In today’s higher education landscape, many colleges and universities are clamoring to attract adult learners and the dollars they bring to the bottom line. To gain insight into the mindsets of adult learners, education research firm EAB recently conducted a survey of current and prospective students attending or interested in undergraduate and graduate degree programs as well as certificate programs.
The report, “Understanding the Shifting Adult Learner Mindset: Insights for Growth from EAB’s Adult Learner Survey,” concludes that adult learners are savvy digital consumers when selecting an educational option.
The survey was conducted by EAB’s Enrollment Services and went to current and prospective adult learners in fall 2018, whose names were provided by institutions and entities that work with EAB—both traditional institutions and online programs. The results come from 772 participants. The institutions were not identified.
“What we were hearing from our clients and partners is around the fact that they needed a lot of help recruiting graduate students,” said Brittany Murchison, EAB’s managing director of program marketing. “They were looking for best practices and strategies.”
Murchison noted this survey was designed to help understand the adult learner audience and give a data-driven sense of the motivations and desires of this population. The survey takes a broad view on adult learners, focusing on graduates, undergraduate degree completion, online and certificate programs.
Participating institutions were seeking additional information on the age, background, motivations, obstacles, mindsets and timelines of potential students. Murchison said the survey was designed to better understand the audience so institutions can develop more effective programming and marketing.
“We surveyed both traditional on-ground programs that would require being on campus, blended programs…and online programs,” said Murchison. “What the survey data would tell you is folks are very interested in a flexible, online option.”
