Download The Report

Mastering the New Enrollment Model in 2026

About the Report

The 2026 Modern Learner Report is a descriptive analysis of the current higher education landscape, built on a survey of over 3,000 respondents including traditional undergraduate, non-traditional undergraduate and graduate students. Fielded in late 2025, this research captures the real-time shifts in how students navigate the transition from prospect to graduate in a regime defined by artificial intelligence and economic pressure. It serves as a framework for institutional leaders to reinterpret existing data and restore stability to their enrollment results.


Download the essential report for higher ed leaders to thrive.


What's Inside the Report

This comprehensive analysis provides a deep structural look at the forces driving enrollment today:

  • The Three Cs Governing Architecture: Discover why Cost, Convenience and Career are no longer differentiators but non-negotiable threshold conditions that trigger silent elimination if not met.
  • The Rise of the AI Front Door: An exploration of how AI tools have restructured the front end of the enrollment journey, with usage surging to 88% among prospective students.
  • Orbit Economics: Why enrollment now behaves like an orbit rather than a pipeline, where commitment stabilizes only when enough reinforcing signals accumulate to sustain confidence.
  • Career Clarity as the Center of Gravity: Evidence that career alignment is now a prerequisite for consideration, serving as the primary anchor that stops learners from re-evaluating their choices.
  • The Flexibility Infrastructure: A look at how program modality and pacing have become the gatekeeping variables that determine the feasibility of participation for the Modern Learner.
  • Post-Enrollment Power: Why students now view enrollment as a conditional commitment and continue to research alternatives even after classes begin.


Don't Just Survive the Shift. Lead It.

The challenges are immense. But for leaders ready to challenge the status quo the opportunity for growth is real. Education Dynamics is the transformative partner for institutions ready to move beyond outdated practices and win the future. We provide the research strategy and activation needed to build a strong brand reputation and optimize marketing for sustainable growth. You need a partner willing to speak the truth about what it takes to win.

Download our full Modern Learner 2.0 Report to get the data insights and strategic imperatives you need to build a sustainable future.

Download the Report