Skilled Path Learners Start with Search
Finding schools is only the first step. Our survey shows that once families begin comparing options, they quickly shift from discovery to evaluation. At that stage, students and parents are not asking the same questions. They are both trying to make the right choice, but they use different filters to get there.
Graduate Learners Are Planning with Purpose in 2026
Finding schools is only the first step. Our survey shows that once families begin comparing options, they quickly shift from discovery to evaluation. At that stage, students and parents are not asking the same questions. They are both trying to make the right choice, but they use different filters to get there.
Moving From AI Experiments to Real Strategy
Parents and students are not only motivated by different values they search differently. Parents are pragmatic searchers, relying on search engines, ranking sites, ROI calculators, and institutional pages. Students pay the most attention to social media, particularly TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram; after social media they notice email and college fairs.
OUR LATEST WHITEPAPER
AI for Education
A Marketer’s Guide to Visibility, Discovery, and Enrollment in an AI-Mediated World
Prospective students aren’t just searching differently. They’re discovering, comparing, and evaluating institutions through AI before they ever visit a website.
This guide explores how AI is reshaping the enrollment journey and what enrollment marketers can do to improve visibility, build trust, and prepare for the future of student discovery.