Lesley

Parents and students are not only motivated by different values they search differently. Parents are pragmatic searchers, relying on search engines, ranking sites, ROI calculators, and institutional pages. Students pay the most attention to social media, particularly TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram; after social media they notice email and college fairs.

Higher education faces a demographic cliff. By 2037, the number of high school graduates will fall by 12%, ending decades of expansion. This structural shift means institutions will compete more fiercely for fewer students.

Rising parental oversight, debt anxiety, and fear of making the wrong choice have created a generation of students who freeze at the point of decision. Our latest survey shows that while parents lead on financial matters, students carry emotional weight, balancing expectations, independence, and anxiety about readiness.

Parents remain the decisive voice in enrollment; their influence can either paralyze or propel student confidence. Successful enrollment strategies are ones that build trust by acknowledging both perspectives.

Advance Education's 3rd Annual Parent & Student Survey shows a clear disconnect between what parents prioritize and what students need. Both move through the same enrollment journey, but they look for different signals and interpret information through different lenses.

Families want clarity, speed, and simplicity in the enrollment process. Our latest Parent & Student Survey outlines a focused 90 day plan to help create fast wins in the areas families feel most: visibility, value, and confidence.

For decades, the college search began with Google and campus tours. In 2026, it starts with a prompt. Students and parents now use ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity to build school lists and compare ROI before ever reaching your website. Artificial intelligence has quietly become the front door to higher education it shapes who gets discovered, compared, and trusted first.