National Adult Student Priorities Report

Transcription

1 2012 Research Report National Adult Student Priorities Report Adult students priorities for their campus experience Institutional strengths and challenges from the adult perspective Separate results for nontraditional undergraduates and graduate students Influences on the decision to enroll Data from more than 90,000 students at 228 institutions

2 To quickly find the priorities of adult students, see pages The 2012 National Adult Student Priorities Report Introduction and Overview The importance of student satisfaction assessment Serving the needs of adult learners in today s economic environment is becoming a greater priority for colleges and universities. Student satisfaction is considered a core element for higher education institutions serving traditional-age students. More colleges and universities are expanding this assessment activity to adult students as well. As this group becomes a larger segment of the overall student population, it is important to include adult students in systematic assessment activities. Satisfaction assessment enables institutions to strategically and tactically target areas most in need of immediate improvement. It facilitates the development of planning and intervention priorities specific to adult learners, and it helps institutions examine student transactions with all major aspects of their experience, including academic, registration, and customer service. College and university leaders must understand how satisfied adult students are with their educational experience both inside and outside of the classroom in order to best serve those students. By collecting satisfaction data from adult students on a regular basis, campuses are able to determine where they are best serving adult students and where there are areas for improvement. Satisfied students are more likely to be successful students. Research indicates that institutions with more satisfied students have higher graduation rates, lower loan default rates, and higher alumni giving. Satisfaction with an institution includes a combination of academic factors as well as areas related to campus services. An institution needs to identify all of the issues that are relevant to students. These may include their interaction with faculty, as well as the service they receive from staff and administrators; the physical resources on campus; the policies that are in place; and their overall feeling of being welcome on campus. Satisfaction assessment can be further refined by capturing students level of importance (or expectation). Importance ratings provide institutions with valuable data on the areas that matter most to students. With this view, institutions can celebrate their strengths those areas that have high satisfaction AND high importance. Institutions can also focus their improvement efforts on areas where satisfaction is low AND importance is high, and not be distracted by low satisfaction areas that may not matter to adult students. As examples, adult students often report dissatisfaction with vending or snack bar options, but this is also a relatively low area of importance. Other items, such as access to classes, campus run-around, and adequate financial aid are often more critical issues for adult students Noel-Levitz, Inc. The 2012 National Adult Student Priorities Report

3 Research indicates that the greater the fit between expectations and reality, the greater the likelihood for persistence, student success, and stability. The importance of fit Campus leaders realize the importance of congruence or fit between what adult learners expect from their educational experience and their satisfaction with what they perceive as the reality of that experience. Research indicates that the greater the fit between expectations and reality, the greater the likelihood for persistence, student success, and stability. The opposite effect also applies: with greater incongruence or a lack of fit comes higher attrition, poor performance, and fluctuation. Understanding this fit between what adult learners expect and what they experience is a primary benefit of satisfaction assessment. Importance indicators add another layer of understanding. The level of importance students place on a particular item indicates the level of expectation they assign to this area, and it also indicates the amount of value they associate with this item. Often an institution communicates value or the expectations that students should place on an area by the way they market or position themselves in a particular area. An institution can then better identify the fit between the student body and the institution when performance gaps are captured through the combination of satisfaction and importance data. A smaller performance gap indicates a better fit; a larger gap indicates more incongruence and an area of concern. Responding is the key Conducting satisfaction assessment is a way to show adult students that the institution cares about their perceptions and their educational experience, but an even more significant way that an institution can show that it cares is by actively responding to student-identified issues. Once data have been collected, actively reviewed, and shared throughout the campus, then initiatives can be identified to respond to adult learner concerns. Data on the shelf have no power; data actively used to drive decision making can have the power to improve the success of the institution. In the complex environment of today s higher education world, conducting satisfaction assessment is a way to ensure the vitality of the institution. Regular satisfaction assessment and active response to the issues shows the institutional stakeholders good stewardship of scarce resources in an optimal way. This practice inspires trust among stakeholders, including adult learners, boards of trustees, and even state legislatures. It is also appropriate to note that satisfaction assessment should be a systematic process on campus, not a one-time event. Shifts in satisfaction and expectations that are tracked over time can identify where institutions are responding appropriately and what new issues are current priorities. Data that are timely and relevant will make the highest impact. Adult learner characteristics and perceptions can change, and campus leaders will want to understand these changes in order to meet the transforming needs and circumstances of the student body. A note about reviewing the data While reviewing national results is vital for understanding the higher education marketplace, identification of individual institutional strengths and challenges is best done through data collected on those campuses. Campus leaders can identify their institution s unique strengths and challenges from the perceptions of their own adult learners Noel-Levitz, Inc. 3

