Skilled Path Learners Start with Search
Skilled Path Learners rely on digital channels to guide their enrollment journey. Search is often the first step in how they find, evaluate, and compare programs.
Advance Education’s national survey shows that 45% of Skilled Path Learners first discover the programs they are considering through online search.
This finding reflects how important visibility, clarity, and relevance are throughout the decision process. From the first search to the final comparison, learners rely on accessible information to build confidence and momentum.
Institutions that align content and digital strategy with learner intent are positioned to connect with Skilled Path Learners who are ready to act.

The 2026 Skilled Path Learner Insights explore how adults move from first discovery to enrollment, what builds confidence along the way, and which digital touchpoints shape their decisions.
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The Era of Intentional Enrollment
A Guide to Understanding The Skilled Path Learner

OUR LATEST WHITEPAPER
3rd Annual Parent & Student Survey
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AI isn’t new. It’s normal. Students and parents alike are increasingly using LLMs for research – for everything from homework help to their best options for higher education. If families already use AI to choose, the question is: how is your institution meeting them there? Our latest whitepaper outlines how to publish AI-readable answers to the most asked questions, making your value legible to both humans and machines.





