Admitted Student Research: Data Insights and Unexpected Encounters

Admitted student research is a powerful yet underutilized tool in higher education marketing.

By surveying your attending students, as well as students who decided to go elsewhere, you can give your admissions team additional data to help streamline their processes. 

But the research doesn’t stop there! 

Considering outside influencers like parents, coaches, and other trusted adults can bring a unique perspective of comparative analysis.

In Episode 173 of The Higher Ed Marketer podcast, we’re joined by Dave Burke, the President of Legacy Higher Ed, to discuss the importance of understanding why students choose to enroll—or why they don’t. 

As Burke explains, “These students have spent so much time getting to know you; you should probably get to know them.”

Burke brings years of experience in enrollment management and consulting, particularly with faith-based institutions. 

His insights highlight how admitted student surveys can refine enrollment strategies and improve communication, all while being cost-effective. 

Here’s a breakdown of what admitted student research is, why it’s important, and how institutions can easily integrate it into their recruitment processes.

Why Admitted Student Research Matters

Understanding your prospective students is essential for crafting relevant marketing messages, developing better recruitment strategies, and ultimately increasing your yield rates. 

As Burke explains, admitted student research goes beyond general market research and gets into the “why” behind student decisions.

“Colleges and universities should spend a reasonable amount of time getting valuable feedback from the students that got all the way through the admissions process,” Burke says. 

These are the students who know your institution best, whether they chose to enroll or not. 

Surveying them provides insights into the factors that influenced their decision, such as campus visits, interactions with staff, and perceived value.

Burke points out that this data is critical because it offers a window into the mindsets of those who have genuinely considered attending your institution. 

This insight can shape how you communicate with future students and better align your marketing with what actually resonates with your audience.

The Difference Between Admitted Student Research and Persona Development

Many higher education marketers are familiar with developing personas—fictional representations of an institution’s ideal students. 

However, Burke emphasizes that admitted student research offers a reality check.

There’s who you think should be a good fit for your institution, and then there’s who actually chooses to come.

A lot of institutions do a really good job understanding who they are, their core identity, and who should be a great match for their institution. 

But when it comes down to it, students choose institutions for a whole variety of reasons.

Often, there are commonalities between students that are either opting in or opting out at the end of a college search process. 

Getting to know those students who moved forward in [the admission process] and hearing from them about why they made the decisions they made helps define who [the mission-fit student really is], and who they are actually attracting.

Admitted student surveys allow you to compare these two groups and adjust your personas to reflect the real decision-making behaviors of students.

This level of understanding enables marketers to refine their messaging and better target prospective students. 

By gathering specific data points such as why a student chose to enroll—or not—you can adjust your strategies to address the actual preferences and concerns of your target demographic.

Timing Is Everything: When to Conduct Surveys

The timing of an admitted student survey can significantly impact the quality of the responses. 

According to Burke, students are most willing to participate right after they’ve made their enrollment decision. 

“They’re still emotionally connected to the process,” Burke says, “and that makes them more likely to provide thoughtful and detailed feedback.”

Surveying students too late in the process can reduce engagement, as they’ve already transitioned into their college experience or moved on. 

On the other hand, catching them while their experiences are still fresh can result in valuable, actionable data.

Overcoming Pushback: “Will Students Really Fill Out Surveys?”

One common concern among marketers is whether students will actually take the time to complete surveys, especially when they’re juggling the excitement and stress of starting college. 

Burke acknowledges this challenge but offers a simple solution: timing and incentives.

“We’ve found that students are more than willing to share their thoughts if approached at the right time, and yes, sometimes with a little bit of bribery,” Burke laughs. 

Small incentives, such as gift cards or school merchandise, can go a long way in boosting response rates.

Small Schools Can Benefit Too

Admitted student research isn’t just for large institutions with big budgets. 

In fact, Burke stresses that this approach is especially useful for smaller institutions. 

Doing admitted student research is something that just about every school should do. 

Even the micro colleges that are under 500 students or so—this is a good way to get to know your students! 

Otherwise, you’re flying blind. You don’t really know exactly what’s working and what’s not.

As Dave mentioned, even schools with smaller student bodies can benefit from the insights gained through admitted student surveys.

For smaller schools, he recommends that they survey a handful of students or pool resources with similar institutions to form a cohort.

This method allows institutions to compare their data with that of peer schools and make more informed decisions.

Expanding Research to Include Key Influencers

Beyond surveying students, it’s essential to consider the people who influence their decisions, such as parents, coaches, and counselors. 

One of the things that we’ve discovered through this research over many, many years is that there are certain top influencers for students.

For most students, parents are quite easily the top influencers to which colleges they apply and which colleges they’re choosing. 

Connecting with parents is a very critical piece of the whole enrollment process, not just surveying them, but also engaging with them through the recruitment process.

Parent’s concerns can be different from that of the student. 

Gathering data from these groups can offer a more comprehensive understanding of the decision-making process and help refine how you communicate with all stakeholders.

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Key Takeaways

1. Timing is Critical: Conduct surveys right after students make their enrollment decisions for the best results.
2. Personas vs. Reality: Use admitted student research to refine your personas and align your marketing with actual student behaviors.
3. Don’t Fear Pushback: With the right incentives and timing, plenty of students are more than willing to complete surveys.
4. Small Schools Benefit Too: Even smaller institutions can gain valuable insights, either by conducting their own surveys or joining a cohort for benchmarking.
5. Expand Your Research: Don’t forget to include key influencers like parents and coaches in your research for a fuller picture.

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Time to Know Your Students

Admitted student research can be a game changer for your enrollment and marketing strategies. 

If you’re ready to dive into the data and better understand why students choose your institution—or why they don’t—consider implementing a comprehensive survey strategy. 

Listen to our full interview with Dave Burke to get even more insights into:

• Admitted student research defined
• The nuts and bolts of student survey research
• Competitive analysis through cohorts
• How to survey different audiences

Unlock Your Full Enrollment Potential

Is your enrollment strategy as effective as it could be? Do you know who your mission-fit student is? Are you attracting and cultivating them well?

At Caylor Solutions, our Enrollment Evaluation service takes a deep dive into your admissions workflows, communication tactics, and student engagement methods to identify inefficiencies and areas for improvement. 

With a comprehensive report that provides specific, actionable recommendations, we help you boost enrollment numbers, improve retention, and enhance overall student satisfaction.

Ready to transform your enrollment process? 

Contact us today and take the first step toward achieving your goals.

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Featured image by bongkarn via Adobe Stock