Online College Students 2012

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Online College

Students 2012Comprehensive Data on Demands and Preferences


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Online CollegeStudents 2012:Comprehensive Data on

Demands and Preferences

A number o individuals contributed to the project. Carol B. Aslanian,principal author, led the Aslanian Market Research team, which included

Scott Jee, Susan Baer, and Steven Fischer. David Clineelter led the

Learning House team, which included Todd Zipper, Wendy Parrish,

Sara Ekart, Sam Steanova, Allison Lutes, Jennier Thompson, and

Emily Wheeler.

Ss Cii: Aslanian, C. B., & Clineelter, D. L. (2012). Online

college students 2012: Comprehensive data on demands and preerences.

Louisville, KY: The Learning House, Inc.

July 2012

Copyright 2012 by The Learning House, Inc. and EducationDynamics

All rights reserved. Published 2012.


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page | 4 Online College Students 2012: Comprehensive Data on Demands and Preferences

Table of Contents

IntroduCtIon: onlIne learnIng In amerICan HIgHer eduCatIon 5

Key FIndIngS and obServatIonS 6

Primary Motivation to Study: Its All About Careers 8

Trigger Events That Prompt College Study: The Economy and Jobs 9

Intended Credential: Degrees Dominate but Certicates Show Clout 10

Field o Study: Business As Usual 11

Type o Institution: Nonprot Institutions Dominate 12

Location: Proximity Makes a Dierence 14

Full- or Part-Time Study: Both in Demand 14

Undergraduate Credits Prior to Enrollment: Saving Time and Money 14

Preerred Length o Course: Shorter Is Better 15Preerred Online Study Model: Sel-Direction and Guided Instruction 15

Reason or Enrolling in Online Education: Have It Your Way 16

Most Positive Features o Online Education: Sel-Direction and Independence 17

Less Positive Features o Online Education: Uninvolved Instructors 17

Concerns About Online Education: Length, Quality, and Cost 18

Institutional Choice: The Importance o Brand and Cost 19

Student Services: 24/7 Online Access 20

Choosing a Program: The Impact o Web Sites 20

Eectiveness o Electronic and O-Line Advertising: Both Work 21Online and O-line Research Methods: Dominance o the Internet 22

Most Important Inormation on Institution Web Sites: Dont Hide Your Costs 23

Length o Time and Frequency o Institutional Contact: Stay in Touch 23

Social Networking Proles: A Connected Population 24

Mass Media Behavior: Tradition Continues 24

Online Behavior: Totally Connected 26

demograpHIC proFIle oF onlIne StudentS 27

metHodology 32

reFerenCeS 33

partnerS 34


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page | 5Online College Students 2012: Comprehensive Data on Demands and Preferences

Higher education institutions today ace many challenges. Administrators, sta, and aculty membersmust make dicult decisions, including reevaluating the very oundation o higher education: theclassroom.

In a recent op-ed piece about institutions moving toward online delivery, David Brooks (2012) quotes thepresident o Stanord University as saying, There is a tsunami coming [to higher education]. Similarly,according to Clayton Christensen and Henry Eyring (2011), American higher education now aces the

rst major disruptive innovation since the invention o the printed textbook. They dene disruptiveinnovation as technology that orces an industry to reinvent the way it does business. What is highereducations latest disruptive innovation? Online education.

Online courses have been available or more than 25 years, but only recently has technology caught upwith online students desire to eel a sense o individuality in the online learning environment. Onlinelearning not only allows institutions to serve more students at a lower expense, but it also improves

teaching methodologies, enhances the learning experience, and increases interaction among studentsand instructors, sometimes even beyond the interaction possible in a traditional classroom. Thisability to oer mass personalization, as Richard DeMillo calls it in his bookAbelard to Apple (2011),has provided the tipping point to advance online learning. In a 2012 article in The Chronicle o HigherEducation, DeMillo states:

Technology [can] deliver personalized experiences on a massive scale. [It] has already

omented revolutions in health care, government, manuacturing, marketingand itwould be a strange quirk o the universe i somehow education were exempt. The rapidappearance o massive [numbers o] online courses, online-learning communities, andopen courseware points to a renewed quest or a more tailored, individualized approach

to higher education. These are all developments that undermine the idea o the university

as a actory.

Online education has skyrocketed in the last decade. Eduventures estimates that in all 2010, 2.78 million

students enrolled in a ully online program, which represents 14% o all higher education enrollments(Silber & Condra, 2011). Furthermore, the Sloan Consortium reports that 1.6 million students enrolled inat least one online course in 2002, whereas 6.1 million students enrolled in all 2010 (representing 31%

o all students enrolled in higher education) (Allen & Seaman, 2011).

Ici: oi li i aic Hih eci


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In spring 2012, Aslanian Market Research and The Learning House, Inc. conducted surveys with 1,500individuals nationwide who were at least 18 years o age and were recently enrolled, currently enrolled,or planned to enroll in a ully online undergraduate or graduate degree, certicate, or licensure program.

The surveys collected inormation on motivation or study; type, level, and eld o study; providerinstitution; preerred schedules; needed services; strengths and weaknesses o the online ormat;eective promotional strategies and advertising methods; and a variety o other topics. Surveys also

gathered inormation on the personal characteristics and circumstances o online students at the timethey took their most recent undergraduate or graduate course.

