Inquiry Volume for Online Higher Education Programs Are Higher for All Three Months of the Second Quarter
Overall, enrollment in higher education institutions has been declining for several years. In this gloom, there are a few bright spots, and one is demand for online programs. Student inquiries for higher education programs at colleges and universities rose eight percent year-over-year in June, according to Gray Associates, a higher education consulting firm. June was the third consecutive month to see higher volume. Inquiries were up four percent for April and seven percent for May.
An inquiry is a prospective student’s request for information about an academic program or institution prior to submitting an application. Gray tracks inquiry volume as part of its Program Evaluation System (PES), used by colleges and universities to make strategic decisions regarding which academic programs to Start, Stop, Sustain or Grow.
Growth was driven entirely by inquiries for online programs, which were higher in five of the first six months of 2018. Inquiries for on-campus programs fell 18 percent in June and have declined for the first six months of 2018 and for all of 2017.
About Gray Associates
Gray Associates, Inc. is a higher education consulting firm. We help clients develop fact-based institutional and marketing strategies to maximize outcomes for students, the school, and its constituencies. Gray uses proprietary analytical techniques and an industry-leading database combining information on inquiry volumes, Google searches, demographics, competition, and employment, to help faculty and school leadership develop institutional strategies, select programs, pick locations, and prepare curricula.
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