--- title: 40% of High School Students Will Lose Interest in a College After a Poor Website Experience description:   New survey from Modern Campus and Ruffalo Noel Levitz highlights importance of personalized website experiences to prospective student engagement   TORON image: https://moderncampus.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/modern-campus-library-books-4.jpg --- [Skip to content](https://moderncampus.com/newsroom/new-survey-from-modern-campus-and-ruffalo-noel-levitz.html#main-content) [![modern-campus-primary-color-r](https://moderncampus.com/hubfs/modern-campus-primary-color-r.svg) ](https://moderncampus.com/) - Products Web Content Management - [Web Content Management | CMS](https://moderncampus.com/products/web-content-management) - [Career Planning | Career Pathways](https://moderncampus.com/products/career-pathways-planning) Connected Curriculum & Co-Curricular - [Catalog Management | Catalog](https://moderncampus.com/products/catalog-management) - [Curriculum Management | Curriculum ](https://moderncampus.com/products/curriculum-management) - [Class Schedule Management | Schedule](https://moderncampus.com/products/class-schedule-management) - [Student Schedule Optimization | Navigate](https://moderncampus.com/products/student-schedule-optimization) - [Student Co-Curricular Management | Involve](https://moderncampus.com/products/student-engagement-and-learning-platform) - [Career Planning | Career Pathways](https://moderncampus.com/products/career-pathways-planning) - [Syllabus Management | Concourse Syllabus](https://moderncampus.com/partnerships/concourse-syllabus) Student Engagement & Involvement - [Student Co-Curricular Management | Involve](https://moderncampus.com/products/student-engagement-and-learning-platform) - [Conversational Text Messaging | Message](https://moderncampus.com/products/conversational-text-messaging-message) - [Career Planning | Career Pathways](https://moderncampus.com/products/career-pathways-planning) Continuing Education & Workforce Development - [Non-Traditional Student Management | Lifelong Learning](https://moderncampus.com/products/non-traditional-student-management) - [Career Planning | Career Pathways](https://moderncampus.com/products/career-pathways-planning) - Solutions - [Improve Enrollment](https://moderncampus.com/solutions/improve-enrollment) - [Drive Engagement](https://moderncampus.com/solutions/drive-engagement) - [Streamline Staff Operations](https://moderncampus.com/solutions/streamline-staff-operations) - [Improve Student Retention](https://moderncampus.com/solutions/improve-student-retention) - Services Professional Services - [Services](https://moderncampus.com/services) Design Services - [Design Studio](https://moderncampus.com/services/design-studio) - [Support ](https://moderncampus.com/support) - Resources - [Resource Center](https://resources.moderncampus.com/) - [Blog](https://moderncampus.com/blog) - [Illumination Podcast](https://moderncampus.com/podcast) - [Success Stories](https://moderncampus.com/success-stories) - [Web Events](https://moderncampus.com/web-events) - [Conferences & Trade Shows](https://moderncampus.com/conferences-and-tradeshows) - [Canadian User Summit](https://userconference.moderncampus.com/canadiansummit) - [The EvoLLLution](https://moderncampus.com/evolllution) - About - [Our Story](https://moderncampus.com/our-story) - [Leadership](https://moderncampus.com/leadership) - [Newsroom](https://moderncampus.com/newsroom) - [Partners](https://moderncampus.com/about/partners) - [Careers](https://moderncampus.com/careers) - [Contact Us](https://moderncampus.com/contact-us) [ Request a Demo ](https://moderncampus.com/request-demo) … × - Products Back ### Products Web Content Management - [Web Content Management | CMS](https://moderncampus.com/products/web-content-management) - [Career Planning | Career Pathways](https://moderncampus.com/products/career-pathways-planning) Connected Curriculum & Co-Curricular - [Catalog Management | Catalog](https://moderncampus.com/products/catalog-management) - [Curriculum Management | Curriculum ](https://moderncampus.com/products/curriculum-management) - [Class Schedule Management | Schedule](https://moderncampus.com/products/class-schedule-management) - [Student Schedule Optimization | Navigate](https://moderncampus.com/products/student-schedule-optimization) - [Student Co-Curricular Management | Involve](https://moderncampus.com/products/student-engagement-and-learning-platform) - [Career Planning | Career Pathways](https://moderncampus.com/products/career-pathways-planning) - [Syllabus Management | Concourse Syllabus](https://moderncampus.com/partnerships/concourse-syllabus) Student Engagement & Involvement - [Student Co-Curricular Management | Involve](https://moderncampus.com/products/student-engagement-and-learning-platform) - [Conversational Text Messaging | Message](https://moderncampus.com/products/conversational-text-messaging-message) - [Career Planning | Career Pathways](https://moderncampus.com/products/career-pathways-planning) Continuing Education & Workforce Development - [Non-Traditional Student Management | Lifelong Learning](https://moderncampus.com/products/non-traditional-student-management) - [Career Planning | Career Pathways](https://moderncampus.com/products/career-pathways-planning) - Solutions Back ### Solutions - [Improve Enrollment](https://moderncampus.com/solutions/improve-enrollment) - [Drive Engagement](https://moderncampus.com/solutions/drive-engagement) - [Streamline Staff Operations](https://moderncampus.com/solutions/streamline-staff-operations) - [Improve Student