Students say their top three complaints about college websites are that it’s hard to find information, they encounter confusing directions, and the websites are hard to navigate.
Additional findings include:
The report also explores how high school students plan and research for higher education, what tools they use to gather information, and what influences their journey and decisions. The study found that campus maps and virtual tours have been gaining influence in students’ decisions to enroll for a college/university.
- 93 percent students use a college or university’s website to get information
- 58 percent use a search engine to find a college or university website
- 56 percent like or expect websites to show personalized content
- 50 percent take a virtual tour via college websites
- 73 percent feel likely to enroll after taking a virtual tour of a college or university
- The number of students who feel likely to enroll after taking a virtual tour has been consistently increasing for the past three years
- 73 percent of students’ parents/families help them with college planning
“Today’s students expect personalized digital experiences from every business they interact with—including higher education institutions,” said Peter DeVries, Modern Campus CEO.
“Understanding the factors that drive their decision-making throughout the college-planning journey—from accessing information to communicating with the institution and experiencing the campus life virtually before joining—can help colleges and universities to optimize their marketing and communication channels to meet their prospective students’ expectations.
Related: Is generative AI in college admissions a massive threat, or an opportunity?
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