Study: Confusing Processes Break Student Trust

A recent Inside Higher Ed article explored why public trust in higher education is declining.

While many assume students doubt the long-term value of a degree, the survey shows otherwise: affordability concerns came out on top, but what stands out just as much is the broader issue of trust.

Students see trust erode when their experience feels confusing, inconsistent, or transactional. Greg Pillar, assistant provost at Gardner-Webb University, explains that unclear rules, complicated processes, and a lack of responsiveness can chip away at confidence. Conversely, students rebuild trust when faculty and staff listen, follow through, and streamline experiences.

Academic advisors and advising leaders are in a unique position to directly influence whether students feel their institution is transparent, consistent, and invested in their success.

What This Means for Advisors

1. Trust Is Built in Everyday Interactions: Students form their impressions of an institution through day-to-day encounters, such as their interactions with registration, course planning, emails, degree audits, and advising appointments. When an advisor takes the time to listen carefully, explain options clearly, and follow up as promised, that interaction becomes a trust-building moment.

Conversely, when processes feel confusing or inquiries are not responded to, students begin to doubt not just the system but the institution as a whole. This can impact their cost-benefit assessment of the college, determining whether the costs of staying there outweigh the benefits, or vice versa.

2. Predictability and Consistency Matter: Students trust institutions that do what they say they’ll do. For many, that trust is tested not only in big decisions like financial aid or graduation, but in the everyday details of communication and process.

Advisors play a critical role in demonstrating reliability and consistency through these small but meaningful touchpoints. Trust grows when students know that:

• Their messages will be answered. Emails and voicemails receive timely replies, even if just to acknowledge receipt and set expectations for a fuller response.

• Meetings are consistent and productive. Advising sessions start on time, follow a clear structure, and focus on the student’s goals rather than just checklist tasks.

• Information is accurate and aligned. Students don’t get different answers depending on whom they ask. Rather, departments and advisors present a united, consistent message, with shared language, terminology, and approaches.

• Online resources actually work. Links, forms, and advising pages are functional, up to date, and easy to navigate.

• Degree plans reflect reality. Curriculum changes, prerequisites, and course name updates are incorporated quickly so students aren’t working from outdated information.

Even small signals, like a promised follow-up email arriving when expected, reinforce a larger sense that the institution is dependable. When students encounter consistency across communication, systems, and resources, they begin to believe the institution will also be dependable in helping them achieve their larger goals.

3. Trust and Belonging Are Linked: The survey found that while affordability dominates student conversations, career outcomes and preparation are close behind.

For advisors, it’s a reminder that trust grows when students see their education as connected to their long-term goals rather than just a series of short-term hurdles.

Instead of focusing solely on immediate problem-solving (like adding or dropping a class), advisors build trust by asking deeper questions: Where do you see yourself in five years? What skills do you want to leave college with? What kind of work excites you? These conversations shift advising from transactional to transformational.

With the answers to these questions in hand, advisors can then tailor their guidance and connect students to resources uniquely suited to their aspirations. That might mean suggesting leadership roles in student organizations, pointing to undergraduate research aligned with a career goal, or recommending networking opportunities with alumni in a student’s field. (Related Reading: The Silent Dropout Risk That's Hard to Spot)

By connecting the dots between day-to-day academic choices and the bigger picture of personal and professional growth, advisors help students see their college experience as both purposeful and personalized. When students feel known as individuals and supported in pursuing their long-term goals, trust deepens, and their sense of belonging on campus grows stronger.

4. Advising Leaders Can Shape Culture: For advising directors and leaders, the big takeaway is that advising is central to institutional trust. Leaders can:

• Train advisors to use active listening and student-centered language.

• Audit advising communications for clarity and readability.

• Partner with other offices (registrar, financial aid, career services) to reduce “runaround” and present consistent answers.

• Encourage advisors to see themselves not just as schedulers but as trust-builders.

In other words, advisors aren’t simply helping students navigate requirements; they’re shaping how students experience the institution itself.

Conclusion

The survey shows that while affordability is a major driver of public trust, the student experience is just as critical. Advisors have daily opportunities to either erode or restore trust. By offering clarity, predictability, and care, the advising office can be one of the most trusted spaces on campus.

Trust may be fragile, but it is also repairable, and advising is one of the most powerful tools to make that repair possible.