Given the recent trend o rapid enrollment growth in online higher education and strong projectionsor uture growth, we intend to supply inormation to colleges and universities that seek to serve onlinestudents.

Our ndings include the ollowing key observations or institutions to consider as they work towardbuilding online enrollments:

Individuals o all ages participate in online education. About 40% o online students are younger

than the age o 30; in act, approximately one out o every ve online students is younger than theage o 25. We expect this segment to grow steadily as increased numbers o secondary school andtraditional-age college students gain experience with online courses.

For-prot institutions do not dominate online education. About two-thirds o online studentsattend not-or-prot institutions, and we predict that percentage will increase as more not-or-prot institutions begin oering online programs.

Students who enroll in not-or-prot and or-prot institutions are more alike than dierent,particularly in regard to eld o study, desired credentials, and their goals and motivation topursue online education. With the exception o age and ethnic background, they share similar key

demographic characteristics such as gender, income, employment status, and method o tuitionpayment.

Although the large majority o online students enroll in degree programs, certicates attract 20%o the market, and we predict online certicate programs will steadily grow.

Institutions that have a near-by campus or service center are highly attractive to online students.

Most online students enroll in institutions within 100 miles o their home or their online study.

Most online undergraduate students bring prior credits to their intended institution and want toreceive transer credit.

Online students want compressed, shorter terms o study at an aordable cost rom institutionsthat have a strong reputation.

K Fiis osis


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Similar to on-campus students, most online students nd their program o choice through visitsto college and university Web sites. Online students rank tuition and ees as the most important

inormation they seek. Institutions Web sites provide the most important communication

channel.

Throughout this report, the trends noted refect aggregated data, comprised o both undergraduate

and graduate online students. I striking dierences between undergraduate and graduate onlinestudents existed, the report notes such dierences. Furthermore, though they are ew in number, wealso note the dierences between students enrolled in or-prot and not-or-prot institutions and the

dierences between younger and older students.

The ollowing analysis o online students outlines the practices and preerences o these newnontraditional students to help institutions rise to the challenge and meet the demand or online

learning. Please note, however, that the ollowing data refect a national survey o such practices and

preerences. Individual institutions should also consider regional data and their positioning in the localmarketplace.

Throughout the report, we have included many recommendations or developing online programsbased on the survey ndings and our experience in the eld. These recommendations are presented ingold text at the end o most sections.


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pi mii S: Is a a Cs

In 1980, the College Board published a seminal report that identied when and why adult studentsdecided to begin their studies (Aslanian & Brickell, 1980). The report presented a transitions hypothesis,which posited that adults most oten enroll in higher education when they ace a lie transition.

More than 30 years later, the hypothesis still remains true among online students. The vast majority oonline students in our 2012 study pointed to some change in their lives as their reason or beginningtheir online program. Changes in peoples careers most oten directed them to urther education (as itdid in 1980). Trigger events in their careers and amily lives also aected when they decided to start their

studies (as it did in 1980).

More than 90% o online students said their primary motivation or returning to school involved

their careers. Most oten they desired to advance in their careers, and next to change their careers.Undergraduate students more oten desired to change careers, whereas graduate students more otensought advancement in their careers.

To advance in

current career

To change careers

To keep up to date

in current career

To meet credential or

licensure requirements

for current job

Personal reasons not

related to job or career

Other

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%

46%

29%

12%

5%

4%

4%

pi mii


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ti es th p C S: th ec Js

The largest proportion o online students today (one-third) continues learning because they desire apromotion or increase in their salaries. These individuals may have missed the promotion they soughtor may ace amily or personal circumstances that call or more income. Failing to rise to the next level

or increase income drives many people back to school to gain the credentials they need to succeed. Theeconomy has also driven numerous people back to school because many people are unemployed orunderemployed as the nature o work changes due to recent and rapid changes in technology. Finally,changes such as reaching a certain age or stage in lie motivate some individuals to make decisionsabout their uture.

To qualify for promotion or salary increase

State of the economy

Reached a milestone age(e.g., 30, 40, 50)

Lost job or family member lost job

Moved to new location

Children left home

Got married

Got divorced or separated

Other

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

33%

19%

15%

9%

4%

3%

2%

2%

13%

K ti es

Individuals return to school primarily or career reasons. Prospective students o all ages need to see a clearconnection between learning and success in their careers.


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Degree

73%

License

8%

Certicate or

Diploma

19%

I Ci: ds di Cics Shw C

About 75% o ully online students study or a degree. At the undergraduate level, two-thirds o thesestudents pursue bachelors degrees, and at the graduate level, close to 90% seek masters degrees.

The remainder o online students surveyed, an impressive 25%, seek certicates and licenses, whichpresents a new opportunity or institutions that ocus exclusively on degrees. In our regional andlocal market analyses conducted or specic colleges, we have noted an increasing number o onlineinstitutions that oer such short-term, compressed programs that have a specic career ocus.

No institution should ignore degree studys strong share o the online education market. At the same time,stackable certicates (multiple certicates applied toward a degree) are gaining popularity. As interest incompetency-based learning rises, so will the demand or short-term, career-oriented, and compressed certicate

study.

I Ci


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Fi S: bsiss as us

One-third o online students study in the eld o business (primarily business administration andmanagement), making it the most popular area o study at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Nextin popularity are the social sciences and health proessions at the undergraduate level and education at

the graduate level. The STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) disciplines are gainingimportance at both the undergraduate and graduate level, and we expect these elds o study to growsteadily in the years ahead, given the projected increase in the number o jobs in these elds.

