Data from EAB looks at what shapes US students’ college choices.
Education support organisation, EAB, surveyed students from Entering Class 2025 to understand how they searched for colleges, navigated the application process and decided where to enrol (or whether not to enrol at all).
Perceptions are changing
The findings reveal that job market uncertainty is challenging students’ perceptions of the value of college. This also includes uncertainty around the impact of AI in the workforce. For example, 32% of students think fewer roles will require a college degree because of advances in AI, 42% think AI will influence the career they pursue and many had concerns around the impact of AI on their future career (32% said they felt concerned, 31% feel nervous/anxious, 10% feel depressed).
EAB notes that college attendance is stabilising (at 89%) but that the reasons high-school graduates are choosing not to attend are changing. Cost-of-living pressures are a key factor, with 67% of survey respondents citing this as their primary financial concern and 25% of those not choosing college, stating their reasoning was they couldn’t afford it, 11% that it wasn’t worth the cost, 12% that they need to work so college wasn’t an option, and 7% that they can earn the same or more money without attending college.
Some of the other reasons students opted out included wanting to take some time off before attending (26%), not knowing what they wanted to do (18%), not being mentally ready (16%), not getting ‘good enough grades’ to get into college (4%), and having family responsibilities or being a caregiver (5%).
When it comes to searching for colleges, the number of students using AI tools to find information has risen by 12% and use is most popular amongst students of colour. However, students appreciate direct communication/information from colleges, with their preferences ordered as: emails (68%), college website (61%), mail/personal letters (52%), college visits (49%), texts (29%), social media content (26%), direct social media messages (14%), phone calls (13%) and ads (13%). Students are also using virtual tours to evaluate colleges, with 18% using this in place of an in-person visit and 30% using virtual tours to compare colleges. EAB also explains that virtual tours are especially helpful in decision-making for underserved students including, first-generation students, students of colour and students in households with incomes lower than $60,000.
Next steps for colleges
EAB has recommendations to help colleges encourage students to consider enrolling by responding to their key concerns and uncertainties. Some of these recommendations include:
- highlight outcomes, transferable skills, and realistic paths to entry-level jobs
- communicate directly with parents from early into the college search
- strengthen multi-channel communications
- actively manage how your institution is represented online
- use personalised content to deliver tailored information on costs, outcomes and careers pathways.
Read the full paper to learn more.
References
- EAB (2026) ‘The New Path to Enrollment: Three Shifts Shaping College Choice, 2026 First-Year Experience Survey’. Available at: https://attachment.eab.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/40020-E360-FYE-Survey-Insight-Paper.pdf (Accessed: 19 May 2026)
