2016 Online College Students Report - EducationDynamics

ONLINE COLLEGE STUDENTS 2016:

7/20/2016

Comprehensive Data on Demands and Preferences

About the Presenter and Authors

Scott JeffeSenior Director, Aslanian Market ResearchChief Academic Officer at Learning [email protected]

Authors:

Carol Aslanian David ClinefelterFounder and President Chief Academic OfficerAslanian Market Research The Learning House

Typical Online College Student Profile

2012 2016Gender Female Female

Average Age 33 31

Average Income $66,500 $55,000

Employment Status Employed full-time Employed full-time

Employer Tuition Reimbursement Status

Receive employer tuition reimbursement

Do not receive employer tuition reimbursement

Distance From Closest CampusUN

DERG

RADU

ATE

2016 2012

57%Less than 50 miles away

50 to 100 miles away

More than 100 miles away

Not sure

47%

17%

12%

7%

25%

19%

16%

2016 2012




Not sure

47%

17%

12%

7%

25%

19%

16%

2016 2012




Not sure

47%

17%

12%

7%

25%

19%

16%

Distance From Closest CampusG

RADU

ATE

2016 2012




Not sure

47%

17%

12%

7%

25%

19%

16%

2016 2012




Not sure

47%

17%

12%

7%

25%

19%

16%

2016 2012

7%

9%

Less than 50 miles away



Not sure

53%

40%

20%

16%

21%

35%

Number of Visits to Campus Annually

11%

21%62%

4%3%

2014

Never

1-2 times

3-5 times

5-10 times

More than 10 times

25%

32%

24%10%

9%

2016

11%

21%62%

4%3%

2014

Never

1-2 times

3-5 times

5-10 times

More than 10 times

25%

32%

24%10%

9%

2016

Credits From Prior Study

2014 2016

None 19% 13%

1 to 15 17% 19%

16 to 30 17% 21%

31 to 59 15% 16%

60 to 90 13% 13%

More than 90 credits 11% 11%

I don’t recall 9% 7%

Fields of Study

UNDE

RGRA

DUAT

E

Business

Health & Medicine

Computers & IT

9%

Arts & Humanities

Social Sciences,Criminal Justice, Law

9%

8%

Science, Technology,Engineering, or Mathematics

Education & Teaching

4%

6%Counseling, Human Services

2016 2014

26%

28%

16%

17%

15%

14%

12%

9%

11%

8%

6%

Business

Health & Medicine

Computers & IT

9%

Arts & Humanities


9%

8%



4%


2016 2014

26%

28%

16%

17%

15%

14%

12%

9%

11%

8%

6%

Business

Health & Medicine

Computers & IT

9%

Arts & Humanities


9%

8%



4%


2016 2014

26%

28%

16%

17%

15%

14%

12%

9%

11%

8%

6%

Fields of Study

GRA

DUAT

E

Business

Health & Medicine

Computers & IT

9%

Arts & Humanities


9%

8%



4%


2016 2014

26%

28%

16%

17%

15%

14%

12%

9%

11%

8%

6%

Business

Health & Medicine

Computers & IT

9%

Arts & Humanities


9%

8%



4%


2016 2014

26%

28%

16%

17%

15%

14%

12%

9%

11%

8%

6%

9%

7%

6%

6%

7%

8%

2016 2014

26%

28%

20%

9%

14%

22%

12%

11%

10%

5%

Business

Health & Medicine

Computers & IT

Arts & Humanities




Counseling, Human Services

Reasons for Not Finishing Program

My family circumstances changed 34%Ran out of funds 26%

Did not see the relevance of the program content 17%

I started a new job that required more time 15%

Classes were uninteresting 14%

I started a family and didn’t have the time 14%

I relocated and the program wasn’t available 10%

Too difficult to get to campus 8%

I became ill 8%

Factors in Choosing a School

#1 Factor

Mean score out of 3.0

Tuition and fees 26% 1.79Reputation of school 18% 1.89Convenience – the school offers multiple study formats 12% 2.00

Quality of faculty 11% 2.10Convenience – the school has a location near where I live or work 10% 2.06

Recommendation of a friend/family member 7% 2.05

Agreement between my employer and the school for adjusted tuition/fees 6% 2.04

Factors in Choosing an Online Program

Flexible class schedules 21%

The length of time to complete the program 16%

Content of program (relevance of course descriptions, availability of major or concentration that I want)

15%

Overall reputation of the program within my field of study 14%

Major is important in my career field 14%

Successful career placement of graduates 11%

Factors in Choosing an Online Program cont.

Amount of transfer credits accepted 11%

Number of hours of study requiredeach week 10%

No set class meeting times 9%

Marketing Channels for Awareness

32%29%20%9%10%

32%28%19%9%12%

28%27%21%10%14%

24%27%23%11%16%

23%26%21%11%19%

19%

20%27%23%12%18%

18%

22%24%23%12%

21%23%25%13%

21% 23%23%20%13%

20% 21%22%21%15%

21% 21%23%23%12%

Listings on search engineslike Google/Bing/Yahoo

Direct mail to my home

Commercials on TV

Television or radionews stories

Posts on Facebookfrom your friends

Ads in magazines/newspapers

Posts on Facebook fromgroups you follow

Commercials on radio

Videos on YouTube

Billboards

Ads on Facebook

3.63

3.58

3.45

3.32

3.25

3.19

3.17

3.15

3.12

3.09

3.09

1 2 3 4 5Not effective Very Effective

Mean

Marketing Channels for Awareness cont.

