New RNL Data Seeks to Help Graduate-Level DEI Efforts

As my colleagues and I have begun to travel the country again in our Graduate and Online Enrollment Workshop series, we have had repeated discussions about the meeting point of institutional priorities in graduate enrollment and graduate student diversity, equity, and inclusion. In one such conversation, a workshop attendee asked me “what do you know about the unique needs of grad students from historically under-served communities?”

This got me thinking about how we could help. As a “data guy” I immediately went to what the data gathered in last year’s survey of 1,500 prospective graduate students (and presented in our Graduate Student Recruitment Report) could tell us. The results of that assessment have been published this week in RNL’s Serving the Underrepresented report.

The report presents data on more than 525 survey respondents (34 percent of all respondents) who self-reported their racial/ethnic background as either Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx, or Asian. The responses of an additional 75 respondents (4 percent of all respondents) who self-reported another background or “two or more races” did not have sufficient numbers to be included in this report.

What did we learn?

1. Like the graduate market as a whole, graduate students from underrepresented backgrounds are predominantly female, and even more so among Asian and Hispanic/Latinx students.
2. Graduate students from underrepresented groups demand accelerated (shorter) courses and programs consistent with the graduate market as a whole.
3. There is a strong preference for hybrid/blended and online programs—and a lack of interest in face-to-face programs—among graduate students from underrepresented backgrounds.
4. Social media has risen as a trusted and reliable source of information about graduate study. Underrepresented graduate students rated it as an effective source of information, particularly by Black/African American students.
5. Expectations regarding personal and timely response are every bit as strong among graduate students from underrepresented backgrounds as among all graduate students.
   • Black/African American students are the most likely to expect immediate responses, while Hispanic/Latinx students allow for a bit more time (but expect a “same day” response). Asian students are most likely to allow for more than one day for an institution .
6. Graduate students of all backgrounds have similar priorities that guide their enrollment decisions, with some notable exceptions:
   • Asian students were considerably more likely to include career opportunities/ job placement data and the institution’s reputation among the most important criteria (for each, a difference of more than 10 percent).
   • Hispanic/Latinx students were considerably more likely to include institutional plans for dealing with the pandemic among their decision making priorities.
   • Black/African American students were more likely to include having the flexibility to enroll in multiple course formats than either Asian or Hispanic/Latinx students.

How can institutions increase graduate student diversity?

Institutions that want to grow the enrollment among students from underrepresented backgrounds must recognize and honor their unique backgrounds, traditions, and outlook in their communications, positioning, and even in the content of their programs. Listening to what drives students from diverse backgrounds, their key interests, and what factors into enrollment decisions is crucial. Having said that, the methods by which they find programs, the formats and structures they demand, their expectations of service, and their priorities in making their enrollment decisions are more alike than different from the graduate market as a whole.

Graduate programs should critically evaluate their outreach methods, social media presence, and cultivation techniques in order to ensure that they align with the processes and methods the today’s graduate students employ when searching for a program in which to enroll. They should also consider carefully how their programs can meet the most frequently cited enrollment decision making factor: the match between my interests and the program content.”

I also encourage you to watch our discussion with David Cotter, assistant provost for graduate enrollment at Boston University. David provided excellent insights into the DEI efforts at BU and how they are striving to increase graduate student diversity.

Read Serving the Underrepresented and talk to us about your graduate enrollment efforts

You can read the full report, which features 12 key findings and two dozen data comparisons on subjects such as resources used to research graduate programs, expectations for responses to inquiries and applications, and types of programs students desire.

We can also help you with graduate enrollment strategies that can help you position your programs more competitively, recruit graduate students more effectively, and increase graduate student diversity. Ask for a complimentary consultation, and we’ll reach out to schedule a time to talk.