Parents are pivotal influencers in university decision-making, yet recruitment strategies often overlook precisely how and when parents exert their influence. In May 2025, we set out to explore this further through a parent poll led by my colleague Sarah Spencer, Account Director at The Student Room. The survey captured insight from 311 actively engaged parents and influencers on TSR.
The findings highlight areas where universities can strengthen their connection with this influential audience, particularly by engaging earlier, establishing a presence in trusted spaces, and tailoring content to meet parents where they are.
Early engagement is essential
- 83% are involved in researching universities
- 73% support attendance at open days
- 69% assist with course research
- Just 8% of parents feel well-equipped to support their child through Clearing
Parental involvement peaks during the early stages of the decision-making journey. Open days, in particular, offer a shared moment of influence that universities can capitalise on more effectively. In contrast, the lack of understanding during Clearing suggests a potential gap, one where better parent-focused content and visibility could boost confidence and support late-cycle decisions.
Our data shows heightened concerns among parents of first-generation or non-traditional applicants, suggesting these groups may need even earlier and more sustained engagement to feel equipped to support their child’s decision.
Parents as advisors, not decision-makers
- 83% help with research
- 47% support the UCAS application
- Only 40% assist with personal statements or revision
The data reinforces the idea that parents tend to advise rather than direct. They’re involved, but not intrusive, which makes them an essential touchpoint for universities seeking to support the application process. Straightforward, practical resources that clearly explain university processes, without presuming prior familiarity, can significantly enhance parental confidence and reinforce universities as supportive partners in the decision-making journey.
What parents really care about
- 55% ranked course/teaching quality as the top factor
- 16% selected university ranking/reputation
- 11% focused on graduate outcomes as their priority concern
- 10% prioritised distance from home as the single most important factor – but many placed it mid-priority.
- Just 1% prioritised accommodation or cost of living
This was one of the more striking takeaways for me. While lifestyle elements often feature heavily in student marketing, parents are focused on outcomes. Their top concerns are the quality of teaching and the university’s credibility, not where students live or how much they’ll spend on groceries.
This insight presents universities with an opportunity to strategically focus their messaging, ensuring that parent-facing communications prominently highlight academic quality, teaching excellence, and student outcomes over general aspects of campus lifestyle.
Preferred channels for parental communications
- 96% use university websites
- 64% visit peer-led forums like TSR
- 81% value reading threads with real experiences
- 44% prefer email (vs 32% for printed materials)
Parents are not just passive observers; they are actively researching and turning to trusted spaces for reassurance, seeking out real stories, honest perspectives, and timely answers to help guide and support their children’s decisions with confidence.
During the UK riots in 2024, we saw a surge in parent users, particularly international ones, asking about campus safety, diversity, and inclusion. TSR became a space for real-time, trusted reassurance.
This underscores the strategic need for universities to maintain a flexible presence across both official channels and community-driven forums. Effective recruitment means not only providing reliable information but also responding swiftly to emerging parental concerns and external events.
Catering to first generation families
- 31% of respondents hadn’t attended university themselves
- This group places more value on practical outcomes (e.g. employability, affordability)
This group stands out in the data as needing more clarity and reassurance. They tend to look for concrete answers about student support, value for money and long-term outcomes.
For universities, the strategic imperative here is clear: develop tailored, practical messaging aimed explicitly at first-generation families, providing reassurance and clarity on issues such as educational quality, employability, and student support services.
What parents value most about TSR
- Real, honest opinions from students and parents
- Reassurance and community during stressful times
- A wealth of information across varied topics
- Easy to use and quick to get responses
The open-text feedback really underlined the emotional value parents place on TSR, especially when things feel uncertain, showing just how much they rely on the community for reassurance, clarity, and a sense of support when they need it most.
For universities, TSR and similar community platforms offer more than visibility, they represent strategic opportunities to actively participate in building trust, providing genuine value and reassurance precisely where and when parents are seeking guidance.
Where this leaves us
Parents consistently play a vital role in their child’s decision-making process, whether it involves early research, open days, or final course choices. Yet our survey highlights that nearly 20% of respondents reported receiving no direct communication from universities at all. This suggests a potential gap in targeted outreach, rather than just an issue of access. In marketing terms, universities could be missing opportunities to influence this critical audience due to underdeveloped or under-resourced strategies for engaging parents specifically.
We’re beginning to see signs of change, with more recruitment focus allocated toward reaching parents and influencers. However, I believe there’s still substantial room for growth. Strategic actions universities can take now include showing up consistently in trusted peer communities, refining and segmenting messaging for first-generation families, and offering targeted reassurance at high-stakes moments like Clearing. Ultimately, this data reinforces that by investing more intentionally in parents-focused communications, universities are not only supporting parents, they’re directly improving outcomes with the students they guide.
Almost one in five parents told us they’d had no direct contact from universities, that’s a big gap, but also a huge opportunity. If you want to tap into parental influence and build them into your TSR strategy at the moments that matter, just drop your Account Manager or Account Director a line.
You can download the complete Parents Survey 2025 report — packed with insight, analysis, and recommendations — right here.
Further reading
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