4 For further description of the survey tool and the list of participating institutions, please see the appendix. The study The 2012 National Adult Student Priorities Report presents the responses to the Noel-Levitz Adult Student Priorities Survey (ASPS) from 90,254 students at 228 institutions. The results include adult student responses over a three-year academic time period, from the fall of 2009 through the spring of The overall results include the combined responses of undergraduate and graduate students; separate results for these two segments are also included in this report. Graduate students comprise approximately 37,000 of the surveyed students, while almost 47,000 students are classified as undergraduate students. The remaining students did not indicate a class level in the survey responses. (For further description of the survey tool and the list of participating institutions, please see the appendix.) Importance Satisfaction Performance Gap On the ASPS, students respond to statements of expectation with an importance rating and a satisfaction rating. These ratings are on a scale of 1 to 7, with 7 being high importance and/or high satisfaction. The student responses are averaged to produce an importance score and a satisfaction score for each item. A performance gap is calculated by subtracting the satisfaction score from the importance score. A larger performance gap indicates that the institution is not meeting student expectations; a smaller performance gap indicates that the institution is doing a relatively good job of meeting expectations. Negative performance gaps indicate the institution is exceeding student expectations; negative gaps are rare and are more likely to be found on items of low importance to students. Reviewing the 2012 data The 2012 National Adult Student Priorities Report includes the following data analyses: A demographic overview to identify who adult students are. The scales in order of importance. The scales represent the individual items on the survey which have been clustered together conceptually and statistically. (For a complete description of each scale, please see the appendix.) The scales are presented for the overall adult learner responses, as well as separately by undergraduate and graduate students. Strengths and challenges. Strengths are identified as areas of high importance and high satisfaction. Challenges are defined as areas of high importance and low satisfaction and/or large performance gap. This section identifies adult learners key priorities for improvement as well as the top areas for celebration. A comparison of the satisfaction levels between undergraduate adult learners and graduate students. This section highlights where each group of students is significantly more or less satisfied. A review of enrollment factors in order of importance. This section helps institutions consider the top influencers in adult students decisions to enroll at an institution. Summary scores. This segment reveals the percentage responses to three summary items on the survey Noel-Levitz, Inc. The 2012 National Adult Student Priorities Report

5 The Results The demographics A review of the demographics for adult students gives a better view of who today s adult learners are, based on students who participated in this study. A few variables are highlighted with graphs below; a summary description based on the majority responses is also provided. The majority of adult learners in this study are Caucasian females enrolled in evening or weekend classes with a full-time load. A majority are at the undergraduate level and a little over half are employed fulltime while working on their degree. A slight majority of the students are single. Over 80 percent of the adult students have a GPA over 3.0, with the majority having a goal of a master s or doctorate degree. Over 70 percent of the students perceive themselves to be at their first-choice institution. These national demographics may vary from the demographics of individual institutions. Gender Age Current Class Load 32% Male 68% Female 17% 24 and under 41% 25 to 34 20% 45 and over 22% 35 to 44 31% Part-time 69% Full-time The scales The best place to begin is by looking at the big picture and understanding the areas on campus that matter most to adult students. The following table summarizes the importance, satisfaction, and performance gaps for eight areas (scales) for adult students completing the survey. The scales are listed in order of importance. Adult students: National results by scale Scale Importance Satisfaction Performance Gap Instructional effectiveness Academic advising Campus climate Registration effectiveness Service excellence Admissions and financial aid Safety and security Academic services Noel-Levitz, Inc. 5

