Understanding how prospective students search for and evaluate colleges has become essential to meeting enrollment goals. This process is undergoing tremendous changes, driven mainly by technological advancements, platform preferences, and student search behaviors.
At the same time, higher education institutions are facing growing enrollment challenges due to many of the same reasons, creating a gap between how colleges market themselves and how students actually search.
In this study, we set out to explore student college search patterns, the platforms and channels they use, and the key factors influencing their decision-making.
The objective was to provide higher education institutions with data-driven insights that can help them more effectively align their enrollment strategies with the realities of college search behavior in 2025.
Key Takeaways
- Traditional search engines are by far the most used source of information across all three stages of the college search journey
- 62% of students actively switch between channels to verify information and get a fuller picture during the college search process
- 60% of students use social media platforms as an alternative search engine to search for authentic and engaging content
- More than half of students (54%) rarely or never interact with paid ads and prefer authentic content over polished marketing
- 36% of students use AI search engines to discover and evaluate their college choices
- Among adult learners, nearly half (47%) say they used forums during their college search, the highest usage compared to undergraduate and graduate students
Methodology
Our large-scale quantitative research study was conducted in the second quarter of 2025 to examine how students discover, evaluate, and decide on their college options. More than 1,500 recently enrolled students participated, with each segment (undergraduate students, graduate students, and adult learners) contributing over 500 responses.
This structure ensured a statistically significant sample, enabling comparisons across student types, learning modalities (online, hybrid, on campus), and demographic groups.
What we looked for:
- How are today’s prospective students navigating the college search process?
- Which platforms do students use at different stages of their search for a college?
- What weight do students place on traditional search engines compared with emerging sources of information?
- Do students’ search behavior shift depending on academic level, delivery method, or even demographics?
- What prompts students to move from one platform to another during their college search?
Traditional Search Engines Dominate the College Search Process
With options ranging from social media platforms and official college websites to online forums and beyond, the process of searching for a college has become increasingly complex. Yet traditional search engines continue to play a central role.
Our research found that traditional search engines were the leading platform throughout all three stages of the college search process (Awareness & Discovery, Shortlist, Decide & Apply).
An average of 65% of students, across three student segments, begin their college search using traditional search engines, 56% continue to use them when building a shortlist, and 45% rely on them to finalize their decisions.
This shows that traditional search engines remain a trusted source where information is double-checked and choices are validated.
The majority of adult learners use traditional search engines, higher than any other segment
Our findings reveal that traditional search engines are highly influential across all stages and segments, but their importance varies: adult learners show the highest usage, especially in the Awareness and Discovery stage. Here usage reaches 73% for adult learners, followed by 63% for undergraduates and 60% for graduate students.
These results highlight the need for colleges and universities to prioritize search engine visibility as a core part of their marketing strategy, allowing them to reach prospective students at the earliest stages of their decision-making process, particularly during Awareness and Discovery, while building credibility and increasing the likelihood of engagement.
Official college websites are the second most used source during the college search process
Official college websites serve as a trusted, authoritative resource for students at every stage, from the initial college search to the point where they are narrowing down and comparing their options.
While usage of these sites remains steady through the first two stages of the decision-making process, it peaks during the final stage, Decide and Apply, with 35% of students turning to them to submit an RFI, complete an application, or speak with an admissions officer.
What particularly stands out is that among undergraduate students, official college websites not only see their highest engagement at the Decide and Apply stage (42%), but they also overtake traditional search engines as the most-used platform.
62% of Students Navigate Multiple Channels to Verify Information at Every Stage
Although traditional search engines dominate the search process throughout all stages, our research found that during the search process, 62% of students (across three student segments) actively switch between platforms to get a fuller picture.
Such search behaviors indicate that students are clearly willing to dig beyond traditional search engine results to verify facts and gather authentic insights. While ranking prominently on Google’s first page remains critical for visibility and initial consideration, trust is earned through accuracy and transparency across multiple channels, making an omnichannel strategy essential if you want to reach the right students at the right time.
