Study leverages insights gathered from poll of over 6,000 college-bound high school sophomores, juniors, seniors and their parents
July 26, 2017–College-bound high school students are embracing a wider range of online tools as they search for and engage with colleges and universities, according to the 2017 e-Expectations study. The annual research project is part of a collaborative partnership between Ruffalo Noel Levitz, NRCCUA, CollegeWeekLive and OmniUpdate (market leaders in enrollment solutions, planning, student engagement and web content management solutions, respectively).
Findings from the 2017 e-Expectations study were released at the National Conference on Student Recruitment, Marketing, and Retention, convened by Ruffalo Noel Levitz July 26-28 in Denver. The 2017 study leverages insights gathered from an online poll of over 6,000 college-bound high school sophomores, juniors, seniors and their parents across the MyCollegeOptions network, the largest college planning program in the country.
The research findings cover a wide range of topics related to the online behaviors and expectations of prospective college students and parents, particularly how they use social media, digital advertising, websites, email, text messaging and other communication channels for exploring their higher education options.
Stephanie Geyer, vice president, web strategy and interactive marketing services at Ruffalo Noel Levitz said, “We see more opportunity than ever for our client institutions to use digital marketing tools and tactics to support their enrollment goals. The challenge is always to discern the best channels to deliver the right message at the right moment. With the new vantage point of both sophomore students and parents of college-bound students, our community has a clear view into their priorities and preferences.”
An infographic highlighting the top 8 findings is the first of many different takes on the rich data collected as part of the 2017 study. Geyer noted, “There is just so much here between different graduation years of students and parents, it will be exciting to share more and more.”
The e-Expectations report is a collaborative effort between Ruffalo Noel Levitz, NRCCUA, CollegeWeekLive, and OmniUpdate. For more insights and resources, visit www.eExpectations.com.
About Ruffalo Noel Levitz
Campuses turn to Ruffalo Noel Levitz to reach their goals for student recruitment, marketing, financial aid, student success, and donor engagement. The firm is distinguished by its powerful array of technology-enabled enrollment, student success, career services, and fundraising solutions currently used by more than 1,900 colleges, universities, and nonprofit organizations across North America and beyond. In addition, Ruffalo Noel Levitz conferences, research reports, papers, and articles help clients stay on top of current trends. For the latest insights, visit www.RuffaloNL.com.
About NRCCUA
The National Research Center for College & University Admissions™ is an educational data science platform and research organization based in Lee’s Summit, MO, Boston, MA, New York, NY, and Austin, TX. For 44 years, NRCCUA has been a leading provider of data, technology and programs serving students, high school educators, colleges and universities. These solutions represent the link between students making important life decisions and providing the resources and information they need to succeed in their post-secondary educations and careers. NRCCUA is part of Sterling Partners’ Education Opportunity Fund. For more information, visit nrccua.org.
About CollegeWeekLive
One in three college-bound students uses CollegeWeekLive to help find the best college match. Students, parents, and counselors visit CollegeWeekLive to engage directly with universities at every stage of the enrollment process. Through online chats and virtual college fairs, they have live, candid conversations with admissions counselors and current college students from hundreds of colleges and universities to explore their degree programs, financial aid opportunities, career paths, campus life, and much more. For more information, please visit http://www.collegeweeklive.com.
About OmniUpdate, Inc.
OmniUpdate is the leading provider of content management solutions designed to streamline content administration and solve the digital marketing and communication challenges of higher education. With the largest support team, development team, and user community among higher ed CMS providers, OmniUpdate delivers an award-winning CMS that meets the unique needs of colleges and universities. For more information, visit www.omniupdate.com.