Furthermore, in examining eld o study preerences according to specic credentials, these patterns

are consistent. Among online degree students, business again dominates with one-third market share,ollowed by the social sciences and then health proessions and STEM. Among those in certicate,diploma, and licensing programs, the top our areas o study are similar.

Business

34%

Health

Professions

16%

Social

Sciences

16%

STEM

13%

Education

11%

Humanities or

Liberal Arts

6%Other

5%

Fi S


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The chart below lists the top 10 degree elds by level o study or undergraduate and graduate students.In almost all cases, the same programs (with dierent positions on the list) appear on both lists.

t 10 d ps u g

Business Administration or Management 1 1

Accounting 2 7

Inormation Technology 3 6

Business: Finance 4 2

Nursing 4 10

Psychology: General 5 10

Health Care Administration 6 4

Computer and Inormation Systems Security 7 9

Social Work 8 9

Computer Science 8

Criminal Justice and Law Enorcement 8 Law and Paralegal Studies 9 9

Education: Elementary 10 5

Business Inormation Systems 10 10

Education: Leadership and Administration 3

Psychology: Clinical 8

Schools simply cannot oer enough business programs i they want to attract a large number o onlinestudents. Thirty-our percent o online students study business, which is twice the percent interested in the

next most popular eld (health proessions). Consider beginning an online program with business degreesor expanding in this eld o study.

t Isii: n Isiis di

The largest proportion (65%) o online students today is enrolled at not-or-prot institutions; publicnot-or-prots lead with 44%, and private not-or-prots add another 21%. Not-or-prot institutions

command the online market at this time. For-prot institutions make up only about one-third othe market. It is also noteworthy that approximately 17% o respondents did not know what type oinstitution they attended.

Regarding the type o institution in which they enroll, students younger than 25 years o age more otenenroll at a public institution than those 25 years o age and older. Conversely, students 25 years o age

and older enroll in or-prot institutions more than their younger cohorts. Age makes no dierence inenrolling at private institutions.

Although not-or-prot institutions collectively enroll the majority o online students, a small seto prominent and well-known or-prot institutions, led by the University o Phoenix, continue to

individually dominate market share.


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Public, not-for-prot

44%

Private,not-for-prot

21%

For-prot

35%

*Note: The table above includes reclassied data rom the 17% orespondents who did not know what type o institution they attended. We

reclassied the data by examining the individual responses that identied

colleges by name.

t Isii*

By ar the largest proportion (about 15%) o online students studies at the University o Phoenix. No

other institution comes close to its share o the online student market. The university began its online

programming in 1989 and has become a market leader in online education in the last two decades.Kaplan, DeVry, Capella, Ashord, Strayer, and Walden ollow but with ar ewer enrollments among or-prot institutions.

Among public and private not-or-prot institutions, hundreds, i not thousands, o institutions eachattract a relatively small share o the online market. Institutions that have noteworthy enrollment

numbers include Liberty University, University o Massachusetts, University o Maryland: UniversityCollege, Caliornia State University, New York University, University o Caliornia, and Nova SoutheasternUniversity.

Regarding level o study, public institutions more oten serve undergraduate students (62%) thangraduate students (38%). In contrast, private institutions serve a larger proportion o graduatestudents (69%) than undergraduate students (31%). For-prot institutions serve more equal shares oundergraduates (56%) and graduate students (44%).

Although or-prot institutions spend more money on marketing and advertising (typically 20% or more ointended revenue) that increases their visibility, not-or-prot institutions are rapidly growing in the online

marketplace because o their brand and location. As competition increases in all sectors, institutions o alltypes need to dierentiate rom others and set orth a clear, compelling value proposition.


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lci: pxii mks difc

About 80% o online students live within 100 miles o a campus or service center o the institution

they attend, and the large majority live within 50 miles. Geographic proximity is a major advantage inattracting online students. Furthermore, among all the institutions that respondents considered during

their college search, the arthest institution they considered was oten located less than 50 miles romwhere they resided.

Online students seriously consider physical location when selecting an institution. Institutions that oeronline programs should promote their programs to local residents within 100 miles o campus. Fully online

institutions should consider their physical presence across key residential areas o the country.

F- p-ti S: bh i d

Among degree seekers, a airly equal split exists among those who study ull-time and part-time.However, nearly 60% o undergraduate students study ull-time, and about 60% o graduate studentspreer part-time study.

About two-thirds o online students younger than the age o 25 study ull-time, and less than hal oonline students 25 years o age or older study ull-time. Additionally, as age increases, the tendency tostudy part-time (as opposed to ull-time) also increases.

For any online program, colleges should oer and promote arrangements that enable students to studyeither ull-time or part-time, depending on individual preerence. Key actors to consider include the termlength and the schedule o classes to accommodate both types o learners.

u Cis pi e: Si ti m

More than 80% o undergraduate online students brought transer credits to their online institutions.On average, they had about 35 credits to transer, but one out o our brought 60 or more credits.

1 to 15

16 to 30

31 to 59

60 to 99

100+

none

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%

20%

8%

18%

19%

18%

17%

u Cis pi e

Institutions that welcome and accept transer credits are obviously very attractive to prospective onlinestudents. Transerring prior credits helps students reduce total tuition costs and accelerate the completiono their program.