Their top reason for switching is to seek out more personal, first-hand opinions, such as reviews or student testimonials, which 52% say they value. Almost as many (50%) say they move on because the first platform simply didn’t provide enough of the information they were looking for, pushing them to explore other sources to fill the gaps.
This is yet another indication that your college or university must maintain a presence across different channels, because if your website fails to provide the authentic experience they’re seeking, they will likely turn to social media or online forums instead. And if you fail to deliver that information there as well, you’ll most likely be excluded from their consideration entirely.
54% of students avoid paid ads on traditional search results
Relying heavily on paid ads may not be the most effective strategy for reaching prospective students.
Our research indicates that while 34% of students across different segments click on paid ads on Google, the majority, 54%, rarely or never interact with them, suggesting that most students choose to make college decisions based on organic results.
More specifically, among undergraduates, graduates, and adult learners combined, a large share, about 34% overall, say they rarely click on paid ads. Another 20% say they never click on sponsored results at all.
If you are still relying primarily on Google Ads to fill your enrollment pipeline, you may be missing a critical shift in student search behavior.
Since more than half of your prospective students say they rarely or never click on sponsored search results, it means that over half of your prospective students may never even see your paid ads, no matter how much you spend.
This suggests that to stay competitive, you need to reduce your over-reliance on sponsored results and invest in sustainable enrollment marketing strategies, such as Organic SEO, that align with what type of content prospective students actually trust more nowadays.
60% of Students Turn to Social Media During Their College Search Process
What was once simply a platform for entertainment, social media has transformed into a search engine where students search for colleges or discover new ones while passively using the platform.
More specifically, our research shows that 60% of students use social media as a search engine when exploring colleges.
Almost 90% of students are actively searching for colleges on social media
Of those using social media, 89% are intentionally searching for college-related content, including students’ vlogs and experiences (56%), college events or activities (47%), campus tours (45%), and admissions-related content (45%), among other topics.
The popularity of these search topics shows that students value content that feels real and unfiltered. Social media content delivers that by presenting personal stories, casual tours, and everyday campus life in a way that official college sites rarely do. While official sites are highly trusted and informative, their content is often polished for marketing purposes, whereas social media fills the gap with authenticity.
So if you really want to influence a student’s choice, you have to be present on different platforms, with the right kind of content at exactly the right time.
The importance of social media in the college search process is further established by the fact that 40% of students turn to social media when college websites and traditional search engines fall short. When the two most established channels for college research fail to provide the relatability or up-to-date perspectives students are seeking, social media becomes their next step.
Ultimately, if your college or university isn’t active on social media, you risk losing visibility with more than half of your prospective students who are making enrollment decisions based on the content they find when they search on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and other social media platforms.
Undergraduates lead in social media use for college search
Undergraduates report the highest social media usage at 62%, just 1% point above graduates (61%) and 3% points above adult learners (59%). This suggests that social media plays a relatively consistent role in college research regardless of academic level, with only a slight edge among undergraduates.
Social media influences decision-making
Done right, social media content helps guide students toward a decision. In fact, 67% of students, across three student segments, reported that social media content increased their interest in a college they were already considering.
But where exactly do they prefer to retain college-related information?
Our research found that:
- Undergraduate students tend to gravitate toward Instagram (60%), TikTok (52%), and YouTube (47%), as they seek fast and authentic content, which these platforms deliver.
- Graduate students, though, still lean into video platforms, their preferences shift slightly. YouTube (51%) is their top choice, followed closely by Instagram (49%) and TikTok (47%).
- Adult learners prioritize YouTube (60%), but the importance of Facebook (52%) is more pronounced than among undergraduates or graduates, likely because of its community feel and professional groups.
Younger and first-gen students rely heavily on social media for college search
Social media plays a significant role in how students search for colleges, with usage varying across generations. Gen Z leads the way, with 61% using social media as part of their college search process.
First-generation students follow closely at 59%, indicating that social platforms are especially important for those navigating college options without family precedent. Millennials also show strong engagement at 58%, while Gen X trails at 49%.
