7 Things Students Look for in Schools and How to Respond
Research shows that students decide which program to attend based on seven factors — affordability, availability, reputation, career outcomes, value for the cost, how well they feel they fit, and the proximity to home. Here’s how students make decisions around these factors and how you can respond to enhance your enrollment strategy.
Factor 1: Affordability
The number one reason students fail to enroll is a lack of financial barriers. In fact, 38% of potential students say the reason they haven’t completed their educational program is because it’s too expensive. So, it makes sense that affordability ranks among the seven factors aspiring students consider when evaluating a program.
Now, what’s considered expensive is subjective — expensive to one person is cheap to another. However, if your program’s price isn’t comparable to similar programs in your area, it might be viewed as unaffordable for potential students.
If so, find ways to lower the barrier to entry — scholarships, grants, tuition discounts, and more. And keep in mind — for students focused on affordability, decisions tend to be made at the family level. So, your approach will need to be family-focused to truly appeal to them.
Factor 2: Availability
For many students to pull the trigger and click “accept,” it needs to be the program they truly want to enroll in. If their desired program isn’t available, they’re going to wait or pursue another option.
When it comes to availability, there isn’t much you can do as an institution. You only have a certain number of seats and programs offered — you can’t provide what everyone is looking for. That said, if you find that there’s demand for a certain program, do what you can to expand it and make it available to more students.
Factor 3: Reputation
Before they invest thousands of dollars into an education, students want to know that the program has a good reputation. They ask questions like:
How is the program perceived online?
How is the school perceived by employers?
Does the school have a history of successful alumni?
If their search yields negative results, they’re more likely to select a program with a better reputation. So, if your program’s reputation needs a facelift, it’s time to do it.
Look through online reviews and respond to those with negative feedback to demonstrate your ability to accept constructive feedback and make changes. Likewise, address the concerns students have to improve the elements of your program without the best reputation.
Factor 4: Career Outcomes
Education is intended to kickstart your career. So, if job opportunities are bleak after securing the diploma, the education didn’t do its job. Around 14% of students say career outcomes are their top priority, making it a major focus of their search.
If your job placement rate is looking a bit lackluster, consider giving it a boost by:
Using platforms like Handshake to connect your students to post-graduate employment opportunities
Organizing an annual job fair with local employers
Offering free classes to teach students how to ace their interviews or network on LinkedIn
While you can’t guarantee that any student will land a job, you can provide support and education around how, where, and when to find a role.
Factor 5: Value for the Cost
Today’s students are thinking like business owners — keeping ROI (Return on Investment) top of mind. Students want to feel like the value they receive is worth what they pay for the degree. If what they think they’ll receive doesn’t quite match up, they’re far less likely to enroll.
Convincing students of potential value can be challenging, but here’s a few things you can do:
Request testimonials from current students and alumni about the value they received from the program.
Clearly articulate the benefits of each program and the skills students will receive if they attend.
Highlight bonuses offered outside the classroom, such as diverse club experiences, rich campus traditions, and connections to certain employers or companies.
By doing so, you’ll be able to showcase the value of the program in more places, which can lead students to feel more confident in the potential return on their investment.
Factor 6: How Well They Feel They Fit
“Fit” is a vague phenomenon many students can’t quite describe. They visit a program and they just know that’s where they belong. Something about the atmosphere or a simple interaction with campus stuff leaves them feeling like it’s where they fit.
As an institution, you want students to make the decision about whether they “fit” organically. Students who feel connected are far more likely to engage and contribute meaningfully to the institution as a whole.
However, once students are enrolled, there’s a couple things you can do to help maintain that feeling to keep retention high:
Make contact with every single student within the first 6 weeks of school. Research shows that nearly half of students will leave school within the first 6 weeks of their first year. This timeframe has been deemed a critical period to get students involved and connected in an effort to keep students enrolled.
Create spaces for fun. While school is about learning, it can become overwhelming for students quickly, especially if their program is completely online. Allow time and space for students to connect with one another and engage in purely fun activities outside the classroom to mitigate feelings of loneliness and overwhelm.
Factor 7: Proximity to Home
Around 44% of nontraditional students chose schools closer to home due to changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. For most, the decision boiled down to the fact that local schools tend to be cheaper to attend. If campus is just a drive away, students can receive in-state tuition rates, ditch expensive dorm and meal plan costs, and commute to and from campus.
While you can’t move your campus closer to prospective students, you can make your program more accessible to those nearby. Consider elements like:
Funding options. If your school is local to many prospective students, do you provide the funding options they need to convert to enrolled students?
Affordability. Does your program offer ample scholarship and grant options?
Physical Accessibility. Is your program near public transportation? If not, do you offer a campus-sponsored shuttle to and from public transportation? How easy is it for potential students to arrive at your campus from different locations?
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, the decision of whether to enroll is in the students’ hands. While you can’t make that decision for them, you can make changes to your program that show them the value of the education you provide. That way, you’ll check more of their boxes.