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p lh Cs: Sh Is b

The largest proportion o online students preers courses that are six to eight weeks long. The standard

semester-length courses that traditional institutions typically oer do not work in the online marketplace.Online students also preer courses oered year-round because these courses allow students to steadily

continue their studies or stop or brie periods o time i necessary.

Deliver online programs in eight-week (or ewer) terms that run continuously throughout the year.

5 or fewer

6 to 8

9 to 12

13 or more

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50

14%

15%

40%

32%

p lh Cs

p oi S m: S-dici gi Isci

When given a choice o instructor-led, independent, or tutorial instruction, online students are rather

equally split on their preerence. However, in analyzing dierences at the undergraduate versus graduatelevels, we note that the largest proportion o online undergraduate students preers independent study,while the largest proportion o online graduate students preers instructor-led online study.

oi S m pc

Isc-: Students complete a series o instructor-led learning activities anddiscussion orums with a class o other students and complete assignments and exams asscheduled.

35%

I: Students study independently at their own pace, with books and otherresources that the institution provides, and then complete assignments and exams.

33

ti: Students complete a series o learning activities at their own pace, with aninstructor available to answer questions, and then complete assignments or exams.

32

Institutions must assess the advantages and benets o each model so they can support the model they

believe will work or them. However, given that the majority o programs today are instructor led, collegesshould consider independent study or tutorial options or special populations. To best meet the demands oonline students overall, institutions should oer multiple models.


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rs ei i oi eci: H I y W

Most online students are older, have past experiences in higher education, and have severalresponsibilities in lie, so they seek convenience and fexibility when urthering their education. Millionso postsecondary students have turned to online education because it enables them to t education

around their work and amily responsibilities and to study anytime and anywhere.

Survey respondents made the ollowing comments about their reasons or enrolling in online study.

I dont have to show up to a classroom at a specic time. I can study at my dining room table in my pajamas with

no makeup i I want!

You can literally go to school around your schedule. I sometimes travel or work, and I was able to keep up with my

schoolwork while Im on the road.

Online allows exibility and group work with people who are all over the world. I was able to be a ull-time mom,

ull-time employee, and ull-time student without too much stress.

Ability to balance

work, family, and

school responsibilities

Ability to study

anytime and anywhere

Availability of accelerated,

fast-track courses

Overall lower cost

Faster completion time

Access to a greater

variety of programs

Availability of

certain credentials

A more eective

learning method

Other

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

2%

9%

9%

12%

18%

30%

37%

64%

68%

rs ei i oi S

Institutions should avoid required synchronous activities that limit student exibility and also work toimprove asynchronous methods that maintain a high level o communication among students and acultymembers.


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ms psii Fs oi eci: S-dici Ic

Online students unquestionably value the independence, sel-direction, and control online education

oers them. Among several actors that drive them to online programs, students most oten point tothe ability to study when and where I want and the ability to study at my own pace.

lss psii Fs oi eci: ui Iscs

Online students view the lack o direct interaction with instructors and other students as the greatestdisadvantage o online study. Next most requently, they point to problems in contacting andcommunicating with instructors. Few respondents were concerned about the diculty o online

learning or external perceptions o quality in regard to online study.

In addition, online students said they were only moderately satised by their online instructors

availability, which coincides with students top perceived disadvantages in online education and also

supports the high level o importance students give to having easy and open access to their instructors.

Ability to study

anywhere and anytime

Ability to study

at ones own pace

Convenient schedules

and formats

Ability to study at home(elimination of travel)

Ability to study around

family responsibilities

Ability to study around

work obligations

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

31%

6%

7%

10%

16%

24%

ms psii Fs oi S

A lead marketing message should ocus on the act that the institution knows its students and supports

them. Use testimonials rom busy, working students trying to juggle amily, work, and studies. Key attractorsinclude exibility and sel-pacing.

Set expectations or the quantity and quality o aculty interaction with students and provide appropriate

aculty development.


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lss psii F pc

Lack o direct contact and interaction with instructors and students 37%

Inconsistent or poor contact and communication with instructors 24

Motivation, attention, or ocus challenges 20

External perceptions o quality o online study 5More dicult than classroom 4

Inconsistent or poor quality o instruction 4

Cost 2

Other 5

Survey respondents voiced the ollowing concerns about online study.

Id like to interact more with other students and my instructors so we can share knowledge and help each other.

Online education is not or those who lack discipline. One must be a sel-starter and very responsible because

online studying has no set structure.

Its difcult to get ahold o an instructor at a time that works or me. Sometimes instructions are not clear or canbe read two dierent ways, and it can take a day or more to receive clarication.

Ccs a oi eci: lh, Qi, Cs

Students were most concerned about the length o time to complete their program and the quality oonline study (especially among graduate students). The survey showed the availability o nancial aidas the next most important concern.

In addition, when asked to describe their employers acceptance o online study, the vast majority oonline students reported that their employers accepted online study.

Cc pc

Time to complete studies 59%

Quality o online study 57

Availability o nancial aid 54

Employers acceptance o online study 49

Having the sel-discipline to do well 30

Fullling admissions requirements 27

Having the necessary academic skills 26

Having all the necessary equipment or hardware 26Having the appropriate technical skills 20

Institutions need to give attention, clarication, and specic responses to students top three concerns.Marketing eorts should ocus on completion time, tangible evidence o quality, and detailed inormation

on how to obtain nancial aid. Additionally, employer testimonials or endorsements can also help easeconcerns about online study. Institutions can use these endorsements to reinorce students condence inonline education to help them reach their career goals.


