University admissions is a process into which universities have poured their efforts, with greater or lesser intensity, over recent decades.
New technologies have fostered the development of new trends that threaten the stability of the sector.
Faced with this scenario, the education sector is shaken time and again, forced to acknowledge every disruption and adapt to the evolution of new trends.
A study conducted by the education portals educations.es and educations.com analyzes both sides of the university admissions process. A survey of more than 20,000 participants has provided results that have helped identify the trends shaping the development of the university landscape.
The study revealed a change in students' motivations when deciding what to study at university. This has a very significant impact on the entire higher education admissions process and directly affects universities and their student recruitment strategies.
The research also found which information students search for most and which is the most influential. In this way, we have tried to substantiate the shift in trends and determine the direction in which universities should focus their efforts to keep attracting students.
A Shift in Motivations for Studying
The study indicates that prospective and current university students now choose programs that match their passions and personal interests.
This shift in motivation means that other traditionally relevant factors have lost importance. In this sense, university reputation, as reflected in education rankings, is not valued as highly when decisions are made.
In addition to the institution's reputation, another important change lies in the declining relevance of the job opportunities that degrees offer.
The fact that programs in certain fields may offer more career prospects is no longer a decisive factor, as long as the programs match personal interests.
However, financial factors remain just as important. Most higher education students worry about the cost of tuition fees as well as the cost of living where they study.
The Most Sought-After Information and Content
Concern about how to pay for their studies is reflected in the main information searches that prospective students carry out during the application process.
Thus, 50% of survey participants say that content about scholarships and financial aid is among the most influential in deciding where to study. In this sense, the trend showing that students are guided by their passions when choosing what to study is reflected in the rest of the most sought-after content. This content is related to specific information about the programs.
15% of students say the curriculum is the most influential factor, while 26% admit that, for them, information describing a program's unique features is the most relevant.
As for the content that most influences the choice of university, effectiveness increases with the interactivity and dynamism with which the information is presented. Videos and virtual experiences are more effective than other formats.
On a second level, the study found that 33% of students take other students' opinions into account when choosing their university, based on their comments about the opportunities offered by the campuses and their surroundings.
Expectations for Communication with Universities
New technologies have created a constantly changing landscape in which speed of adaptation is key. This has given rise to certain behaviors that have raised communication expectations to very demanding levels.
83% of them want to receive a personalized solution in less than a week.
Ultimately, these results indicate that universities clearly depend on the trends that shape student behavior. For this reason, they must adapt their marketing strategies for attracting students to their personal interests and tastes.
This personalization's main effect is the development of content tailored to their concerns, such as course details and information related to financial aid.
This is a phenomenon that can be addressed with digital marketing actions. The evolution of the sector is also marked by the immediacy and personalization of communication, so universities must be available and respond quickly to any question raised by students.
Guest Author: David Gil Garcia
David holds a degree in Journalism and a master's in Strategic Communication. He currently works as a communications specialist for the education and professional training portals educations.es and findcourses.com, where he writes about educational trends and personal development topics in organizations.
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