Two types of connection define student success. Most online learners are missing both.
Peer relationships keep students in school. Professional networks get them hired. For adult online learners, especially those from underserved backgrounds, building either remains one of the most elusive parts of the college experience.
Traditional students absorb these skills naturally: through study groups, campus jobs, hallway conversations, and extracurriculars. This is the hidden curriculum: the unspoken rules for networking, help-seeking, and navigating professional spaces. Online learning environments, by design, don't offer these moments.
The result? Students who are motivated and credentialed, but disconnected. First-generation students, those from lower-income backgrounds, and students of color often start college with smaller networks, and find few institutional pathways to grow them.
WGU Labs surveyed 545 students at WGU to understand exactly where these gaps exist, who they affect most, and what institutions can do about it.
Read the report below to explore the findings and recommendations for making human connection a core part of the online learning experience.
