Key Findings from the 2026 Enrollment Engagement Report

Mar 6, 2026 Capture News

Capture Higher Ed’s inaugural Enrollment Engagement Report is built on survey data from more than 2,800 high school juniors and seniors actively navigating the college search. 

What the data reveals isn’t a picture of disengaged students. It’s a picture of students who engage and act differently. 

The Dark Funnel Is Where Enrollment Decisions Are Made 

53% of students reported applying or requesting information without any prior direct interaction with the institution. No form submission. No event attendance. No email response. They simply appeared in your funnel after making their decision largely in private. 

Students Expect Personalization Earlier Than You Think 

83% of students are more likely to take the next step when outreach feels highly personalized. What’s clear is that the expectation gap between what students want and when most institutions respond is significant. And students notice the difference. 

Students Are Using AI — But Not the Way Institutions Assume 

Nearly half of students already use AI tools during their college search. But how students use AI versus how they want institutions to use it are two very different things – and the gap between them is creating a trust problem that’s easy to miss until it’s too late.  

The report surfaces specific boundaries students draw around AI in the admissions process, including the types of communication where AI involvement significantly damages their perception of a school. 

The Competitive Gap Is Already Opening 

Some institutions are already acting on pre-inquiry behavioral data. Others are still waiting for the form submission. The report quantifies how much of the student decision journey happens before inquiry — and what that means for institutions that can see it versus those that can’t. 

The findings make the case that the enrollment advantage isn’t going to the institutions with the biggest budgets. It’s going to the ones with the earliest, most complete visibility into student intent. 

The Full Picture is in the Report

These four findings are a starting point. The full 2026 Enrollment Engagement Report  goes deeper on the dark funnel, personalization expectations, AI trust boundaries, and the content and channels that build confidence during the college search. 

It’s built for enrollment and marketing leaders who want to understand how today’s students actually behave — not how traditional strategies assume they do. 

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