2025 prospective fam report v4
This is a PDF report titled "2025 prospective fam report v4.pdf" created in September 2025, presenting the findings of the 2025 Prospective Family Survey. The report analyzes survey data from 9,467 families across 47 colleges and universities, focusing on prospective college families' needs, communication preferences, financial considerations, and decision-making factors in the college enrollment process. It includes detailed statistics on family communication preferences, information gaps, financial aid importance, and demographic breakdowns. The report is intended for higher education institutions to improve family engagement and enrollment strategies.
Questions this document answers
Nearly 72% prefer weekly updates. Email remains dominant (95%), with growing interest in portals (36%) and texts (21%). Print is least preferred.
Financial considerations, especially net cost, are the top influence for 65% of families. Many families expect difficulty covering costs, with lower-income families experiencing more hardship. All income groups recognize the importance of financial aid, but disparities in access and perception remain.
Awareness varies with resource type, with email newsletters and mailed materials being most recognized, and portals and Facebook groups less so. Satisfaction generally exceeds 75% with higher satisfaction among aware families, but disparities exist especially for lower-income and first-generation families.
Cost, fit, academics, and campus visits are significant influencers. On-campus visits (97%) and program information (97%) are highly valued in decision-making.
The survey highlights families' need for frequent communication, preference for email and growing interest in portals and texts, financial considerations as top decision factors, diverse demographic representation, and a preference for weekly direct communication mainly through email.