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Isii Chic: th Ic b Cs

Prospective online students seek an aordable high-quality institution that has a good reputationin their intended eld o study. More than hal the respondents also indicated that actors such assuccessul career placement, generous transer credit policies, simple admissions processes, and no set

class meeting times all aect their enrollment decision.

Fcspc

(Very Important)

Reputation o institution 75%

Cost o tuition and ees 73

Recognition in your eld o study as a high-quality institution 65

Availability o majors or concentrations related to occupations that have largenumbers o job openings

61

Successul career placement 56

Acceptance o transer credits 56

Simplicity o admissions process and documents 53Scholarship opportunities 53

No set class meeting times 52

Faculty members who teach part-time and work as practitioners in their eld 52

Positive interactions with nancial aid personnel 51

No on-campus requirements 49

Availability o general education courses that teach workplace skills such as problem

solving, critical thinking, and teamwork

43

Tools or building community with other online students 42

Faculty members who teach ull-time and possess a doctorate 42

Availability o basic writing, math, and reading courses 36

Reputation as a rigorous program 34

Internship opportunities 34

Employee tuition discounts and benets 33

Set class times that provide acilitated group interaction 32

School has a relationship with your current employer 31

Alumni network and program 30

Placement or ranking on magazine or industry list 30

Recommendation o a riend or amily member 26

Military tuition discounts and benets 23

Online programs should publish their tuition and ee inormation prominently, ensure programs have strongendorsements rom prospective employers in related elds, and maximize the ease o enrolling. Institutions should

solicit testimonials and endorsements rom employers and ormer students that speak to the quality o programsand the applicability o subject matter to current job opportunities.


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S Sics: 24/7 oi accss

A large percentage o students list online library and research services and 24/7 technical support asimportant student services. The survey showed academic advising as the next most important actor.The majority o online students work ull-time and seek to advance or change their careers, so about hal

o the respondents rate career-related assistance as important.

S Sicspc

(Important)

Online library and research 74%

24/7 technical support 67

Academic advising 58

Career placement 50

Career coaching and planning 49

Student support and coaching 49

Writing assistance and tutoring 43

Math assistance and tutoring 41

Online program services must use technology to make study as easy as possible, help students advance theircareers, and help students excel in their program o study. Regular, eective advising or coaching can be

instrumental in retaining students. Consider hiring proessional sta to advise and coach students.

Chsi p: th Ic W Sis

The largest proportion o online students (61%) initially seeks inormation about a program o interestdirectly rom an institutions Web site. This suggests that many online students already know theinstitution in which they will eventually enroll. Some students know about the institution because they

reside in the same region (79% enrolled at an institution within 100 miles o where they reside), andothers know about some large nationwide institutions likely because o their large-scale marketing andpromotional eorts.

Almost hal o online students initially use an Internet search engine to determine their online programso interest, which points to the importance o search engine optimization (SEO) in attracting students.

Iii Sch mhs pc

Specic institutions Web site 61%

Internet search engine such as Google, Bing, or Yahoo 48

Institution search site such as eLearners.com, ClassesUSA.com,

or eLearnPortal.com

28

Conversation with riends or amily 26

Conversation with employer or supervisor 18

Other 2
http://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_6/eLearners.comhttp://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_6/ClassesUSA.comhttp://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_6/eLearnPortal.comhttp://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_6/eLearnPortal.comhttp://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_6/ClassesUSA.comhttp://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_6/eLearners.com


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Regional and national institutions must maximize the top-o-mind awareness (TOMA) o their onlineprograms among people residing in their region. Institutions must also ensure their Web sites (and particularlytheir home pages) are attractive, inormative, easily navigable, and highly optimized or prospective onlinestudents. Institutional Web sites are the single most important tool that online students use to make their

enrollment decision.

efciss ecic of-i aisi: bh Wk

In our survey, online students used a 5-point scale to rate the eectiveness o various electronic and

traditional methods o advertising online programs. Among electronic methods, students gave thehighest rating to listings on institution search sites, ollowed by ads on Google or other search engines.Among traditional methods, one cannot underestimate the eectiveness o word o mouth, ollowed

by inormation rom an employer. Mass media options (i.e., television and radio) come ater electronicand traditional methods.

aisi mhs a ri

Friends or amily* 3.9Inormation rom an employer* 3.5

Listings on institution search sites such as GradSchools.comand AllOnlineSchools.com

3.4

News stories on television or radio* 3.3

Commercials on TV* 3.2

Direct mail to home* 3.2

Articles in magazines or newspapers* 3.2

Sponsorship o events or conerences* 3.1

Conventions, events, and trade shows* 3.1

Ads on Google or other search engines 3.0

College airs* 3.0

Commercials on radio* 2.9

Promotional emails 2.8

Ads on Facebook, LinkedIn, or other social networks 2.8

Posts on Facebook, LinkedIn, or other social networks 2.8

Ads in newspapers or magazines* 2.8

Billboards* 2.8

Banner ads on Web sites 2.6

Tweets on Twitter 2.5Military publications and events* 2.4

Text messages 2.3

Ads sent to cell phone 2.2

*Traditional o-line method
http://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_6/GradSchools.comhttp://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_6/AllOnlineSchools.comhttp://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_6/AllOnlineSchools.comhttp://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_6/GradSchools.com


