THANK YOU

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.

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.

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 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.