CWU: S TUDENT & P ARENT S URVEY
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COLLEGE CHOICE DECISION FACTORS
A key objective of this survey was to explore the relative importance of college attributes as students and their parents consider which colleges to apply to. Sixteen attributes of a hypothetical college, presented as ”things you might consider in choosing a college,” were tested using a procedure called Maximum Differential Scaling (MaxDiff). The 16 items were presented in 12 rotated sets of 4 attributes each. In each set, respondents indicated the most and least influential factor. The results distribute 100 points across all 16 factors, thus indicating the relative importance of each item against the other items on the list. This method produces finer distinctions between items because respondents must make comparative choices, not consider each item in isolation as with typical rating scales. Programs, Teaching and Cost Ranked as Top Considerations The students ranked the availability of desired programs, the quality of teaching and cost as the top three factors they consider in choosing a college. Personal attention was 4 th , some distance behind those three. The third cluster included cultural and recreational opportunities, housing, the setting of the campus and class size. The bottom half of the list, in order of ranking were: the size of the school, the attractiveness of the campus, the ease of getting home, the diversity of the student body, the climate, whether friends were going there, intercollegiate sports and the gift of a free tablet for enrolling. Parents ranked the same three attributes at the top of their list, but in a different order. They put Teaching quality #1, followed by cost and academic programs. The parents were given a slightly different and longer list (18 items). Personal attention was also #4 in the parent; list, in cluster with the safety of the campus and adult support/guidance for students (neither of which were asked of the student sample). Parents Most Influential Advisors by Far Parents were by far the most significant source of advice for students thinking about college. Six in 10 (63%) students said they would “definitely” talk over this decision with their parents, and another 19% said they “probably” would do so. The proportion of students who would “definitely” discuss the decision with their parents (63%) was nearly double the number who named teachers (36%), counselors (36%), friends (32%) or college recruiters (31%).
JUNE 2014
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