Public Trust in Higher-Ed Plummeting, A Serious Brand Problem

By Andrés Zapata, D.Sc. \ July 14, 2024

The latest Gallup survey on U.S. confidence in higher education spotlights a chilling drop in public trust. This nearly evenly split public opinion—almost as many Americans distrust higher education about as much as they trust it—crystallizes the case for better branding.

Interestingly, Gallup-Lumina reports that folks in the US are significantly more confident in two-year colleges than four-year colleges.

The Problem at Its Root

The loss of confidence links back to perceptions of political bias, irrelevant curricula, and high costs. It spans demographic groups, including those traditionally championing higher education. This attrition of trust reflects deeper issues than just the cyclical economics, looming enrollment cliff, or just plain old political changes alone—it seems to reflect an underlying misalignment between what higher education promises and delivers.

The elephant in the room is that public mistrust in higher education leads to declining enrollments. 

What Marketers Can Do

1. Align Offer with Need: A higher education marketer cannot necessarily affect a school’s academic programming, but they can hammer on the offers and topics the school offers that best align with the marketplace need. Marketers can also take the Gallup study to their provost and president to make the existential case for alignment. 
2. Cost Transparency: Cost is a big barrier. The institutions need to zero in on transparent pricing models for prospects and their families and point to the long-term value of their tuition burden. Marketing material should clearly show scholarships, financial aid, and realistic ROI calculations.
3. Challenge Perceptions of Bias: Colleges and universities must proactively publicize their respect for diverse viewpoints and freedom of speech. Much of the new focus has been on highlighting debates and discussions that reflect all sides of the argument, emphasizing critical thinking as one of the central educational outcomes and pounding away at the concept that they only teach kids to think critically and independently.
4. Alumni Success Stories: Positive testimonials and career success stories of alumni can show (not tell) the tangible benefits of a college education. These stories should be diversified to reflect the success across a range of fields and demographics.
5. Community and Lifelong Learning: Market the school’s engagement beyond the traditional boundaries through community enrichment programs and continuing education courses, thus helping to position the institution as an invaluable lifelong partner in learning.
6. Market to Parents: Prospective students care about attributes that differ greatly from their parents. Understand what parents are most concerned with and meet them where they are with smart, clear, and outcomes-based marketing messages. 

More of the same is not the answer, and higher education’s brand problem is not insurmountable. This brand problem presents a real opportunity for colleges to break away from the pack. However, realigning institutional perceptions with public expectations will require a strong strategic vision, institutional support, patience, and elbow grease from college marketers and leadership. By addressing this brand concern, higher education can rebuild trust and reaffirm its societal value, one school at a time.