EducationDynamics Releases Groundbreaking Report on Online College Students

EducationDynamics, marketing and enrollment management experts for higher education, has released its latest annual report on online college students. The 2023 Online College Students Report, now in its 12th edition, explores online student preferences, demands, and behaviors based on a survey of over 3,000 current and prospective online college students. The report shines a light on several student trends and opportunities for schools to better engage future students.

One such finding uncovered during the research centers around college and university websites as students attempt to research their higher education options. As students increasingly rely on school websites as a source of information, they are reporting a significant disconnect between the information they seek and that which is easily accessible on school websites. While 87 percent of online students rely on a school’s website to research program options, fewer than 40 percent found their most sought-after information “very easy” to find on school websites.

Bruce Douglas, CEO of EducationDynamics, shared his thoughts on the findings: “These statistics should act as an eye opener for colleges and universities. Our research clearly shows that school websites are a valuable tool for online students, but schools are not providing the information or user experience that prospective students require.”

The Online College Students Report also offers a detailed look into the ever-evolving media and marketing engagement trends among today’s online college students. It highlights the ways in which colleges and universities can better reach and engage their future online students with an in-depth look at media and marketing behavior as well as student demographics and motivations.

As both undergraduate and graduate students become younger, they remain focused on career-related outcomes and seek value in their education choices. As online program enrollment grows, it is important to understand how these students are researching and selecting colleges in this digital-first world.

The 12th Annual Online College Students Report is now available for download.