You probably don’t need a survey to tell you what you already know: parents are more involved in the college process than ever before. They want to participate in the decision and communicate with the colleges. They want to help and guide their students in the decision-making process.

Here’s what the survey found:

Insight #1-Parents want direct communication from colleges.

Parents want to be more involved. Parents are increasingly anxious and hands-on. Parents want communication from the college and want to participate in the college decision. They want to be involved at the same time as their students in the college search.

Insight #2-Parents are highly concerned—and often uncertain—about college cost and value.

Financial concerns are a top source of anxiety; affordability and value remain at the top of their concerns. 61% of parents said college costs made them the most anxious, along with 42% responding the amount of debt was heavily on their minds. Of the parents who were surveyed, 25% did not know the maximum amount overall they were willing to pay, 42% did not know the amount they were willing to borrow, and 33% did not know the amount from their income and savings they would be willing to spend.

Insight #3-Parents’ and students’ cost concerns become more similar later in the student journey.

At the beginning of the journey, parents focus heavily on the affordability, while students feel happiness and a school’s academic quality are top concerns. By decision time, cost is a top determining factor for students.

Insight #4-Parents are active participants across many communication channels.

Online information and trusted people top parents’ list of most helpful resources. Campus visits, college websites, and search engines top the list for college information. Parents also value advice from other parents and high school counselors.

Insight #5-Parents’ interests shift during the recruitment journey.

Parents of students in upper high school years seek a wider range of information. Parents of freshmen are most interested in basic facts about the school, financial resources, and information about academics. Parents of older students also appreciate information on these topics, in addition to resources about student life, the application process, campus visits, and more.

Students (in a separate survey) named parents as among their top five sources of information 48 percent of the time, compared to 37 percent in 2020 and 34 percent in 2019.

If you aren’t involved or feel overwhelmed, don’t despair. I’ve been through the process myself and have created a Parent Crash Course to help you navigate the complicated college maze. There is help available and all you have to do is know where to look!