36% of Students Use AI During the College Search Process
In recent years, AI has dominated headlines, transformed industries, and become an integral part of everyday life. And as shown in our research, it is now beginning to shape the college search process by helping students discover schools, compare programs, and access personalized information in ways that were not possible just a few years ago.
More specifically, across three different segments, from undergraduates to graduate students to adult learners, 36% are experimenting with AI to help navigate their options. While it’s not yet the default for everyone, the usage is noticeable, especially among more mature students.
Even though AI is an emerging channel that was not part of the college search three years ago, it has already gained momentum and is influencing students’ perceptions and decisions about programs and colleges.
Considering the scale of the channel and the usage trend, we should only expect more and more students to use AI to search for college-related content.
This suggests that higher ed marketers should adapt their SEO strategies to answer questions their prospective students are asking in AI Search. That means going beyond polished marketing copy and rankings. The main focus should be on creating clear, useful content that answers real student questions, the kind of information AI search engines can easily pull into their responses.
That should include program comparisons, campus life details, financial aid breakdowns, and honest student perspectives. The more structured and accessible that information is across a college website, social channels, and online forums, the more likely it is to be picked up when a student asks, “What’s the best school for me?”.
48% of adult learners turn to AI when exploring colleges
Among undergraduates, about 24% of students say they’ve used an AI search engine to get advice about colleges. The figure rises to 36% for graduate students and 48% for adult learners.
This suggests that the more complex and self-driven the search process becomes (as is often the case for graduate and professional students), the more students are relying on AI for help.
Speed and convenience drive AI use
While students use AI search engines for various reasons during their college search, our research shows that speed and convenience, at 62%, is the most influential reason prospective students turn to AI in their college search, and a shared expectation that cuts across all audience segments, whether they are undergraduates, graduates, or adult learners.
This finding reinforces the idea that in 2025, colleges or universities that fail to deliver immediate, effortless access to information risk losing attention before they ever have a chance to build a relationship.
Falling into a close second tier are personalized responses at 45% and trust in AI-generated information at 42%, two motivators that, while related, highlight subtly different aspects of the student search experience.
The personalization factor shows that prospective students are eager for interactions that feel tailored to their unique goals and circumstances.
On the other hand, the trust metric reveals that prospective students are likely to consider AI as a credible source during a high-stakes decision process, meaning that they trust it enough to let it influence critical, life-changing decisions.
This reinforces the idea that it is essential for colleges and universities to have a strong, well-optimized presence on AI search engines in order to resonate deeply with this new generation of learners and ultimately reach enrollment goals.
ChatGPT dominates, but Gemini is catching up, especially among adult learners
When prospective students do use AI, ChatGPT is by far the most common choice across all three groups, used by over 70% of undergrads and grads, and 68% of adult learners.
Gemini is also starting to gain ground, particularly with adult learners. While just over 22% of undergraduates and 26% of graduates report using Gemini, 44% of adult learners say it’s part of their college search process.
50% of adult learners are very satisfied with the quality of results provided by AI during college search
Our research findings indicate that AI search engines are meeting expectations of students across all stages of the search process, enhancing both efficiency and the quality of the search process.
On average, 44% of prospective students, across different segments, said AI was very helpful, giving them insights they couldn’t get elsewhere. Another 40% consider it to be as helpful as traditional search engines.
Undergraduates are still a bit cautious, with 44% saying AI was only somewhat helpful. But among graduate and adult learners, AI is clearly pulling ahead. Around 43% of grad students and 50% of adult learners say AI gave them insights they couldn’t get elsewhere.
Gen X leads in AI use for college searches, with millennials close behind
According to our research, AI search engines, such as ChatGPT and Gemini, are used by 52% of Gen X, 44% of Millennials, and 31% of Gen Z students during their college search. These students rely on AI search engines for quick, personalized answers to high-stakes questions about admissions, programs, financial aid, and rankings.