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Institutions promoting online programs must not orget traditional marketing channels, in addition to themost eective online methods: institution search sites, SEO, and email marketing. However, perhaps nearlyas important are word o mouth methods such as endorsement rom riends, amily, coworkers, andemployers.

oi of-li rsch mhs: dic h I

Ater prospective students become interested in a program and embark on detailed research about thatprogram and provider institutions, they most oten visit the institutions Web sites or conduct a search

on Google or another search engine. When employing o-line research methods, they most otencall the institutions directly or read printed institution guides and other materials to gather detailedinormation about online programs o interest.

ms lik rsch mhs pc

Direct visits to the Web sites o the institutions o interest 79%

Internet search engines (e.g., Google, Bing) 52

Phone calls to the institutions* 46

Printed institution guides and other materials* 43

Attendance at an open house or other ace-to-ace event* 30

Institution search sites such as eLearners.com, ClassesUSA.com, and eLearnPortal.com 29

Conversations with riends and amily* 28

Conversations with alumni* 17

Conversations with employers, work colleagues, and supervisors* 17

Social media sites (e.g., Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+) 14

Other online method 1

Other o-line method* 0*O-line research method

Institutions must design their Web sites so prospective students may easily access key sections with a minimalnumber o clicks. Institutions should also optimize their sites so they achieve high positions in organicsearch results. Highly trained representatives should answer telephone inquiries during extended eveningand weekend hours. Institutions should also use a customer relations management (CRM) system to ensure

timely ollow-up to all inquiries.
http://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_6/eLearnPortal.comhttp://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_6/eLearnPortal.com


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ms I Ii Isii W Sis: d Hi y Cs

When asked to select the top three most important pieces o inormation they looked or on institution

Web sites, the largest proportion o online students cited tuition and ee inormation.

Isii W Si Ii pc

Tuition and ee inormation 67%

Available degree majors and programs 35

Admissions requirements 34

Courses included in a program 33

Course schedules 25

Descriptions o specic courses 21

Financial aid inormation 21

Career options and career placement 18

Many institutions tend to hide their tuition and ees. In so doing, they risk losing many o the 80% oprospective students who visit the Web sites rst or such inormation. Not only should cost (and nancial

aid) inormation be easy to nd in one or two clicks, but it also must be easy to understand.

lh ti Fqc Isii Cc: S i tch

Typically, about 80% o prospective online students would like an institution they contacted to respondwithin two days. Nearly hal want contact within 24 hours.

rss ti pc

Within hours 13%

24 hours 36

Two days 30

Three to seven days 16

More than one week 5

Furthermore, prior to making a nal enrollment decision, the largest proportion o online studentspreers ongoing weekly communication rom institutions they contacted.

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Daily 8%

Weekly 40

Monthly 27

Once every three months 10

Less than once every three months 15

Institutions that oer online programs must be ready to respond to all inquiries within two days or sooner.Conversion rates can heavily depend on the amount o time an institution takes to ollow up with inquirersand applicants; the less time, the better.


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Sci nwki ps: a Cc pi

The vast majority o online students have a prole on Facebook, and most o them visit social networking

Web sites daily. Only about 10% do not have a prole on any social networking site.

Sci nwki ps pcFacebook 83%

Twitter 39

LinkedIn 37

Google+ 25

Other 1

None 10

Fqc Sci nwki visis pc

Daily 75%

Weekly 18Monthly 6

Not at all 1

Although institutions have yet to use social media as a serious recruitment tool, online students use socialmedia almost daily, making it important to recruiting eorts. Institutions should continue testing social

medias eectiveness as either an initial marketing channel or a method to maintain ollow-up and ongoingcommunication with prospective students.

mss mi bhi: tii Cis

Understanding how online students interact with mass media options can help institutions know howand when to market their programs through a variety o such methods.

Newspaper

An impressive 90% o online students read a newspaper weekly, and the large majority o them (about60%) read it on a daily basis. Not surprisingly, these students most oten read newspapers in an online

or digital ormat.

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Online 69%

In print 31


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Radio

Ninety percent o online students regularly listen to the radio, and about two-thirds listen to local radiostations.

ri Si t pc

Local stations 62%

Online stations such as Pandora and Spotiy 23

Satellite stations 6

None 9

Television

All but 6% o online students regularly watch television. Equal proportions o about 40% watch eitherlocal television stations or cable television stations.

tisi Si t pc

Local stations such as NBC, CBS, or ABC 42%Cable stations such as CNN, ESPN, or Fox News 40

Internet services such as Netfix, Hulu, or Redbox 11

None 6

Magazines

About hal o respondents read magazines in print rather than online or digitally. Comparable proportionso about 30% read either news magazines or entertainment magazines, ollowed by liestyle magazines.

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In print 51%

Online or digitally (smart phone, e-reader, or tablet) 33

None 15

t mzi ms Fq r pc

News magazines (Time, Newsweek) 31%

Entertainment magazines (People, Us Weekly) 28

Liestyle magazines (Consumer Reports, Readers Digest, Oprah) 26

Sports magazines (Sports Illustrated, ESPN The Magazine) 14

Other 2

Although online students use the Internet to search and communicate, they also use and visit mass mediachannels o communication. Colleges must integrate these options into their overall marketing campaigns


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oi bhi: t Cc

In addition to their online studies, about 70% o online students spend 10 or more hours online weekly.

