Beyond the Basics: How Institution Websites Can Encourage Enrollment for Adult Learners
Picture this: You have just gotten home from picking up your kids after a long day at work. After handing out snacks and making sure homework assignments are started, you look over at the clock and see that, miraculously, the next half hour is all yours before dinner needs to be prepared. You'd love to just lay on the couch, but a comment your boss made earlier this week after promotions were announced lingers in your mind: "I'm sorry. You just don't have the educational qualifications to advance into a higher position." You sigh.
Finishing your degree was always a goal, but with work and family, it keeps falling behind on your list of priorities. After some hesitation, you decide that today is the day you will finally check out your local college's website. You look at the clock again as you open your laptop and type in the web address. As soon as the site loads, a flood of questions and concerns pour through your mind about what enrolling in college might entail and how you can afford and fit it into your already busy life. With only a handful of minutes to find answers to critical questions, you quickly scan for the information you seek.
As you scroll through the website, what catches your eye? Is it clear what degrees you could pursue? Is it clear how to get started? Or is it a jumble of confusing messages that make you feel like you are too late?
For most people, it takes less than a second to form an opinion about a website. And for many individuals looking to enroll in postsecondary education, institution websites are their first point of contact and first information source. As such, these websites can have an immediate and powerful influence on prospective learners’ perceptions of the institution, including their motivation to pursue further information about the institution, submit an application, and—potentially—decide to enroll.
Ensuring that an institution’s website makes a good first impression and provides necessary information in easy-to-find and understandable formats is key. More than 82 million adults have never enrolled in postsecondary education, and many may be unfamiliar with higher education language, terminology, or processes. Additionally, nearly 40.4 million adults have some college credit but no degree—meaning that they might be familiar with some aspects and processes of higher education programming and processes, but their experiences in postsecondary education or with postsecondary institutions might have been negative or fraught with challenges they are hesitant to take on again.
To address this problem, postsecondary institutions must do a better job of serving adult learners; this includes messaging that recognizes and values the types of information adult learners seek and require to make informed decisions. Such institutions should particularly be mindful of considering the perspectives and interests of adults of color, who are disproportionately represented in both of groups of learners—those with no postsecondary experience and those with some earned credits.
Important promising practices surfaced from a 2024 review of 350 postsecondary institutions’ websites related to how websites present key information. This website review, which is a part of a broader research project by AIR, sought to understand how institutions communicate their support and services for adult learners, and especially adult learners of color. We recognize there are many reasons for an adult learner choosing to (re)enroll in a postsecondary institution. Still, our previous research has emphasized that first impressions are an important part of a prospective learner’s decision to seek more information and enroll. In this piece, we offer several promising practices based on our website review that may provide useful insights for institutions working to better address adult learners’ questions and experiences.
Diverse representation in website imagery and text: Seeing the full picture
Almost half of the 350 institution websites we reviewed incorporate substantial visual representation of adult learners, particularly adult learners of color. This suggests that many institutions are thoughtful about serving these populations and have considered featuring learners of various ages, races, abilities, and backgrounds to demonstrate that these learners are indeed welcome on their campus. Websites that give a strong first impression to adults considering postsecondary education include images, testimonials, and stories that represent diverse adult learners’ experiences. These elements signal a welcoming environment and can help prospective adult learners of color feel like they belong at the institution and will find a welcoming community of peers they can relate to. Still, more than half of institutional websites fall short in this regard, indicating an opportunity for improvement as institutions reflect on their current learner demographics and prospective enrollees.
Custom pages, custom paths: Designing with adult learners in mind
Although showcasing images and stories of other adult learners is an important first step, some websites go beyond surface level representation. Especially effective websites often include a dedicated webpage for adult learners, with information and content designed to address common questions prospective adult learners have. Offering dedicated webpages for adult learners can address their unique experiences and possible concerns. These dedicated webpages enhance the information-seeking experience for adult learners by consolidating relevant information in one location. This not only makes the process more efficient, but also reduces the likelihood of confusion leading to an abrupt end to their search. Based on our review, strong adult learner–specific webpages commonly feature:
- Supportive language tailored to adult learners;
- Relevant information, such as fully online degree programs and other flexible scheduling options, information about credit for prior learning, and scholarships for adult learners;
- Support services and identity-relevant programs (i.e., those serving learners of color, learners who are undocumented, first-generation learners, veterans, transfer learners, and learners who are justice-impacted) to promote holistic well-being and culturally relevant support;
- Clear information on how to apply and enroll, especially if you were previously enrolled at another institution; and
- Contact information prominently displayed so that prospective learners can easily get more information or ask questions.
Connecting the dots: Welcoming adult learners with customized communication
In addition to providing relevant information, adult learner–specific pages also should communicate about that information in a way that is supportive of and relevant to adult learners. Strong websites we observed express direct commitments related to the questions adult learners might have. Some strong examples of how websites communicate an institution’s commitment to adult learners include:
Other institution websites may effectively convey their commitment to representing and supporting adult learners by showcasing a range of learner testimonials and success stories. These narratives serve as powerful testimonials, illustrating the institution's impact on individuals' lives and emphasizing its dedication to fostering a diverse and inclusive learning environment. Testimonials from learners echoed similar sentiments, but directly from the learner’s perspective:
Looking ahead: Exploring how institutions are evolving to better support adult learners
There is no single best way to communicate to adult learners the information they need and the sense that the institution welcomes them, and websites must accurately represent what the institution actually offers to support and welcome adult learners. But, how information is presented matters. To that end, our full study assesses institutions’ current communication via their websites, aligned to six categories that are important in adult learners’ information-gathering experience:
- Website design (i.e., the website’s user experience and first impressions it offers learners);
- Flexible program offerings;
- Admissions and enrollment;
- Institutional cost;
- Learner services; and
- Career services.
AIR’s full report, Beyond the Homepage: How and Whether Websites Address the Questions and Needs of Adult Learners of Color, includes a guiding framework that practitioners at institutions interested in better serving or communicating with adult learners can use on their own websites. As a follow-up, AIR is conducting case studies of institutions implementing strong practices focused on serving adults, including examining the factors that facilitate or hinder implementation. For more information about the study, please visit our project page.
