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The College Choice Decision Process
Market Research Findings

 
The DCCCD commissioned The Value Exchange (TVEinc) to collect research-based information regarding the student college choice decision process. TVEinc mailed a survey to fall 1996 Brookhaven College and Mountain View College students who were first-time-in-college, enrolled in credit courses, and under the age of 25. Their 100+ page report details the findings for the total respondent group as well as by Brookhaven and Mountain View Colleges.
 
This document provides a general overview of those findings based on the total respondent group. Key findings relative to specific stages of the decision process are noted.
 

Respondent Group:

A total of 1,690 surveys were mailed and approximately 24% were completed and returned. The demographics of the respondents were similar to the targeted population.

Three Types of Students Identified:

 
The TVEinc report details survey question responses for the total group and by student type. The key findings by student type were similar for the majority of questions. Thus, as a general overview of the research findings, the following summary does not delineate responses by student type.
 
 
Summary of College Choice Survey Findings*
 
College Selection 
Decision Process - - - - - 		    
Key Findings - - - - -
 
    Influencers to attending college
Baseline Perspective on College
  
Individual is not yet thinking about attending college
 
 
  
  • Parent (77%), friend (54%), high school teacher (31%), sibling (30.5%), high school counselor (24%).
  • Over half of the students were influenced to attend their college by a former student of that particular college.
 
 
    Timing of College Choice Decision
 
Problem Recognition
  
Individual has decided to go to college and needs to start making decisions about college selection
  
  • Half recognized need to gather college information (focus on college choice decision) during high school junior/senior year.
  • Of the one-third who recognized need after high school, college choice timing ranged from 2 or more months before college enrollment to the week of enrollment.
 
 
 
Information Search
     

Most Helpful Information Sources
Individual seeks information about college options
 
  
  
  • Information picked up at the college, information mailed per student request and unsolicited info received by mail.
  
 
 
    College Selection Timing
 
 
College Selection
  
Individual has selected college and enrolled at college
  
  • Half recognized need to gather college information (focus on college choice decision) during high school junior/senior year.
  • Reasons for delaying college after high school were student did not feel ready for college (32%) and student need to work/save money for college (28%).
    College Selection Reasons
   
  • Convenient location to home (69%), low cost compared to 4-year university (55%) and credits transfer (38%).
 
 
    College Likes and Dislikes
 
 
 

  

Post-Selection Perspective
  
Individual is current student at college
  
  • Likes = class schedule accommodates work (40%), low cost (34%), convenient location (31.5%).
  • Dislikes = almost half (47%) had NO dislikes and no specific dislike was mentioned by more than 11% of students.
  • Students (95%) would recommend their college to a friend and 69% indicated they had friends interested in attending their college.
    Top Methods for Recruiting High School Students
   
  • Speaking with high school students in their classrooms (60%), at college night (48%), mailings to high school students (50%), college campus tours (39%).
  • High school students (67%) would most like to speak with a current college student about college.
 
*based on "The College Choice Decision Process, Survey Research Report for DCCCD" by TVEinc
Prepared by Laura Massey, March 1997

 

Internal Reports & Summaries