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ACC Colleagues,
The end of the spring term is here! I hope it was successful for you and your students.
I have interesting data for you to think about over the summer. Lumina, in partnership with Gallup, recently released a survey of 14,000 adults that are either enrolled, stopped out, or never enrolled in postsecondary education. Nearly all of those who have never enrolled say that some type of degree or certificate is extremely or very valuable. Of those polled, 59% have thought about pursuing a degree or credential in the past two years. Of those, 41% considered an industry certification or a certificate. When asked if they plan to enroll in the next five years, 51% indicated they would. If this trend continues, it’s potentially good news for enrollment. But, how do we get them in the door and keep them?
When asked about factors that increase their likelihood to enroll, the top three factors were: 1) opportunities for an increase in earnings; 2) greater flexibility in course delivery; and 3) ability to finish the program quickly. This is similar to other studies which show that students want to improve their earning potential, but they need to be able to do so efficiently and with flexibility. The survey also asked currently enrolled students about retention and completion. Of survey participants who considered stopping out in the last six months, 54% cited emotional stress, 43% cited mental health, and 31% cited cost. These are some interesting statistics for us to consider over the summer, as we work towards increasing our enrollment and retention for Fall 2024.
But first, good luck to all of you as you wrap up the term, celebrate commencement on your campuses, and hopefully take a well-deserved break.
Sincerely,
Andrea Henderson
Executive Director
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