The objective of this study of student-consumers in higher education is to investigate the direct influence of student choice factors on student expectations. The mediating role of perceptions of employability in the relationship between costs of study (fees) and student satisfaction, and the outcome variable of students' recommendations, is…

This paper analyses the student decision-making model for international postgraduate (PG) students with a concentration on consumer service marketing principles. Using a grounded theory approach and exploratory techniques (focus groups), it investigates qualitatively why the UK is the destination choice, the rationale for the programme of study…

With the number of transfer students increasing and graduation still an elusive goal, the researchers conducted four focus groups and four individual interviews with transfer students attending universities in the Chicago and Dallas-Fort Worth area to better understand and explore the factors that influenced their college choice decisions at their…

The purpose of this paper is to discuss student satisfaction with Portuguese higher education institutions, and to analyse how this varies for different types of students. A survey instrument was used to collect data on students' perceptions and expectations regarding different aspects of service provision. Based on the gap model of satisfaction,…

Students' expectations and experiences with university life are influenced by a number of variables. Many universities develop programs or promote aspects of existing programs to market the university's image. This research was motivated by our desire to determine the relationships between first-year students' college expectations and experiences,…

Recent studies of undergraduates engaged in authentic research have suggested that students may benefit in a range of different ways from such experiences. However, these same studies have also shown significant variation in the extent and universality of these benefits. This article investigates the impact of one potential source of variation in…

Despite the number of arguments in support of or against the value and relevance of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), there is little literature that takes an in-depth look at the diversity among HBCUs and the students who choose them. The purpose of this study was to explore the college choice motivations and academic…

This study sought to explain how high school seniors across the United States think about community colleges in the context of the college choice process. The study described what attributes are associated with the community college experience and what influences those attributes. Since a weak college choice process can contribute to later…

A method used at Bradley University to assess the institution's public image consisted of a series of paired descriptive phrases through which potential students could compare the school with their ideal college in academic factors, location, size, campus, costs, and career placement. (MSE)

A representative sample of 987 entering freshmen (45 percent male and 55 percent female) at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP), were surveyed regarding their attitudes and demographic characteristics during two-day summer orientation sessions. The typical UMCP freshman was from an upper-middle class home, earned at least a B average…

In an era when colleges must work hard to recruit students, understanding college-bound student views and concerns is critical. Trends are apparent in student expectations of the college experience and services, costs and quality, curricular offerings, job market, and extracurricular opportunities. (MSE)