Why adults? Because this segment approaches the process from a fundamentally different mindset. They are often balancing career goals with family and financial obligations, leaving them extremely time-conscious. Additionally, having years of experience using technology to make complex decisions, they have little patience for vague or overly promotional information. They want fast, clear, and trustworthy guidance. And AI not only meets these expectations but often exceeds them by synthesizing vast amounts of information into direct, personalized content.
This means that students are no longer just searching for you through a list of links, they are actively asking AI to evaluate, compare, and even pass judgment on you in real time, often before they ever visit your website or speak to a recruiter, which means your institution’s story is increasingly being told by algorithms rather than by your own marketing team.
42% of Students Use Online Forums to Help Them Take College-Related Decisions
When students start searching for colleges, one increasingly common step, especially for those pursuing graduate or professional education, is consulting online forums, with 42% stating they do so.
Among adult learners, nearly half (47%) say they used forums during their college search, closely followed by graduate students at 45%. Undergraduates trail behind at 36%, but the reliance on these forums is still notable.
Reddit is the most-used online forum during the college search process
Across all student segments, Reddit is the top choice for forum-based college research, used by 67% of students. Its open and authentic format seems to provide exactly the kind of candid advice students are seeking.
Ignoring Reddit means missing out on the most dynamic and genuine student conversations shaping college decisions today. Since a large majority of prospective students turn to Reddit for real, unfiltered student experiences, and many confirm their choice of school based on forum advice, your institution’s reputation and influence are actively being formed there, whether you participate or not. Failing to engage risks losing control over the narrative and ceding ground to competitors who are more visible and responsive.
To capitalize on this opportunity, higher ed marketers should not only monitor Reddit discussions but also proactively engage by hosting AMAs (Ask Me Anything) with current students, faculty, or admissions staff to answer questions transparently and build trust.
By far, the top reason for visiting online forums is to read real experiences
The reasons why prospective students turn to online forums during their college search process vary. Our findings revealed that one reason clearly rises above the rest. 75% of prospective students overwhelmingly turn to online forums to hear real student experiences or opinions.
This is especially true for undergraduates, who show the highest reliance on online forums to hear student stories, with 86% actively seeking out these real-life experiences. This heavy interest may stem from the fact that many are first-year students entering higher education for the first time, and therefore have limited reference points for what college life is actually like. For them, these peer stories help set realistic expectations and build confidence before making one of the biggest decisions of their lives.
Online forums have the greatest influence on undergraduates’ college decisions
The college-related content students encounter, particularly on online forums, is playing an influential role in shaping their college decisions. In fact, 56% of prospective students reported that something they read on a forum confirmed their choice of a particular school.
Undergraduates were the most positively influenced, with 62% saying that forum content helped validate their decision. Graduate students followed at 54%, while 53% of adult learners also said they felt reassured in their choice after reading posts or discussions online.
Actionable Recommendations for Higher Ed Marketers
Based on the analysis and findings presented in this article, the following recommendations are proposed to address the identified challenges and help higher education marketers guide their institutions toward reaching their enrollment goals:
- Build a cohesive and consistent Omnichannel SEO presence across all sources of information, including traditional search engines, AI search engines, college search platforms, social media, online forums, and your official college website, recognizing that students switch between them seamlessly.
- Ensure your institution is visible in AI-driven search results like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity by optimizing your website and content so that Large Language Models (LLMs) can find it, understand it, and integrate it in their generated answers.
- Audit what others are saying about you on online forums like Reddit, and build a strategy that helps you become part of the conversation, so that you can control your brand narrative and reputation.
- Your website should serve as a platform for validation, providing prospective students with up-to-date, relevant, consistent, and easy-to-understand information on admissions steps, tuition breakdowns, program details, testimonials, and virtual tours. It should guide each student toward applying and eliminate any confusion that might cause them to turn away.
- Focus on authentic and credible content that aligns with student intent throughout each phase of the decision-making process.
Explore The Full Reports
For deeper insights into each audience segment and generational group, download our comprehensive four-part report series.
These reports provide a detailed exploration of how prospective students across different segments and generations search for, evaluate, and ultimately choose their college in 2025, offering valuable insights to help strengthen your recruitment strategies.