6 Adult students place a high priority on instructional effectiveness and academic advising. When considering these results against traditional-age undergraduate students (as reported in the Noel-Levitz National Student Satisfaction and Priorities Report), adult students placed a similar high priority on instructional effectiveness and academic advising. Adult students indicated a higher expectation for campus climate and service excellence, and a lower priority on the admissions and financial aid process. The national adult data can be segmented by undergraduate students and graduate students. The scales in order of importance for undergraduate and graduate students are as follows: Undergraduate adult students: National results by scale Scale Importance Satisfaction Performance Gap Instructional effectiveness Academic advising Registration effectiveness Campus climate Admissions and financial aid Service excellence Academic services Safety and security Graduate adult students: National results by scale Scale Importance Satisfaction Performance Gap Undergraduate and graduate students have similar priorities. Instructional effectiveness Academic advising Campus climate Registration effectiveness Service excellence Admissions and financial aid Safety and security Academic services When comparing the priorities of the undergraduate and graduate students, the rank order of the scales was similar between the two groups. For performance gaps on the scale level, graduate students had similar or smaller performance gaps in all areas. Graduate adult students were significantly more satisfied than undergraduate students in the areas of: Academic advising Instructional effectiveness Registration effectiveness Safety and security Undergraduate adult students were significantly more satisfied than graduate students in the areas of: Academic services Admission and financial aid Service excellence Noel-Levitz, Inc. The 2012 National Adult Student Priorities Report

7 Strengths are areas of high importance and high satisfaction. Strengths Individual items on the inventory were analyzed to determine institutional strengths (high importance and high satisfaction). Institutions often incorporate their strengths into their marketing activities, recruiting materials, and internal and external public relations opportunities, as well as providing positive feedback for campus personnel and adult students. Strengths are defined as those items above the mid-point in importance and in the top quartile of satisfaction. The following strengths were identified by the entire adult student population (in order of importance): The content of courses within my major is valuable. Nearly all faculty are knowledgeable in their field. There is a commitment to academic excellence at this institution. Major requirements are clear and reasonable. My academic advisor is knowledgeable about requirements in my major. Faculty are usually available for adult students outside of the classroom by phone, by , or in person. Registration processes are reasonable and convenient for adults. The staff at this institution are caring and helpful. My academic advisor is accessible by telephone and . I am able to complete most of my enrollment tasks in one location. I am able to register for classes by personal computer, fax, or telephone. Classroom locations are safe and secure for all students. These strengths were similar to the ones identified by traditional-age students at fouryear private and public institutions nationally Noel-Levitz, Inc. 7

8 The following strengths were identified by undergraduate adult students (in order of importance): The content of courses within my major is valuable. Nearly all faculty are knowledgeable in their field. There is a commitment to academic excellence at this institution. Major requirements are clear and reasonable. My academic advisor is knowledgeable about requirements in my major. Faculty are usually available for adult students outside of the classroom by phone, by , or in person. The staff at this institution are caring and helpful. Registration processes are reasonable and convenient for adults. I am able to complete most of my enrollment tasks in one location. My academic advisor is accessible by telephone and . Classroom locations are safe and secure for all students. The following strengths were identified by graduate adult students (in order of importance): The content of courses within my major is valuable. Nearly all faculty are knowledgeable in their field. Major requirements are clear and reasonable. Faculty are fair and unbiased in their treatment of individual students. My academic advisor is knowledgeable about requirements in my major. Faculty are usually available for adult students outside of the classroom by phone, by , or in person. Registration processes are reasonable and convenient for adults. The staff at this institution are caring and helpful. My academic advisor is accessible by telephone and . I am able to register for classes by personal computer, fax, or telephone. I am able to complete most of my enrollment tasks in one location. Classroom locations are safe and secure for all students. Ten strengths appeared on both the strengths lists for undergraduate and graduate students. One item was considered a unique strength by undergraduate students: the institution s commitment to academic excellence. Two items were strengths only for graduate students: the ability to register for classes by various methods, and faculty being fair and unbiased Noel-Levitz, Inc. The 2012 National Adult Student Priorities Report

