Findings unveiled during the conference’s closing keynote reveal major gaps and opportunities in enrollment responsiveness.

WASHINGTON and BOSTON (Dec. 4, 2025) – UPCEA, the online and professional education association, today announced the release of its newest research report, Enrollment Process Review: Secret Shopper Analysis, during the closing session at the 2025 UPCEA Marketing, Enrollment Management, and Student Success Conference (MEMS). 

The study, presented publicly for the first time by Bruce Etter, Senior Director of Research & Consulting at UPCEA, provides a comprehensive and sobering look at how institutions are responding to prospective online and professional learners in an era of tightening budgets and rising student expectations.

The report, based on 1,000 inquiries to UPCEA member institutions, reveals widespread breakdowns at the top of the enrollment funnel, with just under half (44%) of all prospective student inquiries going unanswered. These findings offer an urgent call to action for colleges and universities seeking to strengthen enrollment pipelines, build trust with learners, and remain competitive in a rapidly shifting landscape.

Key Findings: Persistent Gaps in Inquiry Responsiveness

Unresponsiveness is rising—and costly

• 44% of all inquiries received no response, up from 40% in 2023.

• Inquiries sent to individual staff email addresses were least likely to receive a reply, with a 62% non-response rate.

RFI forms outperform email, but are poorly designed

• RFI form inquiries had faster average response times (9 hours 33 minutes) and lower non-response rates (37%) compared to email inquiries (20 hours and 27 minutes and 50% respectively).

• Yet 75% of RFI forms lacked a question box, limiting personalization. Those that had this box provided more personalized engagement.

• 19% required a mailing address on their RFI, which is a major barrier to conversion as only 59% of some college no credential and 42% of postbaccalaureate students are willing to provide this information on initial contact.

CRM usage remains inconsistent

• 78% of RFI form submissions received promotional or nurturing communications.

• Only 2% of email inquiries did, indicating most never entered a CRM.

Technical issues block prospective students entirely

Secret shoppers encountered:

• Broken forms and “Access Denied” error pages

• Outdated term selections

• Overly long forms with excessive required fields

During the conference’s closing session, Etter unpacked the data in front of an audience of marketing, enrollment, and student success leaders. He emphasized both the urgency of the findings and the tremendous opportunity for institutions willing to rethink inquiry management as a strategic priority.

“Our research shows that institutions are losing prospective students long before they ever reach an application, and sometimes before a single human interaction occurs,” said Bruce Etter, Senior Director of Research & Consulting at UPCEA. “Responsiveness is no longer simply good customer service; it is a direct reflection of institutional value. When a learner raises their hand, that moment matters. Institutions that streamline inquiry pathways, respond quickly, and personalize their communication will be the ones that thrive in this new era.”

Recommendations for Institutions: High-Impact Changes with Immediate Returns

The report highlights several strategic improvements institutions can implement right away:

1. Ensure CRM Usage and Data Entry: Ensure email inquiries route into a CRM or unified case-management system rather than individual inboxes. 
2. Simplify and humanize RFI forms: Reduce required fields, make mailing addresses optional, and always include an open-ended question box. 
3. Strengthen automated communications: Use branded, helpful templates that provide clear next steps and relevant resources.
4. Follow up consistently across channels: The best-performing institutions sent multi-touch email sequences, personalized videos, quick surveys to gauge interest and timely text or phone outreach.
5. Conduct regular digital audits: Fix broken inquiry forms, update program terms, and ensure all pathways are functional and up-to-date year-round.

 

A Changing Enrollment Landscape

The study’s findings make clear that rapid, personalized communication is essential in an ecosystem where learners expect flexibility, relevance, and clear guidance from the outset. As Etter noted in his session, institutions must learn to do more with less by concentrating on the strategies that truly move the needle.

“Every unanswered inquiry represents not just a lost enrollment,” Etter added, “but a lost relationship. This research gives institutions a roadmap for building trust from the very first touchpoint.”

The full report is available for download at https://upcea.edu/secret-shopper-2025/. 

 

About UPCEA

UPCEA is the online and professional education association. Our members continuously reinvent higher education, positively impacting millions of lives. We proudly lead and support them through cutting-edge research, professional development, networking and mentorship, conferences and seminars, and stakeholder advocacy. Our collaborative, entrepreneurial community brings together decision makers and influencers in education, industry, research, and policy committed to improving educational access and outcomes. Learn more at UPCEA.edu and follow us on social media @UPCEA.

 

CONTACT:

Molly Nelson, UPCEA Vice President of Communications

[email protected]