Emerging Trends Shaping Higher Education: A Look Back on Insights from 2024

In order to better understand the ever-evolving needs of students pursuing higher education goals, Google partnered with Ipsos on research tracking overall student sentiment and trends among current and prospective students. The insights featured in this article are extracted from studies conducted in April, August and November 2024, surveying a total of 4,579 U.S. students^† enrolled in or considering higher education programs or non-degree options such as certificate programs and bootcamps. The findings represent the views of those who participated in the studies.

Among U.S. students surveyed (prospective degree and non-degree), 69% assign high priority to pursuing an education in their lives,¹ signaling that institutions may need to meet students where they are when it comes to the path to enrollment journey.

To uncover the motivations behind student preferences and behaviors, we must first examine student needs. The next few sections will shed some light on the challenges students are facing within the current U.S. higher education system, most notably:

• How affordability and flexibility impact a program’s attractiveness
• Increasing focus on mental health and well-being
• Being where students “are” in the evolving digital landscape

The Impact of Affordability and Flexibility on the Attractiveness of a Program

Current trends such as a potential “enrollment cliff” caused by a decline in the U.S. birthrate after the 2008 recession, increasing costs of tuition, and a decline in international students studying in the United States, as well as enrollment gains among short courses/certificate programs, present challenges to Universities.^†††

While quality of education (42%) is the top factor for students considering a higher education provider, flexible classes/online options (36%) and financial aid/support options (35%) round out the top three most important criteria for selecting a provider.²  The need for flexibility and financial support are significantly more important for prospective students than current students. 

A major challenge faced by prospective students is the financial investment required to enroll in a degree program. Two in five (40%) prospective students studied reported feeling anxious about paying off their current student debt due to FAFSA rollout issues, which was the top deterrent to enrollment among prospective degree and non-degree students^†† alike.³

Alternative pathways to education such as short course/certificate programs and bootcamps are gaining interest among those seeking higher education. In 2024, prospective students in this research expressed an increased interest in considering an educational program due to the current economic environment, and were significantly more likely to want to enroll in a short course or certification program, compared to a degree program (54% vs 43%)^{4 & 5}.

However, more than half of prospective students as well as current non-degree students (52%) say they would consider enrolling in a degree program if universities offered flexible learning options (i.e. on demand, online, part-time, weekends, accelerated timelines, etc.).⁶   

The findings indicate that students are seeking programs that cater to their flexible schedules and are budget-friendly. To address this, universities should consider providing more flexibility in their degree programs both in terms of duration as well as financial investment, in order to make them more attractive to prospective students.

Should Mental Health and Wellness be part of the Conversation?

The focus on mental health is becoming an important aspect of the conversation. Among students surveyed who decided not to enroll this year, nearly a third (31%) mentioned the main reason behind not doing so was due to feeling “mentally burnt out”.⁷ 

Other research validates how mental health challenges are significantly impacting college students' academic experiences, emphasizing the necessity of supportive resources. Nearly 90% of students report disruptions in their studies due to mental health issues, with time management and technological distractions being key factors.^†††† Moreover, a large percentage of students believe that mental health services at their institutions improve their chances of graduating, with many acknowledging the easy access to these resources. However, stress remains a major concern, fueled by the cost of living and academic pressures. This highlights the high need for accessible and inclusive mental health services to support students' persistence and achievement in higher education.^{†††††}

Interestingly, in another research study conducted by Ipsos in partnership with Google this year, we found that nearly half of U.S. job seekers (49%) expressed a need to complete a certification from a university or online platform provider in order to make their next desired job change, or to move upwards from their current position.⁸ In addition, over three in five job seekers studied (64%) said an advanced degree from a public or private university or community college will help boost their careers.⁹

Meeting Students Where They Are - Navigating the Digital Landscape

Which brings us to our next topic: where are students seeking information on the programs of their interest?

This research suggests it is important for educational institutions to establish a strong online presence in order to stay relevant among students looking to pursue their advanced degrees and certifications.