9 Challenges are areas of high importance and low satisfaction. Challenges Inventory items were analyzed to determine key challenges (high importance and low satisfaction). These are crucial areas to address to improve retention (each institution will have its own list of challenges). Nationally, adults students had high expectations in these areas, but institutions failed to meet those expectations. Areas of dissatisfaction were prioritized by their importance score, indicating those areas that mattered most to adult students. Challenges are defined as being above the midpoint in importance and in the bottom quartile of satisfaction or the top quartile of performance gaps. Following, listed in order of importance, are the top challenges identified by all adult students: Tuition paid is a worthwhile investment. I am able to register for classes I need with few conflicts. Adequate financial aid is available for most adult students. Faculty provide timely feedback about my progress. There are sufficient options within my program of study. I seldom get the run-around when seeking information at this institution. I receive complete information on the availability of financial aid. The list of identified challenges for adult students is considerably shorter than the list of challenges identified by traditional students at four-year private and public institutions. This indicates that institutions in general are doing a good job meeting adult student expectations in most areas. However, the above seven challenges are critical to serving adult learners. The following challenges were identified by undergraduate adult students (in order of importance): Tuition paid is a worthwhile investment. I am able to register for classes I need with few conflicts. Adequate financial aid is available for most adult students. Faculty provide timely feedback about my progress. There are sufficient options within my program of study. I seldom get the run-around when seeking information at this institution. I receive complete information on the availability of financial aid. My advisor helps me apply my academic major to specific career goals. The following challenges were identified by graduate adult students (in order of importance): The quality of instruction I receive in my program is excellent. Tuition paid is a worthwhile investment. Faculty provide timely feedback about my progress. Adequate financial aid is available for most adult students. I seldom get the run-around when seeking information at this institution. There are sufficient options within my program of study. While there are several challenges that overlap for undergraduate and graduate adult students, there are a few unique items. For undergraduate adult students: registering for classes with few conflicts; complete information on financial aid; and advisor applying academic major to career goals. For graduate students: quality of instruction Noel-Levitz, Inc. 9

10 Comparing satisfaction levels When comparing satisfaction levels, undergraduate students were significantly more satisfied than graduate students in the following key areas (listed in order of importance to undergraduate students): There is a commitment to academic excellence at this institution. I seldom get the run-around when seeking information at this institution. I receive complete information on the availability of financial aid. Graduate students were significantly more satisfied than adult undergraduate students in the following key areas of high importance (listed in order of importance to graduate students): The content of courses within my major is valuable. The quality of instruction I receive in my program is excellent. Nearly all of the faculty are knowledgeable in their field. Major requirements are clear and reasonable. Classes are scheduled at times that are convenient for me. I am able to register for classes I need with few conflicts. Faculty are fair and unbiased in their treatment of individual students. My academic advisor is knowledgeable about requirements in my major. Faculty provide timely feedback about my progress. Part-time faculty are competent as classroom instructors. Faculty are usually available for adult students outside of the classroom by phone, by or in person. Adequate financial aid is available for most students. Registration processes are reasonable and convenient for students. When students enroll at this institution, they develop a plan to complete their degree. Faculty care about me as an individual. I am able to register for the classes I need by personal computer, fax, or telephone. I am able to complete most of my enrollment tasks in one location. Enrollment factors Institutions should be aware of the factors which influence their adult students decision to enroll at the college or university. Institutions often use this type of information to shape their recruitment activities. In this study, the enrollment factors indicated in descending order of importance for all adult students were as follows: Enrollment factors: All adult students Rank Item Importance 1 Academic reputation Future employment opportunities Availability of evening/ weekend courses Campus location (close to home/work) Cost Financial aid/scholarships Personalized attention prior to enrollment Recommendations from family/friends/employer Size of institution 5.24 Academic reputation was the primary enrollment factor for adults students, but not surprisingly, future employment opportunities and the availability of evening and weekend courses were close behind, as was the accessibility of the campus location. Of less importance were the cost of the institution and the availability of financial aid and scholarships. This is not to say that adult students don t need financial aid assistance, but the financial aid award is not the Noel-Levitz, Inc. The 2012 National Adult Student Priorities Report

11 Adult students were motivated by the academic reputation of the institution as well as the availability of weekend and evening courses and the campus location. strong contributing factor in a decision to enroll as it often is for traditional-age, undergraduate students. However, the importance score for financial aid is up to 5.92 from 5.90 a year ago, and 5.84 two years ago. Enrollment factors, segmented by undergraduate students and graduate students, were as follows, in descending order of importance: Enrollment factors: Undergraduate adult students Rank Item Importance 1 Academic reputation 6.28 Future employment opportunities 3 Availability of evening/ 6.07 (tie) weekend courses 3 Financial aid/scholarships 6.07 (tie) Campus location (close to home/work) 6 Cost 6.01 Personalized attention prior to enrollment Recommendations from family/friends/employer 9 Size of institution 5.41 There were some slight shifts in importance rankings between undergraduate and graduate students. The most notable difference was the overall lower importance levels on all the enrollment factors for the graduate students. Undergraduate adult students also placed a higher priority on the availability of financial aid than graduate students. Financial aid is now tied for third most important factor as compared with its rank of fifth in importance for undergraduate adults a year ago. Additional analysis on enrollment factors for online learners and adult students for 2012 can be found in the report The Factors Influencing the College Choice Among Nontraditional Students, available at Enrollment factors: Graduate adult students Rank Item Importance 1 Academic reputation 6.20 Future employment opportunities Availability of evening/ weekend courses 4 Campus location 5.85 (tie) (close to home/work) 4 Cost 5.85 (tie) 6 Financial aid/scholarships 5.74 Personalized attention prior to enrollment Recommendations from family/friends/employer 9 Size of institution Noel-Levitz, Inc. 11

