Don’t Count Email Out: Why It Still Matters in Student Recruitment

In an age where TikTok trends seem to dominate every conversation about Gen Z, it’s easy to assume that email is dead. But our latest survey data says otherwise—and it may surprise you.

📧 46% of high school students say they engage with emails from schools and sometimes respond.

📬 Another 44% open and read them, even if they don’t reply.

That’s a whopping 90% of students who are at least paying attention to your emails.

Students: How do you engage with email from schools?

So, is email worth your time in 2025?

Yes—and here’s why:

  • Email is one of the few direct, personal, and trackable channels you have to consistently communicate with prospective students. When crafted thoughtfully, it can cut through the noise.
  • It’s a strong lead nurturer. Students may not respond immediately, but staying top of mind builds familiarity and trust over time.
  • Email complements social by reinforcing key messages across multiple platforms and moments in the decision-making journey.

But you can’t just “blast and hope.”

If you want students to open—and actually engage with—your emails, make sure they are:

🧠 Personalized: Use the student’s name, interests, and program preferences.

Visually appealing: Clean, mobile-friendly layouts with eye-catching subject lines.

🔗 Actionable: Include clear CTAs to schedule a visit, explore a program, or chat with an advisor.

💬 Conversational: Sound like a real human, not a corporate brochure.

Get the full breakdown, including insights into how students and their parents choose post-secondary options.

👉 Download our exclusive white paper today.

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The 2nd Annual

Parent & Student Survey

FOR HIGHER EDUCATION

and learn how to better reach your most targeted enrollment segments: students and their parents.

This guide outlines the biggest current challenges of education marketers, and ideas showing how your enrollment strategy can overcome and thrive.

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95%

of parents are using digital sources to research post-secondary options for their children

95%

of ALL teens use YouTube

2x

the number of parents are considering vocational schools than their children

Other areas we cover that will help increase awareness of your institution among students and their parents:

  • The most important factors considered in the college search process:

    • what motivates students’ choices
    • what parents consider the most important factors
  • How students and their parents interact with school advertising:

    • The apps where students AND their parents spend most of their ‘social media’ time
    • What other sources are used for school research: digital, direct mail, etc.
  • How to use the survey insights to optimize your enrollment strategy:

    • Vocational schools
    • Community colleges
    • Four-year universities

We’re proud of our work

If you’d like to learn more about how we can help you adapt to the evolving education marketing landscape and ramp up your efforts, please contact us today.

advance education parent and student survey whitepaper

OUR LATEST WHITEPAPER

The 2nd Annual

Parent & Student Survey

Advance Education surveyed more than 500 high school students and over 500 parents of high school students about their journey to decide what’s next after high school graduation. This survey uncovers the motivations driving their choices.

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Let’s work together on your student enrollment strategy.