INSIGHTS
OUR LATEST WHITEPAPER
3rd Annual Parent & Student Survey
The New Rules Of Higher Education Marketing
How AI and Shifting Family Priorities are Reshaping Student Recruitment
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.
Study Hall: Latest Insights
Read the latest Advance Education Insights posts here. From new technologies coming on the higher education field or practical marketing tips that help you shine in your role, we aim to cover all the topics you find of interest.
If you have any request for content, please let us know and we will add to our content schedule. Check back for more blog content weekly!
Featured Posts
The Era of Intentional Enrollment
Adult learners approach education with clarity, purpose, and measurable goals. Advance Education surveyed nearly 1,000 adult learners nationwide to understand how adults evaluate programs, make enrollment decisions, and move forward. The results are published in two companion whitepapers, each focused on a distinct adult learner profile.
AI Is Already the Front Door to Enrollment
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.
What Families Actually Look For When Choosing a College
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.
Where Parents and Students Actually Look for College Information
When families begin researching colleges, the places they look for information often differ as much as the decisions they make. Students and parents may be evaluating the same institution, but they do not rely on the same mix of influence and digital channels to get there.
AI in Education 2026: Why This Moment Matters
AI is no longer a future conversation in education. In 2026, it is already shaping how students search, how parents evaluate options, and how institutions communicate in a rapidly changing landscape. Expectations include faster answers, more personalized experiences, and clearer information – and AI is quietly becoming the engine behind those expectations.
Instagram’s Shift and What It Means for Higher Education Marketers
Instagram’s leadership made headlines recently with a clear signal that the visual culture that once defined the platform is changing. […]
Two Audiences, Two Starting Points
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.
Demographic Decline Meets Affordability Pressure
Higher education faces a demographic cliff. By 2037, the number of high school graduates will fall by 12%, ending decades of expansion. This structural shift means institutions will compete more fiercely for fewer students.
The Paralysis Problem
Rising parental oversight, debt anxiety, and fear of making the wrong choice have created a generation of students who freeze at the point of decision. Our latest survey shows that while parents lead on financial matters, students carry emotional weight, balancing expectations, independence, and anxiety about readiness.
