About Scott Jeffe
Transforming higher education through strategic market research and data-driven decision making.
With over two decades of experience in higher education market research, Scott Jeffe has established himself as a leading consultant helping institutions navigate the complex landscape of enrollment management, program development, and competitive positioning.
Experience & Expertise
Scott's journey in higher education began in government relation, then public relations, and culminated in consulting and market research in the online, graduate, and adult undergraduate space. Over the years, he has worked with more than 425 institutions across the United States, from small private colleges to large state university systems, helping them make informed decisions about their academic offerings and student recruitment strategies aimed at graduate, online, and adult students.
His expertise spans multiple areas of higher education market research, including program demand analysis, competitive differentiation, audience alignment studies, and enrollment readiness assessments. Scott's approach combines rigorous quantitative analysis with practical, actionable recommendations that institutions can implement immediately.
He is regularly asked to contribute to news stories in the higher education industry press, recently including stories on international education, the demographic cliff, generational differences among online students, graduate marketing best practices, and market research best practices.
Methodology & Approach
What sets Scott apart is his practical approach to market research. He leverages multiple data sources, proven analytical frameworks, and the knowledge accumulated in working with hundreds of colleges that provide institutions with clear, objective insights about market position and opportunities. He also believes that "you must be seen to be believed" and to that end, has been on the campuses of just about every college he has worked with.
His research methodology incorporates both secondary data analysis and primary research, ensuring that institutions receive a comprehensive view of their competitive landscape and student expectations. Every engagement is customized to the specific needs and context of the institution, recognizing that no two institutions face identical challenges.
Education and Background
Scott received a Bachelor's of Arts in History with honors from St. Lawrence University. He earned a Master's in Public Administration with a focus on higher education management from Rockefeller College of Public Policy at SUNY Albany. His career trajectory began with an internship with the College Board's Government Relations Office, followed by positions in government and public relations before joining Carol Aslanian in the College Board's Office of Adult Learning Services and Community College Relations.
Scott was born and raised in Hamburg NY, a suburb of Buffalo, by parents who were teachers. His sister became a teacher, joining the family profession, while Scott insisted he wanted nothing to do with education. However, the apple does NOT fall far from the tree.
Industry Recognition
Scott is a frequent speaker at higher education conferences and on college campuses. He has authored or co-authored more than 20 national reports, numerous articles, and more than 100 blogs on graduate and online students enrollment management and market research best practices. His insights have been featured in leading higher education publications, and he regularly contributes to industry discussions about emerging trends and challenges facing higher education institutions.
Publications
Scott is the author, co-author, or contributor to nearly 20 national research reports, starting in 2009 with the publication of Aslanian Group's "Hindsight, Insight, Foresight" and most recently RNL's 2024 Online Student Recruitment Report.
Attracting Domestic Doctoral Students
In this report, Scott investigates the state of the doctoral education market in 2025, identifies key vulnerabilities and strengths and then leverages national market data to understand critical expectations and preferences of domestic doctoral students, comparing each with the point of view of a composite international student.
2024 Online Student Recruitment Report
The report presents findings from a national survey of nearly 1,500 prospective, enrolled, and past online undergraduate and graduate students. The report presents findings across 10 strategic questions focusing on what students expect of the program in which they enroll and drills down on student use of AI in both search and their studies and online student satisfaction with past and current online learning experiences.
Two Demographic Cliffs? How to Diversify Student Audiences and Prepare for the Future
In this report, Scott shares new census data (2020) that indicate that just two years after the demographic cliff that we've all been talking about since 2018 ends, another will follow - and last well into the 2040s. The report offers a dozen strategies that institutions should consider to both solidify traditional enrollment and diversify their student audiences to future-proof their institution.
2024 Online Program Marketing and Recruitment Practices Report
This report presents findings from a national survey of more than 220 online program marketing and recruitment leaders. The report describes how online programs are maximizing the ROI of their marketing spend, how they decide which programs will get marketing support, how they are aligning with student recruitment expectations, and drills down on both how institutional leaders view AI and how they are using it in the marketing and recruitment process.
Generations of Learners: How Online Students Expectations Diverge and Converge Across Generations
This report presents findings from 15 critical questions on online student marketing and recruitment expectations by the three student generations (Gen X, Millennial, Gen Z). to assess where it is important for institutions to differentiate both service and messaging to attract the widest audience.
Presentations
Scott has presented at dozens of national and regional conferences over the last decade including UPCEA, NAGAP, NAICU, AASCU, EMBAC, AGB, AMA, and RNL. His session topic include all of the critical issues in graduate, online, and undergraduate adult enrollment growth, but they all have one thing in common: every recommendation and observation is underpinned with market data.
If you need a data-driven session on your campus contact us now!
Recent presentations include:
38 Million Reasons to Rethink Transfer Credit
In this presentation, originally presented for a DegreeSight webinar, Scott assesses the current opportunity for enrollment growth among undergraduate returning students (typically adults aged 22+) and indicates that institutions have a unique opportunity right now to capitalize on this market segment...if they understand the audience and respond accordingly.
The Critical Role of Graduate Education in Institutional Health
First presented at the AASCU 2023 Summer Meeting, in this presentation Scott reviews national enrollment data to help institutions understand the relative strength of the various market segments - and the role that graduate education can play in counteracting undergraduate contraction. He then works through 15 critical steps that institutions must take in order to be sure they are the institution of choice for today's graduate students.
How to Win: Five Keys to Competing For Graduate and Online Students
First presented at the UPCEA 2024 National Conference, this presentation is a condensed version of a longer How To Win presentation that Scott has delivered throughout the country incorporating 20 data-driven strategies and elements institutions must have in place today in order to grow graduate and/or online enrollment.
When The Program is the Challenge: Shaping Programs to Meet Student Expectations
First presented at the 2024 RNL National Conference and regularly updated, in this presentation Scott delves into 10 common inhibitors to growing graduate and online program enroillment. Institutions can have great marketing, a great reputation, but enrollment may still languishing. What is wrong? More often than not, it is that the program itself is not aligned with student expectations and preferences. He then walks through these 10 challenges and provides market insights to back up the case for change.
Upping Your Game: Acting on Market Changes and Trends
In this presentation for the 2023 EMBAC National Conference, Scott surfaced up-to-the-minute data on the MBA market, with special emphasis on the portion of that market that would be most likely to enroll in an Executive MBA program. The conversation with co-presenters focused on how to apply trends and changes to existing programs in order to ensure that they remain relevant and interesting to students most likely to enroll.