HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT CHOICE INFLUENCING FACTORS

Assistant Lecturer Emanuela Maria AVRAM, PhD Candidate

Romanian American University
1B, Expoziiei Avenue, Sector 1, Bucharest
emanuela.maria@yahoo.it

Abstract:
Making the decision to invest in your own higher education is extremely complex
as higher education has an essential role in the professional formation. Understanding
higher education as a knowledge acquisition and formation process, it must be emphasized
that the providers within this process aim mainly at satisfying at a high level the needs of
the consumers (Vrontis Demetris, et al., 2007, p.980). Nonetheless, higher education
institutions have been confronted lately with the decrease in the number of students, and
thus knowing the factors that influence the students' decision making process represents a
useful source of information for academic management with a view to adopting some
optimal decisions regarding the attraction and retention of students.
Keywords: influencing factors, choice process, student, university
Jel Classification: M31, I23

Introduction:
The decision to enroll on the courses of a certain higher education institution is
extremely important in the individual's life because during these university years ones
future career is being built. Therefore, when making a decision regarding the future
university, individuals evaluate several alternatives offered by the market. The purpose of
the present article is to identify the primary factors that influence the process of choosing a
university and it is constituted by two main parts: in the first part are identified the main
factors which influence the process of choosing a higher education institution, and in the
second part are presented the conclusions.
1. Student choice influencing factors
The factors influencing this process differ from one individual to another, but
there are also several factors common for many individuals. According to Domino, S.,
Libraire, T., Lutwiller, D., Superczynski, S. & Tian, R. (2006) and Yamamoto, G. T.

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(2006) parents have a great influence on their sons enrollment at university. The author
Ming Joseph Sia Kee (2010) has referred to the factors of institutional nature that influence
the students decision making process and has identified various independent variables
such as: the location of the university, the study programs, the reputation of the higher
education institution, the existence of different educational facilities, the level of the tuition
fees, the employment opportunities, the employed promotion, the promotion by university
representatives, the possibility to visit the campus, the possibility to obtain scholarships.
The conceptual model developed by the author is presented in Figure No. 1 below.

Figure no.1 - Student choice influencing factors

Source: Ming Joseph Sia Kee (2010) - Institutional Factors Influencing Students College
Choice Decision in Malaysia: A Conceptual Framework, International Journal of Business
and Social Science, Vol. 1 No. 3; December 2010, ISSN 2219-1933 (Print), ISSN 22196021 (Online). p. 55.
According to Shanka Tekle, Quintal Vanessa, Taylor Ruth (2006, p. 34) factors
such as academic reputation, variety of study programs, quality of education, campus
location, costs, as well as the opinion of other persons - are factors of maximum
significance that influence the students' decision to enroll at a certain university.
Moreover, Beneke Justin and Human Gert (2010) have identified a series of
factors which exert influence on the process of choosing a university. Among these are the
following: the geographic location, the reputation of the higher education institution, the
level of the tuition fees, the development of various social programs, the possibility to
obtain a certain scholarship and the recommendations from family or friends. Wagner Karl
& Fard Pooyan Yousefi (2009) have identified based on a research several factors which
influence the students' intention of choosing a certain higher education institution and these
are the following: the cost of education, the content and structure of the study programs, the
facilities offered by the university, the value of education and the influence exerted by
family and friends.
Mubaira Tatenda Cynthia and Fatoki Olawale (2012, p.19) have discovered a
series of factors which determine the process of choosing a university among which I
mention: scholarships, the academic reputation, the level of tuition fees, the facility to
access information and technology, the importance of the higher education institution,

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cultural diversity, the recommendations from family and acquaintances, the image of the
university, the quality of the offered facilities, the social life within the campus, the
employment opportunities, the international partnerships, the admission requirements, the
friendly attitude of the academic staff, the campus attractiveness, the location of the
university, the facilities regarding sports activities, the quality of the teaching process and
the existence of some flexible study modalities. In addition to this, Yvonne J. Moogan,
(2011, p. 573) has pointed out through a research other factors which influence the youths
decision to enroll at university and these are: the desire to be awarded a degree, the
possibility to enhance the chances to obtain a decent job, the desire to have a high income
in the future and the location of the university which acquires an increased importance in
the decision making process. According to the model regarding the process of choosing a
university presented in Figure No. 2 below, Kusumawati, A., Yanamandram, V. K. &
Perera, N. (2010) have identified a series of factors which influence this process, and the
most important variables taken into consideration are those of the academic marketing mix.