The window of opportunity to reach these students may also become narrower, as over two in three (67%) current non-degree students studied are reporting that their journey from research to enrollment is less than a month long;¹⁰ and 59% of current degree students are reporting that their journey from research to enrollment is less than four months long.¹¹ Therefore, it becomes even more important for universities and online education platform providers to meet students where they are: online.

When exploring programs that align with their interests, a significant portion of students surveyed rely heavily on digital resources. Specifically, over half (52%) utilize online search engines to aid in their research. ¹² Among these students, nearly seven in 10 (68%) focus their searches on programs categorized by degree or field of study.¹³ Furthermore, approximately two in five students seek out program reviews (45%), cost-related information (43%), and specific institutions by name (40%).^{14 & 15 & 16}  Search engines are a vital step in the process as 40% of students proceeded to fill out an information request or lead form after conducting research using Google. ¹⁷  In addition to general searches, search engine ads also play a role as 86% of current and prospective students studied who learned about educational providers via search engine ads, say they came across the ad on Google.¹⁸

Additionally, video search is an emerging source among students surveyed, with one in five (20%) incorporating online video searches into their research process.¹⁹

Summary

Today's students are leading a transformative shift in higher education. They seek more than just a traditional education; they want flexible learning options and environments that support their diverse needs. By paying attention to what students want and adjusting accordingly, institutions may create educational experiences that meet academic objectives while also fostering personal growth and well-being.

^† Current or Prospective Students ages 18 to 54 across U.S., who are currently enrolled in a degree program (either under or postgrad or higher) or online short course (8 weeks self-paced) or bootcamp (14 weeks intensive) either full time or part time, either online or in-person or hybrid, or are planning to enroll in such a program.

^†† A non-degree student is a Current or Prospective Student ages 18 to 54 across U.S., who are currently enrolled in online short course (8 weeks self-paced) or bootcamp (14 weeks intensive) either full time or part time, either online or in-person or hybrid, or are planning to enroll in such a program.

^{†††  “}What is the 2025 Enrollment Cliff and How are Universities Preparing for it?” Daniel DeSousa, September 9, 2024, www.nextsource.com

 ^†††† “Mental Health Disrupts Studying for Most Students” Johanna Alonso, October 30, 2024, www.insidehighered.com

^{††††† “}Students Say Mental Health Supports Aid Completion" Ashley Mowreader, January 14th, 2024, www.insidehighered.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Roy Daiany, Director - Education & Careers, Google

Allie Bartoszewicz, Strategy & Insights Lead, Google

Lesley Chou, Industry Research Lead, Google

Ayesha Anum, Director - Market Strategy and Understanding, Ipsos

About the Study

The findings in this article are based on multiple studies conducted by Ipsos on behalf of Google measuring perceptions of the current educational environment as well as views on employment.  Below are the details for the studies

• Future of work (Job Seekers)
  • Online, device agnostic survey among residents in the US, aged 18 to 67
  • Data collection occurred from June 14 to June 28, 2024
  • A total of 500 interviews were conducted among those who are actively seeking new employment
• Higher Education: Students Sentiment Pulse
  • Online, device agnostic survey among residents in the US, aged 18 to 67
  • Data collection occurred from April 8 to April 24, 2024, and August 5 to August 16, 2024
  • A total of 2500 interviews were conducted among prospective and current students
• Higher Education: Path to Enrollment
  • Online, device agnostic survey among residents in the US, aged 18 to 67
  • Data collection occurred from November 16 to November 26, 2024
  • A total of 2000 interviews were conducted among prospective and current students

In all of the studies, data is unweighted and thus only represents opinions of those who participated in the surveys.

About Ipsos

Ipsos is the world’s third largest Insights and Analytics company, present in 90 markets and employing more than 18,000 people.

Our passionately curious research professionals, analysts and scientists have built unique multi-specialist capabilities that provide true understanding and powerful insights into the actions, opinions and motivations of citizens, consumers, patients, customers or employees. We serve more than 5000 clients across the world with 75 business solutions.

Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos is listed on the Euronext Paris since July 1st, 1999. The company is part of the SBF 120 and the Mid-60 index and is eligible for the Deferred Settlement Service (SRD).

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