How influential are parents on student decisions?
In the past, I’ve shared how universities can best connect with a parents audience:
1) Parents prefer email for comms
2) IG and FB are their top social channels
3) They like to hear from institutions, but especially when they have something meaningful to say
(Data via Campus EPS, 2023 Prospective Family Report)
But how influential are parents?
According to UCAS’s Project Next Generation report, the majority of students agree that they “feel quite a bit of pressure” from their parents to make good decisions about their future education/career:
Only 38% say they don’t feel pressured.
The pressure is felt evenly across year groups but is more prevalent in students at private schools:
“My Mum tells me I won’t get a good job if I don’t go to university, I want to study engineering science I’m hoping I can get good qualifications and get a good job.”
Where in the cycle are parents most influential?
As well as a pressure point, parents are also viewed as key knowledge providers from Year 9 with the peak of their influence being Year 11.
Most parents newsletters target parents of Year 12 and 13, but less than 17% of students agree that parents are still an influence by that stage:
For Year 11, the influence is way higher at 27%. So yes, start engaging parents earlier. But let’s not lose perspective…
Students are led by their dreams as much as advice from parents and teachers combined.
So in addition to all the hygiene factors like accommodation, fees and employability, if you can convince parents that your school is a place their child can fulfil their interests and passions…
You’re probably onto a good thing.
