In our last issue, the Net-Poll question asked whether parents of prospective undergraduates have become too involved in their children's college selection process. Forty-one percent of you agreed that they have.
This Net-Poll finding is consistent with findings from our recent survey of senior admissions and enrollment management officers that Maguire Associates conducted in partnership with The Chronicle of Higher Education. In the Chronicle survey, 51% of respondents indicated that parental involvement in students’ assessment and choice of schools had increased greatly at their institutions in the past ten years.
Perhaps in response to this trend, 82% of these respondents said that their offices have an organized plan for marketing to parents of prospective undergraduates (50%) or that one is in development (32%). Clearly, institutions that recognize the growing role of parents are directing more marketing resources toward that audience.
To explore more results from the Maguire Associates and Chronicle of Higher Education survey, click here to review our report.