Every year university bound graduating high school students are faced with the problem of selecting a post secondary institution. The selection process typically spans a number of years and involves considering many factors. Identifying those factors that influence students during the selection process was the goal of this study. Two hundred twenty-seven first year university students attending one of three degree granting institutions in Alberta were surveyed by means of a questionnaire to determine those factors considered during the university selection process. Correlations, means, analyses of variance and qualitative data provided the statistical and descriptive information for interpretation. The principal finding of this study was that parents, particularly mothers, are the most influential persons reported to affect the process. The factors which tend to be important to students at the University of Alberta were not the same factors important to students attending Camrose Lutheran College and the University of Lethbridge, the two smaller universities. University of Alberta students value reputation of the institution, reputation of the program, variety of courses offered, and proximity to home as important factors in their choice. Camrose Lutheran College and University of Lethbridge students value low student/professor ratio, low student population, and reputation of institution. This study may provide an increase in understanding of the selection process and thus assist those involved in guiding students through the process. / x, 106 leaves : ill. ; 28 cm.

The study is about factors that influence students‟ choice of a campus and how those choices influence students‟ decision to complete their courses. Since FET colleges have campuses with different historical backgrounds and unique characteristics, they offer specialised programmes according to the resources they have, relevant to their geographic location. The research focused on answering the following questions 1) What factors influence students‟ choice of campus? 2) What factors influence the students‟ completion or non-completion of courses? The aim of these questions was to determine what currently influences the students‟ choice and what kind of information or sources do students use in their study choice decisions. Some related researchers in other contexts have shown that there is a link between education and socio-economic factors. This study has been primarily informed by Tinto‟s (1987) theory on student retention and no-completion of courses, which suggested that non-completion is a result of a mismatch between the social/academic background, intentions and goals of the student and their institution‟s ability to meet those goals. Chapman‟s model of choice (1991) enabled him to indicate some factors, which influence student‟s choice. The aim of using the model was to check if the same influential factors were important for the current FET students in South Africa. A number of available studies have focused on the student, significant others in their lives, parents and teachers, as well as marketing of colleges or recruitment of students as factors influencing the choice. There is little literature that looks at how the fixed college factors such as program availability, location and reputation influence students, which is the focus of this research. This study falls into an interpretive paradigm and is qualitative in nature. Data has been collected using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews conducted among students of different campuses in one FET College. The sources of information are current students, those who dropped out and students who have completed their courses. Data collected show that the costs factor, academic achievement and significant others influence students‟ choices. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2009.

This study investigated the factors that were influential in the college selection process of NCAA Division I, II and III softball players. It also investigated the differences between the influential factors for student-athletes at Division I small institutions, medium institutions, and large institutions. The participants in this study consisted of 21 teams or 323 female collegiate softball student-athletes and the instrument used was the Influential Factors Survey for Student-Athletes. The top five influential factors were the school offers specific major of interest, academic reputation of college, coach's personality/style, academic facilities (library, computer labs, etc.), and the opportunity to play early in career. The academics section of the survey was deemed most influential by the softball student-athletes in this study. Differences were found within the college selection process of softball student-athletes at Division I, Division II, and Division III institutions (p < .05). Division I student-athletes viewed athletics as more influential than Division II student-athletes. Division II student-athletes viewed academics as more influential than both Division I student-athletes and Division III student-athletes. Division II student-athletes viewed social atmosphere as more influential than Division I student-athletes and also revealed that Division III student-athletes viewed social atmosphere as more influential than Division II student-athletes. Division I student-athletes viewed coaching staff as more influential than Division II student-athletes and Division III student-athletes. Division II student-athletes viewed financial aid as more influential than Division I student-athletes and Division III student-athletes. Differences were also found within the college selection process of softball student-athletes at NCAA Division I small, medium, and large conferences (p < .05). Division I, large school student-athletes viewed athletics as more influential than Division I, medium school student-athletes and Division I, small school student-athletes. Division I, small school student-athletes viewed financial aid as more influential than Division I, large school student-athletes. It can be concluded form the current study that softball student-athletes feel academic factors are the most influential in selecting a college or university to attend. / School of Physical Education, Sport, and Exercise Science

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of Indiana high school counselors relative to the usefulness of reputational rankings on higher education institutions. The perceptions of counselors were collected and examined through a survey instrument developed for this study. One-hundred and sixteen participants completed the survey resulting in a 39% return rate.Indiana high school counselors perceive themselves to have an impact on a students college choice. These results are representative of what other studies have pointed out about a counselors impact on high school students. 66% of the respondents felt that they understood the material presented in reputational rankings, however only 23% responded that reputational rankings were easy to understand. Counselors did not perceive that reputational rankings did not provide comprehensive material for a student to make a choice about college. Still, over 50% stated that they thought students should take the time to look at repuational rankings when making a choice about college.When describing positive and negative perceptions of reputational rankings, counselors listed a number of factors in each area. Positive perceptions about rankings were that they could serve as a good starting point and that they provided a good comparison of schools and programs.When looking at negative items, counselors felt that too much weight was put into rankings and that they were invalid or provided misleading information. / Department of Secondary, Higher, and Foundations of Education

Research shows that there has been a rapid growth in the number, types and delivery modes of international MBA programmes offered by private and public universities. In this situation, the process by which students select a suitable programme is of interest not only to potential students, but also to their families, university administrators, potential employers and governments (large investors in public sector institutions). This study reviews what the literature has to say about factors influencing student choice of MBA and other international markets, but further research is needed to determine whether factors of choice identified overseas also apply in Bangkok. / Thesis (DBA(DoctorateofBusinessAdministration))--University of South Australia, 2005.

Research shows that there has been a rapid growth in the number, types and delivery modes of international MBA programmes offered by private and public universities. In this situation, the process by which students select a suitable programme is of interest not only to potential students, but also to their families, university administrators, potential employers and governments (large investors in public sector institutions). This study reviews what the literature has to say about factors influencing student choice of MBA and other international markets, but further research is needed to determine whether factors of choice identified overseas also apply in Bangkok. / Thesis (DBA(DoctorateofBusinessAdministration))--University of South Australia, 2005.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Toronto, 2005.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at El Paso, 2008. / Title from title screen. Vita. CD-ROM. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 2002. / Title from title page screen, viewed February 2, 2006. Dissertation Committee: James C. Palmer (chair), William Tolone, Albert Azinger, George Padavil. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 123-126) and abstract. Also available in print.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin -- La Crosse, 1981. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 53-55).