12 Adult students are generally more satisfied with their experience than traditionalage students. Summary scores This section of the report presents the percentage responses to three summary items on the survey. Near the end of each survey, students are asked to respond on a scale of 1 to 7 to three summary items: 1) So far, how has your college experience met your expectations? 2) Rate your overall satisfaction with your experience here thus far. 3) All in all, if you had it to do over, would you enroll here again? The 2012 National Adult Student Priorities Report reveals that 33 percent of adult students feel the experience has met their expectations, and 52 percent feel that it has exceeded their expectations. Sixty-four percent of adult students are satisfied or very satisfied with their experience and 67 percent indicate that they would probably or definitely re-enroll in the program again if they had to do it over. Overall, this indicates that adult students are very pleased with their experiences and feel that institutions are doing a good job in delivering education to adult students. As indicated in the list of challenges which appeared earlier in this report, there is still room for improvement in some key areas, but overall, colleges are performing well in this area. Satisfaction: Adult Students Re-Enrollment: Adult Students 80% 80% 70% 60% 64% 63% 66% 70% 60% 67% 67% 68% 50% 50% 40% 40% 30% 30% 20% 20% 10% 10% 0% Adult Students Adult Undergrad Students Adult Grad Students 0% Adult Students Adult Undergrad Students Adult Grad Students What does this mean for your campus? Survey your undergraduate adult students and your graduate students. Effective institutions survey their constituencies regularly, compare their data to their past performance, and then actively respond to the challenges. It is important to be aware of national trends for a broader perspective, but the perception of your own adult students is the most meaningful. Note: Additional information on the satisfaction levels and priorities of students nationally as well as the perspective of campus faculty, staff, and administrators are included in the Noel-Levitz National Student Satisfaction and Priorities Report. The complete report is available at Noel-Levitz, Inc. The 2012 National Adult Student Priorities Report

13 Appendix I. The Scales The items on the Adult Student Priorities Survey have been analyzed statistically and conceptually to create scales. The scales provide composite scores that allow for an overview of the data. The scales are as follows: Academic advising effectiveness assesses the comprehensiveness of the academic advising program, evaluating advisors knowledge, competence, approachability, and personal concern for students. Academic services assesses services students utilize to achieve their academic goals. These services include the library, computer labs, tutoring, and study areas. Admissions and financial aid effectiveness measures the extent to which admissions counselors are competent and knowledgeable, along with students perceptions of the effectiveness and availability of financial aid programs. Campus climate measures the extent to which the institution provides experiences that promote a sense of campus pride and belonging. Instructional effectiveness measures students academic experience, the curriculum, and the campus overriding commitment to academic excellence. Registration effectiveness assesses issues associated with registration and billing and the extent to which the registration process is smooth and effective. Safety and security measures the institution s responsiveness to students personal safety and security on the campus. Service excellence measures the areas of campus where quality service and personal concern for students are rated most and least favorably. Appendix II. Matrix for Prioritizing Action High importance/low satisfaction Pinpoints areas that should claim the institution s immediate attention, i.e., retention agenda/priorities High importance/high satisfaction Showcases the institution s areas of strength that should be highlighted in promotional materials Low importance/low satisfaction Presents an opportunity for the institution to examine those areas that have low status with students and parents Low importance/high satisfaction Suggests areas from which it might be beneficial to redirect institutional resources to areas of higher importance 2012 Noel-Levitz, Inc. 13