Figure no. 2 - Model of student choice on higher education

Source: Kusumawati, A., Yanamandram, V. K. & Perera, N. (2010) - University marketing
and consumer behaviour concerns: the shifting preference of university selection criteria in
Indonesia, Asian Studies Association of Australia 18th Biennial Conference, Adelaide,
South Australia, University of Wollongong, Centre for Health Service Development
CHSD.CHSD, Sydney Business School, ISSN 1449-4418, p.7

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It can be noticed in the figure above that the elements of the study programs
offered by the university, the tuition fees, the location, the promotion policy, the academic
staff, the educational processes and the physical facilities exert influence on the youths
decision to choose a certain higher education institution with a view to continuing their
studies. According to Vrontis Demetris, Thrassou Alkis, Melanthiou Yioula (2007),
individuals choose a particular higher education institution based on the value it can offer
them and by comparing the costs involved with the future benefits that may result from
graduating the education institution in question.
2. Conclusions
Consequently, it can be noticed that various authors in the specialized literature,
who have referred in their works to the extremely complex issue of the factors which
influence the process of choosing a university, emphasize several aspects considered of
major importance in influencing the decision of choosing a particular university according
to Table No. 1.1 below:
Table no. 1.1 The most important factors influencing student choice of a university
according to the literature
Influencing factors
Authors
- University reputation
Shanka Tekle, Quintal Vanessa, Taylor
Ruth (2006)
Ming Joseph Sia Kee (2010)
Beneke Justin i Human Gert (2010)
Mubaira Tatenda Cynthia i Fatoki
Olawale (2012)
- Parents
Domino, S., Libraire, T., Lutwiller, D.,
Superczynski, S. & Tian, R. (2006)
Yamamoto, G. T. (2006)
- Scholarship
Ming Joseph Sia Kee (2010)
Beneke Justin i Human Gert (2010)
Mubaira Tatenda Cynthia i Fatoki
Olawale (2012)
- Recommendation from family and
Shanka Tekle, Quintal Vanessa, Taylor
acquaintances
Ruth (2006)
Wagner Karl & Fard Pooyan Yousefi
(2009)
Beneke Justin i Human Gert (2010)
Mubaira Tatenda Cynthia i Fatoki
Olawale (2012)
- Campus services
Wagner Karl & Fard Pooyan Yousefi
(2009)
Mubaira Tatenda Cynthia i Fatoki
Olawale (2012)
- University location
Shanka Tekle, Quintal Vanessa, Taylor
Ruth (2006)
Ming Joseph Sia Kee (2010)
Beneke Justin i Human Gert (2010)
Yvonne J. Moogan (2011)

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Tuition fees

Employment opportunities

Study programs

Shanka Tekle, Quintal Vanessa, Taylor

Ruth (2006)
Wagner Karl & Fard Pooyan Yousefi
(2009)
Ming Joseph Sia Kee (2010)
Beneke Justin i Human Gert (2010)
Mubaira Tatenda Cynthia i Fatoki
Olawale (2012)
Ming Joseph Sia Kee (2010)
Mubaira Tatenda Cynthia i Fatoki
Olawale (2012)
Shanka Tekle, Quintal Vanessa, Taylor
Ruth (2006)
Wagner Karl & Fard Pooyan Yousefi
(2009)
Ming Joseph Sia Kee (2010)

Source: own research

The decision to enroll at a certain university is the result of a long evaluation
process which bases on considering rigorous information regarding the reputation and
image of the institution, the future professional opportunities and the facilities offered. This
decision has long-term consequences and has an impact on the quality of the individual's
life involved in this process.
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[2]. Domino, S., Libraire, T., Lutwiller, D., Superczynski, S. & Tian, R. (2006) Higher education marketing concerns: factors influence students' choice of
colleges, The Business Review, Cambridge, vol. 6, no. 2, ISSN 1553 5827, p.
101-111.
[3]. Kusumawati, A., Yanamandram, V. K. & Perera, N. (2010) - University
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selection criteria in Indonesia, Asian Studies Association of Australia 18th
Biennial Conference, Adelaide, South Australia, University of Wollongong,
Centre for Health Service Development CHSD.CHSD, Sydney Business School,
ISSN 1449-4418, p.1-16.
[4]. Ming Joseph Sia Kee (2010) - Institutional Factors Influencing Students College
Choice Decision in Malaysia: A Conceptual Framework, International Journal of
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(Print), ISSN 2219-6021 (Online). p. 55.
[5]. Mubaira Tatenda Cynthia, Fatoki Olawale (2012) - The Determinants of the
Choice of Universities by Foreign Business Students in South Africa, Asian
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[6]. Shanka Tekle, Quintal Vanessa, Taylor Ruth (2006) - Factors Influencing
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