RESULTS OF ST AMBROSE UNIVERSITY

HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS FOCUS GROUP

OCTOBER 19 T H , 1998

Factors Influencing Student College Choice

Background

Focus group session October 18th 1998.

Focus group consisted of seven high school seniors

randomly selected from different high schools in

Iowa state.

Focus group conducted on St. Ambrose University

Campus.

Object of study was to determine factors influencing

university selection in high school seniors.

Factors Influencing College Choice

Research Questions:

1. How do students gather information about universities and colleges?

2. What are high school seniors’ perceptions of the different sources of information?

3. What are students looking for in a university when making choices?

How do students gather information about universities and colleges?

Television

Sports

College Fair

Campus Visits

Replies to ACT scores

Phone calls

Videos

Letters

Internet

Family/Tradition

Brochures

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

Number of Positive Responses Focus Group Members (n=8)

What are high school seniors’ perceptions of the different sources of information?

Personal Let-ters

Phone Calls Television Mailings Internet / Website

Brochures Family and Friends

22.2% 23.1%

33.3%36.4%

61.5%

85.7% 85.7%

Student Attitudes Towards Information Sources

What are students looking for in a university when making choices?

4 Factors Affecting Decision Making:

Academic Choices

Campus

Financial

Educational Benefit

Campus Choices

52%

Academic Choices26%

Financial Choices12%

Educational Benefit

10%

CAMPUS Choices

Cam-pus

Choices

52%

Academic Choices26% Finan-

cial Choices

12%

Educa-tional

Benefit10%

Location or Neighbourhood Campus Re-

sources and In-frastruture

Social LifeAthletics Programs Housing / Dorms

30%

27%

20%

13%

10%

Campus Choices

ACADEMIC Choices

Programs Offered

Quality of Programs

Degree of Faculty Contact

33.33%33.33%

33.33%

Academic Choices

Cam-pus

Choices

52%

Academic Choices26% Finan-

cial Choices

12%

Educa-tional

Benefit10%

FINANCIAL Choices

Campus Choices

52%

Academic Choices26% Finan-

cial Choices

12%

Educa-tional

Benefit10%

ScholarshipsCost

Financial Aid

42%

29% 29%

EDUCATIONAL BENEFIT

Cam-pus

Choices

52%

Academic Choices26% Finan-

cial Choices

12%

Educa-tional

Benefit10%

Job Placement

School Reputation

67%

33%

Educational Benefit

What are students looking for in a university when making choices?

SUMMARY…

4 Major Factors Affecting University Choice:

1. Campus

a. Location or Neighbourhood

b. Campus Resources and Infrastructure

c. Social Life

d. Athletics Programs e. Housing / Dorms

52%

SUMMARY…

2. Academic Choices / Programs

a. Programs Offered

b. Quality of Programs

c. Degree of Faculty Contact

26%“Personal attention, just so that if you’re struggling in a class the teacher won’t blow you off and drop you from the grading scale.”

SUMMARY…

3. Financial Choices

a. Scholarships

b. Cost

c. Financial Aid

12%“Depends, on the cost of tuition…”

“type of scholarship…”

SUMMARY.

4. Educational Benefit

a. Job Placement

b. School Reputation

10%“Placement. You want to go to a school that’s going to get you a good job…”

“…so you might want to know the hiring percentage.”

REVIEW: Coding

Assignment 04 - Focus Group Article - Coding

Time Consuming

Highly subjective (found myself second-guessing)

Multiple ways to interpret data

Multiple ways to use data for different questions

Did help to understand emerging themes and common

values amongst participants

Able to collect useful information

REVIEW: Quantitative Data

Useful for presenting “the bottom line” to clients.

Can help to highlight general trends.

May bring in some objectivity of interpretation, although

dependant on initial interpretation of statements.

Small sample size made it difficult to make definite

conclusions (i.e. comments about email).

How does one “quantitize” statements?

Can easily go in multiple directions with data

REVIEW:

The End