2025 Prospective Family Engagement Report - Overview - What Today’s Families Want in a College - A College Decision Insights Report

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Fahsai

2025 Prospective Family Engagement Report presents fresh insights from nearly 10,000 prospective families across income levels, generational backgrounds, and geographies. The report examines how families navigate cost, loan stress, and information gaps while weighing affordability, academic fit, campus culture, and financial aid. Key findings highlight demand for clear cost and academic details, frequent and “just right” communication, parent/family portals, and the role of scholarships and loan support. It emphasizes empathetic, accessible outreach that meets families where they are.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages38

Reading Time1 h 36 min

AccessFree to download

Contents

Meeting Families Where They Are

Top 10 Findings

The Secret Sauce: What Today’s Families Want in a College

Unlocking Access: Are Prospective Families Getting the Resources They Need?

The Goldilocks Principle: Getting College Communication “Just Right” for Families

Mind the Gap: What Prospective Families Need to Know and What They Are Still Missing

Why Experience Matters: The Power of Personal Connection in the College Search

Listening to Families: Bridging the Gap Between College Dreams and Reality

Price, Perception, and Possibility: What Drives Families’College Decisions

How College Loan Decisions and Debt Anxiety Shape the Family Journey

Beyond Scholarships: How Loan Repayment Assistance Programs Shape College Choice

About the Study

About the Study Sponsors

2025 Prospective Family Engagement Report Co-sponsored by: Contents Meeting Families Where They Are ................................................................................................................ 3 Top 10 Findings ..........................................................................................................................................................4 The Secret Sauce: What Today’s Families Want in a College ..................................................... 5 Unlocking Access: Are Prospective Families Getting the Resources They Need? ....................................................................................................................................... 11 The Goldilocks Principle: Getting College Communication“Just Right” for Families ........................................................................................................................ 13 Mind the Gap: What Prospective Families Need to Know and What They Are Still Missing ......................................................................................................... 16 Why Experience Matters: The Power of Personal Connection in the College Search ........................................................................................................................................... 20 Listening to Families: Bridging the Gap Between College Dreams and Reality ................................................................................................................................................... 23 Price, Perception, and Possibility: What Drives Families’College Decisions ..................................................................................................................................... 27 How College Loan Decisions and Debt Anxiety Shape the Family Journey ............................................................................................................................................ 31 Beyond Scholarships: How Loan Repayment Assistance Programs Shape College Choice ............................................................................................................................. 33 About the Study ........................................................................................................................................ 37 About the Study Sponsors ................................................................................................................... 39 © 2025 RNL | 2025 Prospective Family Engagement Report 2 Meeting Families Where They Are Choosing a college is one of the most important decisions families face, and today’s landscape makes that choice more complex than ever. Families juggle various priorities, from affordability and academic fit to campus culture and financial aid, to find the right path for their students. This report derives fresh insights from nearly 10,000 prospective families across income levels, generational backgrounds, and geographies. The 2025 Prospective Family Engagement Report reveals what families value and uncovers their needs. From financial clarity and academic options to digital access and authentic human connection, these findings spotlight the moments that make or break a family’s college decision and reveal where institutions are missing the mark. We explore how families wrestle with cost, loan stress, and information gaps. Understanding these priorities helps institutions tailor outreach, communication, and support to meet families where they are and empower them to make informed, confident decisions. College planning is not a one-size-fits-all experience. Families today face unprecedented financial pressures, shifting communication preferences, and evolving ideas about college. Institutions must move beyond just broadcasting facts; they must engage with empathy, listen deeply, and provide practical, accessible resources that truly support familie

FAQs

What does the 2025 report focus on for prospective families?

It focuses on what prospective families value when planning for college, including cost clarity, access to resources, effective communication, and authentic human connection.

How was the report’s insight collected?

The report derives insights from nearly 10,000 prospective families across income levels, generational backgrounds, and geographies.

What are the main “Top 10 Findings” themes?

The themes include the importance of clear information on costs and programs, the value of campus visits, communication quality with families, and the impact of financial aid, scholarships, and high sticker prices.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Fahsai