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2025 Graduate Student Recruitment Report: Looking at Graduate Student Behavior by Primary Motivation

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Title: 2025 Graduate Student Recruitment Report: Looking at Graduate Student Behavior by Primary Motivation
Language: English
Authors: Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL)
Source: Ruffalo Noel Levitz. 2025.
Availability: Ruffalo Noel Levitz. 1025 Kirkwood Parkway SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404. Tel: 800-876-1117; e-mail: ContactUs@RuffaloNL.com; Web site: https://www.ruffalonl.com/
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 36
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Graduate Students, Student Attitudes, Preferences, Student Motivation, Expectation, Student Behavior, Student Recruitment, Student Characteristics, Promotion (Occupational), Career Change, Lifelong Learning, Barriers, Value Judgment, Student Needs, College Applicants, Career Development, Outcomes of Education, Employment Level, Foreign Students, Enrollment Trends, Online Courses, Academic Degrees, Program Content, Information Seeking, Search Engines, Advertising, Artificial Intelligence
Abstract: The 2025 Graduate Student Recruitment Report is RNL's third national study of the expectations and preferences of America's graduate students. This report provides graduate program leaders and stakeholders with detailed insights into the motivations, expectations, and behaviors of prospective graduate students during the enrollment process. These insights can drive strategies that will help institutions position their programs more competitively, move graduate students through the enrollment process more quickly, and ultimately drive enrollment growth. Anticipated demographic shifts in the American populace and a fluid regulatory environment are creating unparalleled levels of uncertainty. At the same time, the expectations and decision-making priorities of today's graduate students have changed dramatically as Millennials and increasing numbers of Gen Z students dominate the graduate education market. This is further complicated by graduate students having more programs and modalities to choose from than ever before. For decades, students have seen graduate study as a route to career advancement or change, but the incoming generation is even more focused on their career success as the ultimate indicator of the ROI of their studies. With this in mind, we present the data throughout this report by primary motivation: career advancement, career change, and personal reasons/lifelong learning. A fourth motivation--maintaining current careers--did not have sufficient responses to be included in the report, an indicator that, for graduate students, it really is about opportunity for advancement or change.
Abstractor: ERIC
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: ED675521
Database: ERIC
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  Data: 2025 Graduate Student Recruitment Report: Looking at Graduate Student Behavior by Primary Motivation
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  Data: Ruffalo Noel Levitz. 1025 Kirkwood Parkway SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404. Tel: 800-876-1117; e-mail: ContactUs@RuffaloNL.com; Web site: https://www.ruffalonl.com/
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  Data: The 2025 Graduate Student Recruitment Report is RNL's third national study of the expectations and preferences of America's graduate students. This report provides graduate program leaders and stakeholders with detailed insights into the motivations, expectations, and behaviors of prospective graduate students during the enrollment process. These insights can drive strategies that will help institutions position their programs more competitively, move graduate students through the enrollment process more quickly, and ultimately drive enrollment growth. Anticipated demographic shifts in the American populace and a fluid regulatory environment are creating unparalleled levels of uncertainty. At the same time, the expectations and decision-making priorities of today's graduate students have changed dramatically as Millennials and increasing numbers of Gen Z students dominate the graduate education market. This is further complicated by graduate students having more programs and modalities to choose from than ever before. For decades, students have seen graduate study as a route to career advancement or change, but the incoming generation is even more focused on their career success as the ultimate indicator of the ROI of their studies. With this in mind, we present the data throughout this report by primary motivation: career advancement, career change, and personal reasons/lifelong learning. A fourth motivation--maintaining current careers--did not have sufficient responses to be included in the report, an indicator that, for graduate students, it really is about opportunity for advancement or change.
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 36
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Graduate Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Preferences
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Motivation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Expectation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Behavior
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Recruitment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Characteristics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Promotion (Occupational)
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      – SubjectFull: Career Change
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Lifelong Learning
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      – SubjectFull: Barriers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Value Judgment
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      – SubjectFull: Student Needs
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      – SubjectFull: College Applicants
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      – SubjectFull: Career Development
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      – SubjectFull: Outcomes of Education
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      – SubjectFull: Employment Level
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Students
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      – SubjectFull: Enrollment Trends
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      – SubjectFull: Online Courses
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      – SubjectFull: Program Content
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      – TitleFull: 2025 Graduate Student Recruitment Report: Looking at Graduate Student Behavior by Primary Motivation
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