14 Appendix III. Sample Items Noel-Levitz, Inc. The 2012 National Adult Student Priorities Report

15 Appendix IV. Institutional Participants Adler School of Professional, IL Antioch University-Los Angeles, CA Antioch University-Midwest, OH Antioch University-New England, NH Antioch University-Online PhD Program Antioch University-Santa Barbara, CA Antioch University-Seattle, WA Argosy University-Atlanta, GA Argosy University-Chicago, IL Argosy University-Dallas, TX Argosy University-Denver, CO Argosy University-Hawaii, HI Argosy University-Inland Empire, CA Argosy University-Los Angeles, CA Argosy University-Nashville, TN Argosy University-Orange County, CA Argosy University-Phoenix, AZ Argosy University-Salt Lake City, UT Argosy University-San Diego, CA Argosy University-San Francisco, CA Argosy University-Sarasota, FL Argosy University-Schaumburg, IL Argosy University-Seattle, WA Argosy University-Tampa, FL Argosy University-Twin Cities, MN Argosy University-Washington DC, VA Asbury University, KY Ashford University, IA Augsburg College, MN Bellevue University, NE Caldwell College, NJ California Lutheran University, CA California State University-Channel, CA Cambridge College, MA Cardinal Stritch University, WI Carlow University, PA Coker College, SC College for Creative Studies, MI College of Notre Dame, MD Columbia-Greene Community College, NY Concordia University Wisconsin, WI Covenant Theological Seminary, MO Dallas Theological Seminary, TX DeVry College of New York, NY DeVry DVUC-Bakersfield, CA DeVry DVUC-Bellevue, WA DeVry DVUC-Bethesda, MD DeVry DVUC-Charlotte, NC DeVry DVUC-Cincinnati, OH DeVry DVUC-Cobb, GA DeVry DVUC-Colorado Springs, CO DeVry DVUC-Colton, CA DeVry DVUC-Daly City, CA DeVry DVUC-Dayton, OH DeVry DVUC-Denver South, CO DeVry DVUC-Edina, MN DeVry DVUC-Elgin, IL DeVry DVUC-Fort Worth, TX DeVry DVUC-Ft. Lauderdale, FL DeVry DVUC-Galleria, TX DeVry DVUC-Gurnee, IL DeVry DVUC-Gwinnett, GA DeVry DVUC-Hampton Roads, VA DeVry DVUC-Henderson, NV DeVry DVUC-Henry County, GA DeVry DVUC-Indianapolis, IN DeVry DVUC-Irvine, CA DeVry DVUC-Jacksonville, FL DeVry DVUC-Kansas City, MO DeVry DVUC-King of Prussia, PA DeVry DVUC-Lincolnshire, IL DeVry DVUC-Louisville, KY DeVry DVUC-Manassas, VA DeVry DVUC-Merrillville, IN DeVry DVUC-Mesa, AZ DeVry DVUC-Miami, FL DeVry DVUC-Naperville, IL DeVry DVUC-Oakbrook, IL DeVry DVUC-O Hare, IL DeVry DVUC-Oklahoma City, OK DeVry DVUC-Orlando North, FL DeVry DVUC-Palmdale, CA DeVry DVUC-Paramus, NJ DeVry DVUC-Philadelphia, PA DeVry DVUC-Phoenix, AZ DeVry DVUC-Pittsburgh, PA DeVry DVUC-Polaris, OH DeVry DVUC-Portland, OR DeVry DVUC-Raleigh-Durham, NC DeVry DVUC-Richardson, TX DeVry DVUC-Rockside, OH DeVry DVUC-San Antonio, TX DeVry DVUC-San Diego, CA DeVry DVUC-San Francisco, CA DeVry DVUC-San Jose, CA DeVry DVUC-Sandy, UT DeVry DVUC-Schaumburg, IL DeVry DVUC-St Louis West, MO DeVry DVUC-St. Louis Park, MN DeVry DVUC-Tampa Bay, FL DeVry DVUC-Tampa East, FL DeVry DVUC-Tinley Park, IL DeVry Keller-Grad Buckhead, GA DeVry Keller-Grad Perimeter, GA DeVry University-Alpharetta, GA DeVry University-Columbus, OH DeVry University-Crystal, VA DeVry University-Decatur, GA DeVry University-Federal, WA DeVry University-Fremont, CA DeVry University-Ft. Wash, PA DeVry University-Houston, TX DeVry University-Irving, TX DeVry University-Kansas City, MO DeVry University-Long Beach, CA DeVry University-Miramar, FL DeVry University-Orlando, FL DeVry University-Phoenix, AZ DeVry University-Pomona, CA DeVry University-Sacramento, CA DeVry University-Sherman Oak, CA DeVry University-Westminster, CO Dominican University of CA, CA Eastern Mennonite University, VA Eastern University, PA Eastern Washington University, WA Evangel University, MO Fielding Graduate University, CA Fresno Pacific University, CA Friends University, KS Fuller Theological Seminary, CA Golden Gate University, CA Gordon-Conwell Theological, MA Grace University, NE Gwynedd-Mercy College, PA Hesser College, NH Indiana Wesleyan University, IN Inter American University of Puerto Rico, PR John Brown University, AR Judson University, IL Keuka College, NY King College, TN Lancaster Bible College, PA Lewis University, IL Lincoln Memorial University, TN Lipscomb University, TN Loyola University-New Orleans, LA Malone University, OH Marian University, WI Martin University, IN Medaille College, NY Mercy College of Health, IA Metropolitan College of New York, NY Metropolitan State University, MN Millersville University of Pennsylvania, PA Misericordia University, PA Mount Mercy University, IA National-Louis University, IL Nebraska Wesleyan University, NE Northwest Christian University, OR Northwest University, WA Northwood University, MI Ohio University-Chillicothe, OH Ohio University-Eastern, OH Ohio University-Lancaster, OH Ohio University-Pickerington, OH Ohio University-Proctorville, OH Ohio University-Southern, OH Ohio University-Zanesville, OH Ottawa University Arizona, AZ Pacifica Graduate Institute, CA Palm Beach Atlantic University, FL Pepperdine University, CA Potomac College, DC Prescott College, AZ Queens University, NC Regent College, BC Regent University, VA Regis University, CO Resurrection University, IL Rider University, NJ Roberts Wesleyan College, NY Roger Williams University, RI Saint Joseph College, CT Saint Louis University, MO Salem State University, MA Seattle University, WA Simmons College, MA South University-Austin, TX South University-Columbia, SC South University-Montgomery, AL South University-Novi, MI South University-Richmond, VA South University-Savannah, GA South University-Tampa, FL South University-Virginia Beach, VA South University-West Palm, FL Southern Nazarene University, OK Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, TX St. Ambrose University, IA Stevenson University, MD Tarleton State University, TX Texas A&M University-Central Texas, TX Trinity Christian College, IL Trinity International University, IL Troy University, AL Union Graduate College, NY University of Mary, ND University of New England, ME University of St Francis, IL University of Texas at Tyler, TX University of the Rockies, CO Upper Iowa University, IA Utica College, NY Vanguard University of Southern California, CA Virginia Commonwealth University, VA Walsh College of Accountancy, MI Warner Pacific College, OR Washington Bible College, MD Wesley College, DE West Coast University- Los Angeles, CA West Coast University-Ontario, CA West Coast University-Orange, CA Whitworth University, WA Wilkes University, PA William Penn University, IA Wilson College, PA Youngstown State University, OH 2012 Noel-Levitz, Inc. 15

