraduate degree program.
ENROLLMENT DECISION FACTORS TO P FAC TO R S I N F L U E N C I N G C O L L E G E D E C I S I O N S % Very or Extremely Important Cost-benefit analysis remains critical for undergraduate decision making; the two most important factors influencing a prospective student’s decision of where to attend are affordability and getting a good job.
88%
83%
81%
68%
Affordability (n=446)
Getting a good job (n=362)
Tuition assistance (e.g., financial aid, grants, scholarships) (n=299)
Flexible course schedule (n=305)
M O S T I M P O R TA N T FAC TO R S I N F L U E N C I N G % Very or Extremely Important (n=1,020)
70% Earn a high salary in the future
64%
64%
64%
Enhance my resume/ job credentials
Explore my academic interests
Personal fulfillment
A desire to advance one’s career and gain personal fulfillment/ explore areas of interest are key motivating factors for respondents choosing to continue their education.
M OT I VAT I N G FAC TO R S F O R C O N T I N U I N G E D U C AT I O N , BY H O U S E H O L D I N C O M E % Very Or Extremely Important 80% 55%
PERSONAL FULFILLMENT
74%
68% 52%
78%
57%
66%
EXPLORE ACADEMIC INTERESTS
64%
51%
59%
78% 73% 70%
$ 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 o r m o re ( n = 2 1 )
$75,000 to $99,999 (n=84)
$25,000 to $49,999 (n=168)
$150,000 to $199,999 (n=29)
$50,000 to $74,999 (n=131)
Under $25000 (n=172)
$100,000 to $149,999 (n=61)
Respondents from wealthier households are much more likely to see college as an opportunity to find personal fulfillment or explore their academic interests, while those from less affluent households most commonly see college as a means to enhancing their credentials for the job market.
CAMPUS EXPERIENCE PREFERENCES P R E F E R R E D B AC H E LO R ’ S D E G R E E D E L I V E RY F O R M AT (n=1,020)
48%
33%
Fully on-campus courses
12%
Hybrid courses (with part taken online and part taken on campus)
Although a fully on-campus delivery format is still preferred by prospective students, nearly half (45%) are interested in a format that includes at least some online content.
20%
Fully online courses
Not sure
P R E F E R R E D D I S TA N C E F R O M H O M E (n=1,020)
20%
13%
8+ hours
stay in home town/city
21%
More than half of prospective students prefer to attend college within 4 hours of home.
21%
<2 hours
2-4 hours
10%
5-7 hours
16%
Not sure
TOP PROSPECTIVE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT PRACTICES P R I M A RY S O U R C E S F O R R E S E A R C H I N G I N S T I T U T I O N S (n=1,020) Search engine optimization is critical to recruiting success, as prospective students are as likely to learn about an institution through online search as through the institution’s website.
53% 52%
College websites
27%
47% Family members or friends
Information sent by email from institutions
27% Information mailed from institutions
Online search engines (e.g., Google)
P R E F E R R E D C H A N N E L S TO R E C E I V E C O M M U N I C AT I O N S (n=1,020)
63%
TEXT MESSAGE
38%
POSTAL MAIL
30%
SOCIAL MEDIA
25% 17%
TELEPHONE CALL 11%
ONLINE NEWSLETTERS OTHER
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While email remains the preferred form of communication for students (63%), text messaging (38%) has surmounted mail and telephone as a preferred format of communication.