EduWeb2008: US Parent Survey

Stephanie Geyer , AVP at Noel-Levitz, presented the results from this year's e-expectations survey of parents of prospective students. Although the sample size is small and the data is drawn from US parents, some highlights:

• 41% have submitted inquiry forms;
• 28% requested visits;
• 11% have completed applications,
• 5% have participating in a chat and IM exchange.

Are they filling out forms as students?

• 41 % said no
• 31 % said they hadn't thought of it
• 15 % said they would

Who will pay for fees and living expenses?

• 66% my student and family will share the expenses
• 25% family will be completely responsible
• 10% student is completely responsible for fees & living expenses

For students who have applied, 80% of surveyed parents have visited the campus with their students.

Where will kids go to school?

• 30% think student will go within 25 miles of the home
• 76% said school expected to attend is in home state

What kind of school do you expect they will go to?

• 54% plan to go to public 4 year
• 9% community college

What have parents done on college sites?

• 80% prefer to go to a website for information, but if its a school i really like i will call
• 10% website doesn't really matter
• 10% won't recommend my student if the website does not answer my questions

Parents: Have done/would like to do

• chat online with couselor or student (48%, 42%)
• Emailed admissions (25%, 62%)
• 32% completed tuition cost calculator
• Requested a campus visit (48%)
• Completed an online application (11% did it, 47% would like to)
• email current students or faculty (35%)
• virtual tour (48%, 30%)
• opt-in for texts (20%, 38% would like to)
• school page on SN site (17%, 39%)
• Read a blog (31%, 21%)

Are your faculty ready to deal with emails from parents? students?

There are 4 questions that every student has in mind through enrolment/decision process:

* Do you have my major/program? Is the program of the quality that I need? can I get in?
* Can I afford to do this? Am I going to get a scholarship? What's the price?
* Location. Close enough or far enough from my home? Is the mode of delivery right for me (online, on campus)?
* Safety?

Academics come out on top, then tuition/scholarships.

Decreased interest in online tools towards March of graduating year. Survey juniors and senior high school students. Further down into the enrolment funnel.

Social networking:

• 16% report that their student has been invited to join a social network with a school's site or sponsored by the school.
• 11% have viewed school-specific social networking sites
• 89 had opinions to share

(Not a lot of hands went up when asked if you had such a site at your school)

"Concern that students would make choices based on socialization, not academic instruction."

"I don't like this idea at all. "

"I wish that someone would contact my daughter"

Bottom of the 5 point list:

* Student/Faculty blog
* Parking

Parents would like to hear more from you! Email is preferred! (85% would like to get emails from institution) How many schools are collecting parent contact information during the INQUIRY form? Add a parent info field to your inquiry form, so that students can drop parents in or posing parents can put in their own and their child's.

Instance of application as first point of contact: NL estimates that it is about 20% of your applicant pool. 20% of your applicants have had no formal contact with your school before they apply. Why should we care?

49 want you to contact them directly immediately after student has raised their hand

19 want to hear after parent has inquired

Conclusions:

"When are we going to stop overly catering to parents, and start letting the students start taking the responsibility? Creates the mentality with students that if "i" don't get what I want, then my parents will call and get me what I want."

Consider including some copy to the effect of "at some point your child is going to school and they will be gone. Here are some tips/resources on how to cope emotionally with this ..."