They most oten visit social media Web sites, ollowed by news and shopping sites.

Hs p Wk oi pcLess than 10 28%

10 to 19 37

20 to 29 19

30 to 39 3

40 to 49 8

50 to 59 2

60 or more 3

t Si ms Fq visi pc

Social media 52%

Local or regional news 46

National news (CNN.com, FoxNews.com) 45

Shopping (QVC.com, Amazon.com) 44

Entertainment 36

Sports (SI.com, ESPN.com) 15

Auction (eBay.com, QuiBids.com) 15

Liestyle 15

Computer gaming 9

Other 2

In an era in which no single medium can communicate everything, online institutions must inorm prospectivestudents o what they oer through a mixture o both new and traditional media. Students watch, read, listen,and most certainly sur.


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dhic p oi Ss

In general, online students nationwide most oten t the ollowing prole:

Online students are typically Caucasian emales about 33 years o age who are not the

rst in their amily to attend college and who typically have a total amily income o about$66,500. They work ull-time or an employer who oers tuition reimbursement.

About 25% o undergraduate online students had already earned a bachelors degree or

higher beore they most recently enrolled in undergraduate study. About 35% o graduateonline students had already earned a masters degree or higher beore they most recentlyenrolled in graduate study.

Online students most oten use student loans and other nancial aid to pay or courses(36%), ollowed by personal unds (32%), or they use a combination o personal unds andstudent loans or other nancial aid (25%).

In the tables below, we present the detailed ndings o each question related to the demographicprole o online students nationwide. Some specic patterns to note include:

More than twice as many women as men enroll in online education.

Nearly 40% o online students are 29 years o age or younger.

Forty percent o online students do not work ull-time.

I they are employed, online students most oten work in the elds o education and health care.

In general, ew noticeable dierences exist between students enrolled in or-prot versus not-or-protinstitutions regarding motivation, intended credential, eld o study, and course schedules. Some

demographic dierences to note include:

Almost 50% o not-or-prot students enrolled in online education are 29 years o age or youngeras compared to only about 32% o students enrolled in or-prot institutions.

One-third o online or-prot students had AricanAmerican or Hispanic backgrounds ascompared to only 23% o those enrolled in not-or-prot online programs.


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g

pc rss

a u g

Female 70% 74% 66%

Male 30 26 34

pc rss

ehici a u g

Caucasian 62% 65% 58%

AricanAmerican 19 19 18

Asian or Pacic Islander 9 5 13

Hispanic 8 8 9

Native American 1 1 0

Another background 1 2 1

pc rss

a Wh ls e a u g

18 to 24 19% 25% 13%

25 to 29 20 17 24

30 to 34 15 13 16

35 to 39 13 12 14

40 to 44 11 12 11

45 to 49 10 10 10

50 to 54 8 8 8

55 or older 4 4 4

Fis i Fi a C

pc rss

a u g

No 63% 61% 64%

Yes 37 39 36

pc rss

mii Ss a u g

No service 94% 94% 94%

Veteran 4 3 4Active duty 1 2 1

Reserve 1 1 1


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pc rss

t Hsh Ic a u g

Less than $25,000 11% 18% 4%

$25,000 to $39,999 14 20 8

$40,000 to $54,999 15 15 14$55,000 to $69,999 13 12 13

$70,000 to $84,999 11 10 13

$85,000 to $99,999 9 7 12

$100,000 to $114,999 8 6 9

$115,000 to $129,999 3 2 5

$130,000 to $149,999 3 2 4

$150,000 or more 6 4 10

Preer not to say 7 5 8

pc rss

Hihs l eci a u g

High school diploma or GED 6% 12% 0%

One or two years o college, but no associate degree 17 33 0

Associate degree 8 16 0

Three or our years o college, but no bachelors degree 9 17 0

Bachelors degree 30 15 47

Some graduate courses, but no masters degree 11 4 18

Masters degree 12 3 23

Some graduate courses beyond a masters degree,but no doctorate

4 1 6

Doctorate 3 0 5

pc rss

mh Cs p a u g

Student loans and other nancial aid only 31% 38% 23%

Personal unds only 28 25 30

Personal unds and student loans or other nancial aid 21 22 20

Personal unds, loans, and private scholarships 8 6 9

Personal unds and employer tuition assistance 8 4 12

Employer tuition assistance only 4 4 4


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pc rss

e Ss a u g

Employed ull-time 60% 48% 73%

Employed part-time 20 24 16Not employed but looking 12 16 7

Not employed and not looking 7 11 4

Retired 1 2 1

Is: C pi S

pc rss

a u g

Education 15% 8% 21%

Health care 15 14 15

Proessional services 11 10 11

Computer, communications, or inormation systems 10 10 9

Financial services or insurance 8 8 7

Retail or wholesale 7 11 4

Government 6 5 7

Manuacturing 6 7 5

Entertainment, hospitality, or sports or leisure services 4 6 2

Nonprot 4 3 5

Building and construction 2 2 2

Transportation 2 2 1

Energy 1 1 1Agriculture or mining 0 1 0

Other 9 10 8

e ofs tii ris

pc rss

a u g

Yes 81% 82% 81%

No 7 8 7

Unsure 11 10 12


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ps Ch e Is

Among the approximately 30% o students who enrolled in college most recently to change careers,the vast majority planned to move to a dierent industry. Among this pool o respondents, onlineundergraduate students planned to move to the health care industry, whereas online graduate students

planned to move to a proessional services company, such as accounting, consulting, marketing, orpublic relations rms.