32%29%20%9%10%

32%28%19%9%12%

28%27%21%10%14%

24%27%23%11%16%

23%26%21%11%19%

19%

20%27%23%12%18%

18%

22%24%23%12%

21%23%25%13%

21% 23%23%20%13%

20% 21%22%21%15%

21% 21%23%23%12%



Commercials on TV






Videos on YouTube

Billboards

Ads on Facebook

3.63

3.58

3.45

3.32

3.25

3.19

3.17

3.15

3.12

3.09

3.09


Mean

32%29%20%9%10%

32%28%19%9%12%

28%27%21%10%14%

24%27%23%11%16%

23%26%21%11%19%

19%

20%27%23%12%18%

18%

22%24%23%12%

21%23%25%13%

21% 23%23%20%13%

20% 21%22%21%15%

21% 21%23%23%12%



Commercials on TV






Videos on YouTube

Billboards

Ads on Facebook

3.63

3.58

3.45

3.32

3.25

3.19

3.17

3.15

3.12

3.09

3.09


Mean

Use of Mobile in the Selection Process

Not at all

Some

Almost all

All

23%

8%

51%

19%

2016

Speed of Decision Making

Did you enroll in the school that got back to you first with the information you requested?

Undergraduate Graduate

2015 2016 2015 2016

Yes 40% 49% 49% 57%

No 35% 32% 32% 29%

N/A – I only contacted one school

25% 18% 20% 14%

Speed of Decision Making cont.

How long did it take you from the time you first started your search for an online program to

completing your application?

28% 35% 19% 9% 6% 3%

35% 33% 18% 7%

4%

3%

Less than2 weeks

2-4weeks

5-8weeks

9-12weeks

3 to 6months

7 monthsor more

Less than2 weeks

2-4weeks

5-8weeks

9-12weeks

3 to 6months

7 monthsor more

Speed of Decision Making cont.

After submitting your application, how long did it take to enroll in your first class?

After submitting your application, how long did it take to enroll in your first class?

28% 35% 19% 9% 6% 3%

35% 33% 18% 7%

4%

3%

Less than2 weeks

2-4weeks

5-8weeks

9-12weeks

3 to 6months

7 monthsor more

Less than2 weeks

2-4weeks

5-8weeks

9-12weeks

3 to 6months

7 monthsor more

Financial Aid Decision Timelines

24%

23%

Before I submittedmy application

Less than one weekafter application

1 to 2 weeksafter application

15%

7%3 to 4 weeks

after application

10%

2%More than one month

after application

12%

7%I was not eligible for or

did not apply for financial aid

20%

38%

20%

23%

When did you findout financial aid amount?

When do you prefer to findout financial aid amount?

24%

23%




15%

7%3 to 4 weeks

after application

10%


after application

12%



20%

38%

20%

23%



24%

23%




15%

7%3 to 4 weeks

after application

10%


after application

12%



20%

38%

20%

23%



Paying for Online Programs

Minimum annual scholarship to influence decision

40%

22%

19%

19%

At least $500

At least $1,000

At least $2,500

More than $2,500

Features of Online Programs

18%25%28%16%14%Requiredinternships

3.15

16% 22%25%26%12%On-campusface-to-face orientation

3.25

19% 18%26%24%14%One or more required

on-campus courses to meetwith classmates and instructor

3.09

Required face-to-face "clinical"or laboratory experiences

3.1222%13%7% 30% 29%

1 2 3 4 5Not at all attractive 5 - Very attractive

Mean

21%29%30%13%One or more optional


3.438%

23%32%31%10%Optionalinternships

3.59

5%

3.48Optional face-to-face "clinical"

or laboratory experiences 18% 20%22%26%14%


3.15


3.25



3.09


3.1222%13%7% 30% 29%


Mean



3.438%


3.59

5%



Features of Online Programs cont.


3.15


3.25



3.09


3.1222%13%7% 30% 29%


Mean



3.438%


3.59

5%




3.15


3.25



3.09


3.1222%13%7% 30% 29%


Mean



3.438%


3.59

5%



Student-to-Student Interaction

Meanscore

Posting to online message boards 2.18

Commenting on other posts on message boards 3.02

Doing group projects 3.63

Being assigned a "partner" in your class 4.06

Student-to-Student Interaction cont.

Meanscore

Social media groups (e.g., Facebook group) 4.59

Simulations 5.20

Blogging 5.50

Something else 7.82

Competency-Based Education

Yes, I enrolled in or completed a competency-based learning program 14%

Yes, I am very familiar with competency-based learning 22%

Yes, I am somewhat familiar with competency-based learning 25%

I have heard of competency-based learning but I am not familiar with it 20%

No, I have not heard of competency-based learning 20%

For More Information

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