Students who have a great college onboarding experience are 35 times more likely to have a great overall university experience.
The third edition of the Connected Student Report reveals that as university enrollments have declined, student wellbeing has become a top priority. This year the annual report reveals a new sense of urgency in improving how students feel about their experience. Only one-third of student respondents report having a great university experience, leaving lots of room for institutional improvement.
The multi-country survey results were based on 2,668 respondents to an online quantitative survey and 12 in-depth qualitative interviews. Key findings include:
- Belonging is the foundation for success. Students report their initial weeks on campus are key to their sense of belonging and connectedness.
- Students want holistic support from application to graduation. Students want more wellbeing resources (36%) and in-person events and activities (54%). Students worldwide say the social events, more than their classes, help them to feel part of the university.
- Students want to be prepared for the future of work. Those who feel well-prepared are four times more likely to have a great university experience.
- Flexibility and diversity matter. Students who have great experiences reported having:
- Easy online access to data and resources (86% great experience vs. 49% poor experience).
- Services available via mobile (82% vs. 61%).
- Positive digital experiences (81% vs. 36%).
- Access to sharing platforms (80% vs. 57%).
- Needs-based personalized experiences (60% vs. 11%).
- Students rank diversity and inclusion among universities’ top three values to uphold (26%).
Connection and belonging go hand in hand with great experiences
Fifty-eight percent of students feel some sense of belonging to their university, only 12% report feeling like they totally belong. Finding ways for institutions to keep increasing student connection is critical. Survey results found that students who have a strong connection to their institution and a strong feeling of belonging are more likely to have a great experience.
“Belonging is the new battleground,” said Carol L. Folt, President of the University of Southern California. “How can we bring students in and make them feel like they are a part of the institution,” she asked. “It starts with diverse committees that bring in student, faculty, and staff voices.”
Students who have a great onboarding experience are 35 times more likely to have a great university experience, and 63% of students who have a great onboarding feel more connected to their institution. US students (44%) report having a great onboarding experience. On the other hand, three-quarters of students who did not feel connected to their institution had a poor onboarding experience.
“As university administrators, we want to build a memorable experience, plan for the possibilities, and ensure there are resources in place for resolving the challenges that may present themselves,” said Douglas Eck, Dean of Students at Columbia College, Chicago.
Respondents also indicated that the onboarding experience needed to be more than just explaining the academic departments and student services. Students felt the university should host more events and social opportunities during onboarding so students can begin making friends and in-person social connections to ease them into college life.
Wake Forest University now has incoming students participate in a pre-orientation of 50 to 100 students instead of the entire new class of 1,300. Students now have a small group to meet even before orientation begins. Administrators at Howard University host informal gatherings where deans and other faculty invite students to talk to them, either about a specified topic or whatever they want to discuss.
Providing holistic support
Thirty-four percent of survey respondents wanted more career planning; 36% of students wanted more wellbeing resources; and 40% wanted more help in balancing their academics, work, and personal lives. Students now see higher education as holistic support systems. This is a relatively new development. An opportunity for institutions is to invest time and resources in all students and not just new students. In addition to getting a strong start on campus, institutions can focus more on all students to ensure that they have a better end-to-end experience.
Post-pandemic there is a call from students for more wellbeing resources. Only a quarter of students were looking for these resources in 2021, but this year 36% reported the need for more. There is more data in the report to support students’ preferences for social, emotional, and academic resources that can improve and heighten their connection to their campus. The survey is authored by SalesForce.