Is: a S

pc rss

a u g

Health care 26% 30% 22%

Proessional services 18 16 26

Education 12 11 15

Computer, communications, or inormation systems 10 12 6

Government 7 11 6

Financial services or insurance 6 4 10Entertainment, hospitality, or sports or leisure services 5 6 2

Nonprot 3 2 5

Retail or wholesale 2 3 1

Energy 1 1 2

Building and construction 0 1 0

Other 9 5 5


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In spring 2012, Aslanian Market Research and Learning House conducted surveys with 1,500 individualsnationwide. Respondents were at least 18 years o age, had a minimum o a high school degree orequivalent, and were recently enrolled, currently enrolled, or planned to enroll in a ully online

undergraduate or graduate degree, certicate, or licensure program.

Resolution Research o Denver, CO, identied the sample o 1,500 respondents. The organizationdrew the sample rom its actively managed, 100% market-research-only panel that represents the U.S.

Census, which enables the selection o hard-to-source groups. Resolution Research has collected up to250 behavioral and demographic data points on each panelist, which allows it to target respondents orspecic research objectives.

To recruit or this study, Resolution Research invited all panelists to participate via email invitations.Resolution Research thereater built and managed quota groups to ensure that invitation countsaccurately represented basic requirements or participation in the study: age (18 years or older), learning

(enrollment in a ully online degree, certicate, or licensing program, and appropriate geographicaldistribution). Respondents resided across 47 states and the District o Columbia. The states that represent52% o the nations population (according to the 2009 U.S. Census) represented 70% o the studysrespondents. These states included Caliornia, New York, Florida, Colorado, Illinois, Texas, Georgia, New

Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.

Based on a population o 2 to 3 million online students, the sample o 1,500 students in this study

represents a +/- 3% margin o error at a 95% condence level.

The surveys collected inormation on motivation or study; type, level, and eld o study; providerinstitution; preerred schedules; needed services; strengths and weaknesses o the online ormat;

eective promotional strategies and advertising methods; and a variety o other topics. Surveys also

gathered inormation on the personal characteristics and circumstances o online students at the timethey took their most recent undergraduate or graduate course.

mh


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Allen, I. E., & Seaman, J. (2011). Going the distance in the United States, 2011. Babson Park, MA: BabsonSurvey Research Group.

Aslanian, C. B., & Brickell, H. M. (1980). Americans in transition: Lie changes as reasons or adult learning.New York: College Board.

Brooks, D. (2012, May 4). The campus tsunami. The New York Times, p. A29.

Christensen, C. M., & Eyring, H. J. (2011). The innovative university: Changing the DNA o higher educationrom the inside out. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

DeMillo, R. A. (2011).Abelard to Apple: The ate o American colleges and universities. Cambridge, MA: MITPress.

DeMillo, R. A. (2012, April 29). So youve got technology. So what? The Chronicle o Higher Education.Retrieved rom http://chronicle.com/article/So-Youve-Got-Technology-So/131663 /

Silber, J. M., & Condra, P. (2011). Education and training. New York: BMO Capital Markets.

rcs
http://chronicle.com/article/So-Youve-Got-Technology-So/131663http://chronicle.com/article/So-Youve-Got-Technology-So/131663


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th li Hs, Ic. is an online education solutions partner that helps colleges and universitiesdevelop and grow high-quality online degree programs and courses. Partnering with more than 100colleges and universities, Learning House oers a business model that enables institutions to eciently

and aordably achieve their online education goals. Learning House provides a range o services,including curriculum development and management, aculty training and proessional development,marketing and lead generation, admissions and enrollment management, student retention, 24/7technical support, learning management systems, and management and consultation.

ecidics is a proven leader in helping higher education institutions nd, enroll, and retainstudents. We have worked hard to earn and maintain our industry leadership through a deeply rooted

philosophy o serving our schools best by serving students rst. This commitment has been at the hearto our success since we began more than a decade ago, and it continues today as we proudly serve morethan 1,200 colleges and universities o all types and sizes.

asi mk rsch (EducationDynamics market research unit) conducts market demandstudies, institutional audits, program and marketing reviews, and proessional development seminarsand workshops or colleges and universities seeking inormation and data on how to expand adultand online student enrollments. Throughout the last 25 years, our sta has worked with more than

200 colleges and universities o all typespublic, private, large, small, rural, suburban, and urbaninevery region o the United States. Our seminars have provided thousands o college administrators withpractical, hands-on tactics that they can implement at their institutions at minimal cost or maximum

impact.

ahs

C b. asi is Senior Vice President o Aslanian Market Research. She is a national authority on

the characteristics and learning patterns o adult students, and she has made hundreds o presentationson the topic and led market research projects or more than 300 colleges, universities, and educationalagencies.

di l. Ci is Chie Academic Ocer o The Learning House, Inc. He has been the ChieAcademic Ocer o or-prot, online universities (Walden and Kaplan) and the President o GracelandUniversity, an early innovator in online education.

For additional inormation, contact:

asi mk rsch

(201) [email protected]

[email protected]/market-research

th li Hs, Ic.

(502) [email protected]

ps
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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