Parent & Student Survey 2024 Edition: The Student and Parent Search Journey

The journey to discover “what’s next” after high school begins for every student, with over 50% initiating this exploration in their freshman or sophomore years, and over 80% actively engaged by junior year. Despite 63% of the US population lacking a four-year degree, vocational and community colleges face declining enrollments and struggle to attract high school graduates.

To thrive, post-secondary institutions must market directly to the appropriate groups and tailor their messaging to resonate with each audience. Providing customized content, guides, and experiences tailored to the specific needs of students and parents is crucial, as they often communicate differently despite requiring similar fundamental information.

Second, ensure you are speaking to each group in a way that relates to them. Provide content, guides and experiences tailored and segmented to their needs directly. Students and parents speak a different language even though they might need the same basic information.

The survey was conducted June-July 2023. Read on to learn what students and their parents are looking for from institutions and the right marketing channels to reach them.