Retention](https://moderncampus.com/solutions/improve-student-retention) - Services Back ### Services Professional Services - [Services](https://moderncampus.com/services) Design Services - [Design Studio](https://moderncampus.com/services/design-studio) - Support Back ### Support - [Simple Menu Item ](https://moderncampus.com/in-the-news) - [Simple Menu Item 2](https://moderncampus.com/in-the-news) - [Simple Menu Item 3](https://moderncampus.com/in-the-news) - Resources Back ### Resources - [Resource Center](https://resources.moderncampus.com/) - [Blog](https://moderncampus.com/blog) - [Illumination Podcast](https://moderncampus.com/podcast) - [Success Stories](https://moderncampus.com/success-stories) - [Web Events](https://moderncampus.com/web-events) - [Conferences & Trade Shows](https://moderncampus.com/conferences-and-tradeshows) - [Canadian User Summit](https://userconference.moderncampus.com/canadiansummit) - [The EvoLLLution](https://moderncampus.com/evolllution) - About Back ### About - [Our Story](https://moderncampus.com/our-story) - [Leadership](https://moderncampus.com/leadership) - [Newsroom](https://moderncampus.com/newsroom) - [Partners](https://moderncampus.com/about/partners) - [Careers](https://moderncampus.com/careers) - [Contact Us](https://moderncampus.com/contact-us) [ Request a Demo ](https://moderncampus.com/request-demo) ![](https://moderncampus.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/modern-campus-library-books-4.jpg) Share This Post # 40% of High School Students Will Lose Interest in a College After a Poor Website Experience ---   ## New survey from Modern Campus and Ruffalo Noel Levitz highlights importance of personalized website experiences to prospective student engagement   **TORONTO, July 13, 2021** – U.S.-based high school students say the website is their most influential resource when conducting college research, and 40% will lose interest in a college or university if the website is frustrating or disappointing. This, according to “[Personal Connection: How to Maximize Enrollment, Retention and Re-Engagement](https://moderncampus.com/research-paper/personal-connection-e-expectations-2021.html)”, a research paper developed by [Modern Campus](https://moderncampus.com/index.html), the industry’s leading “student first” [modern learner engagement platform](https://moderncampus.com/products/modern-campus-platform.html).    The research comes from [Ruffalo Noel Levitz’s E-Expectations® Trend Report](https://www.ruffalonl.com/papers-research-higher-education-fundraising/e-expectations/), an annual survey of high school students exploring their behaviors and experiences as they research prospective colleges. The 2021 edition highlights the rising importance of personalization in engaging prospective students—and the need for colleges and universities to stand out in the increasingly competitive postsecondary marketplace.    “Modern learners think and act like consumers, so it’s critical for colleges and universities to build websites, social media presences and outreach strategies that address their needs and interests,” said Peter DeVries, president and chief operating officer of Modern Campus. “Those that do will thrive. We know this because we see it in our customers every day—on average they grow annual revenue by 19% and enrollments by 14%.”    Like any customer in any industry, prospective students conducting their college research are primarily trying to understand how the institutions they are considering match their needs and expectations.    Additional key findings: - 80% of prospective students apply to five or fewer colleges or universities - 62% of prospective students are more likely to enroll after watching a virtual tour - 82% of high school seniors expect their institution to offer pathways to jobs - 90% of high school seniors expect their institution to offer a personalized curriculum based on their post-graduation goals - 43% of high school students like using websites that allow them to filter and personalize content to meet their interests “Personalization is foundational to customer engagement in every other industry, and higher education is starting to adapt,” said Amrit Ahluwalia, director of strategic insights at Modern Campus. “Since students primarily use the college website to determine whether an institution is a good fit, colleges and universities should be looking for ways to ensure their website is highlighting the right information to the right students at the right time to simplify their enrollment decisions.”    To view the complete findings, and learn more about how colleges and universities can leverage personalization to meet prospective students’ expectations at every phase of their college search journey, visit: [https://moderncampus.com/research-paper/personal-connection-e-expectations-2021.html](https://moderncampus.com/research-paper/personal-connection-e-expectations-2021.html)   **Report Methodology/Respondent Profile **Ruffalo Noel Levitz surveyed over 2,000 high school students ranging from 14 to 17 years old, who will be graduating from high school between 2021-2023. They were contacted via email between January 15 and February 28, 2021. No personally identifiable data was collected, and only the principal researcher has access to the raw data.    Of the 2,087 survey respondents, all in the United States, 47% were seniors, 33% were juniors and 20% were sophomores. Their geographic distribution showed that 25% lived in the West, 24% in the Southeast, 19% in the Midwest, 16% in the Northeast and 15% in the Southwest.    **About Modern Campus ** Modern Campus is obsessed with empowering its 1,200+ higher education customers to thrive when radical transformation is required to respond to lower student enrollments and revenue, rising costs, crushing student debt and even school closures.       Powered by [Omni CMS](https://moderncampus.com/products/web-content-management.html), [DIGARC](http://www.digarc.com), [Presence](http://www.presence.io/) and [Destiny One](https://moderncampus.com/products/non-traditional-student-management.html), the Modern Campus [modern learner engagement platform](https://moderncampus.com/products/modern-campus-platform.html) enables innovative institutions to create a “learner to earner” lifecycle that engages modern learners for life.      Delivering massive personalization, AI-driven recommendations and a modern e-commerce engine, Modern Campus creates a student-first digital experience and removes silos across campus. Presidents and provosts, marketing and IT teams, admissions, registrars, student affairs and CE divisions can partner to attract, enroll, empower, retain, credential and re-engage students with pathways for lifelong learning.      Learn how Modern Campus is leading the modern learner engagement movement at [moderncampus.com](https://moderncampus.com/index.html) and follow us on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/moderncampus/).  --- Last updated: July 13, 2021 [![New Partnership Equips Institutions to Build Stronger Continuing Education Portfolios](https://moderncampus.com/hubfs/press-release-thumbnail-image-2026-06-10.png) ](https://moderncampus.com/newsroom/new-partnership-equips-institutions-to-build-stronger-continuing-education-portfolios) [New Partnership Equips Institutions to Build Stronger Continuing Education Portfolios](https://moderncampus.com/newsroom/new-partnership-equips-institutions-to-build-stronger-continuing-education-portfolios) [Learn More →](https://moderncampus.com/newsroom/new-partnership-equips-institutions-to-build-stronger-continuing-education-portfolios) [![Continuing Education Gains Momentum as Institutions Expand Workforce-Aligned Learning](https://moderncampus.com/hubfs/state-of-ce-press-release-thumbnail.png) ](https://moderncampus.com/newsroom/continuing-education-gains-momentum) [Continuing Education Gains Momentum as Institutions Expand Workforce-Aligned Learning](https://moderncampus.com/newsroom/continuing-education-gains-momentum) [Learn More →](https://moderncampus.com/newsroom/continuing-education-gains-momentum) [![College Planning Is No Longer Linear — It’s Personal, Digital, and Increasingly Complex](https://moderncampus.com/hubfs/press-release-thumbnail-2026-04-07.png) ](https://moderncampus.com/newsroom/2026-college-planning-report-press-release) [College Planning Is No Longer Linear — It’s Personal, Digital, and Increasingly Complex](https://moderncampus.com/newsroom/2026-college-planning-report-press-release) [Learn More →](https://moderncampus.com/newsroom/2026-college-planning-report-press-release) ## Connect with us to learn how Modern Campus can drive transformation at your institution! [ Connect with Us ](https://moderncampus.com/request-demo) ![modern-campus-white-r](https://moderncampus.com/hubfs/Modern%20Campus%202025/modern-campus-white-r.svg) Quick Links - [About Us](https://moderncampus.com/our-story) - [Customer Support](https://moderncampus.com/support) - [The EvoLLLution](https://moderncampus.com/evolllution) Contact Information [ 2482 Yonge Street #1366 Toronto, Ontario M4P 2H5 ](https://www.google.com/maps/dir//2482+Yonge+St+%231366%2C+Toronto%2C+ON+M4P+2H5%2C+Canada/@28.4431037%2C-82.5237204%2C1116m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m10!4m9!1m1!4e2!1m5!1m1!1s0x882b3323cebd384b:0x7fed5639eea15350!2m2!1d-79.3996504!2d43.7116304!3e0?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MTExMi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D) [ 330 N Lantana St Suite 28 PMB 1014 Camarillo, CA 93010 ](https://www.google.com/maps/dir//248https://share.google/8dOl6dh95vfPRhB5ranada/@28.4431037%2C-82.5237204%2C1116m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m10!4m9!1m1!4e2!1m5!1m1!1s0x882b3323cebd384b:0x7fed5639eea15350!2m2!1d-79.3996504!2d43.7116304!3e0?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MTExMi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D) [ (416) 480-0500 ](tel:+14164800500) [ (866) 403-0500 ](tel:+18664030500) [ Contact Sales ](mailto:sales@moderncampus.com) [ Contact Support ](mailto:support@moderncampus.com) [ Contact Finance ](mailto:billingsmcusa@moderncampus.com) Connect with Us Keep up with what's happening around campus. Join Our Mailing List Get the latest delivered to your inbox! © 2026 Modern Campus is a registered trademark of Modern Campus USA Inc. All rights reserved. [Privacy Policy](https://moderncampus.com/about/privacy-policy.html) | [Accessibility](https://moderncampus.com/about/accessibility.html) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Reuben Pressman", "url" : "https://moderncampus.com/newsroom/author/admin" }, "dateModified" : "2026-01-15T16:14:37.333Z", "datePublished" : "2024-08-29T04:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "40% of High School Students Will Lose Interest in a College After a Poor Website Experience", "image" : [ "https://moderncampus.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/modern-campus-library-books-4.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://moderncampus.com/newsroom/new-survey-from-modern-campus-and-ruffalo-noel-levitz.html", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://moderncampus.com/hubfs/modern-campus-r-blue-@12x.png" }, "name" : "Modern Campus" } } ```