16 Questions about this report? We hope you have found this report to be helpful and informative. If you have questions or would like more information about the findings, please contact Noel-Levitz at or A word about Noel-Levitz A trusted partner to higher education, Noel-Levitz helps systems and campuses reach and exceed their goals for enrollment, marketing, and student success. Over the past three decades, the higher education professionals at Noel-Levitz have consulted directly more than 2,700 colleges and universities nationwide in the areas of: Student retention Staff and advisor development Student success Marketing and recruitment Financial aid services Research and communications Institutional effectiveness Noel-Levitz has developed an array of proven tools and software programs; diagnostic tools and instruments; Web-based training programs; and customized consultations, workshops, and national conferences. With the Satisfaction-Priorities Surveys, including the Adult Student Priorities Survey, the firm brings together its many years of research and campus-based experience to enable you to get to the heart of your campus agenda. Except where cited otherwise, all material in this paper is copyright by Noel-Levitz, Inc. Permission is required to redistribute information from Noel-Levitz, Inc., either in print or electronically. Please contact us at ContactUs@ noellevitz.com about reusing material from this report. How to cite this report Noel-Levitz (2012) national adult student priorities report. Coralville, Iowa: Author. Retrieved from Find it online. This report is posted online at: Sign up to receive additional reports and updates. Visit our Web page: P Noel-Levitz, Inc. The 2012 National Adult Student Priorities Report ContactUs@noellevitz.com