Www.abdn.ac.uk/sras Prospective Student Decision Making Rachel Sandison Head of SRAS

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Prospective Student Decision Making

Rachel Sandison

Head of SRAS

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• Market research conducted with both undergraduate and postgraduate students on an annual basis

• Entrants’ and Decliners Surveys; Focus Groups; External Research commissioned

• Develop greater market intelligence and a gauge of motivating factors for student choice as well as to allow for competitor benchmarking

• Influences are many and varied; however, research highlights general trends and provides useful indicators

Research Methods

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• For all entry levels, the University prospectus and website play a crucial role in decision making at the application stage

• Prospective Ug students are also greatly influenced by visits to the University, future job prospects and the reputation of the city

• Parents, teachers and peers play a part in shaping opinion at this stage, which is why it is important to engage with these influencers

Influences on Decision to Apply

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• For prospective pg students, overall the web is utilised to a greater extent, as well as their alma mater

• Lecturers from their own institution will be approached for guidance on where best to pursue further study

• Prospective international students rely heavily on online resources for information gathering, and place large emphasis on the credibility of University sites

• International students are the group most profoundly influenced by family and alumni

Influences on Decision to Apply

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Undergraduate

• Availability and content of the degree is the most influential factor in the decision to accept an offer

• Followed by the reputation of the University, job prospects, flexibility of the degree, location of Aberdeen, impressions following a visit, and facilities

• The overall student experience is important to ug students, so decisions are made based on the course, university and study environment as a whole

Factors Governing Decision to Choose Aberdeen

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Postgraduate

• Again the programme/research area is the most influential factor in the decision to accept an offer

• The reputation of the University, and of the individual department, are also extremely important, as is staff expertise

• Funding is a further consideration for this group, particularly for UK applicants


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International

• Decision to study in the UK/Scotland

• For international students, teaching quality is cited as being the most important factor in choosing Aberdeen

• Reputational factors overall are significant

• Cost of study and IT provision are also highlighted as significant influences

• Employment is also a major consideration for international students - the Fresh Talent Initiative has had an impact on applications to Scotland as a whole


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• Findings suggest that word of mouth is important for all groups in terms of decision making

• However, in the main, University materials influence the decision to apply in the first instance

• A huge emphasis is placed on the quality and reputation of both the University and the product

• Course is king! Prospective students make decisions based primarily on availability and desirability of the programme

• Attractiveness of location, as well as the quality of facilities and resources cannot be undervalued

Conclusions

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• Reputation management is crucial, with the University owning a brand proposition that is based on quality – the implementation of changes must be conceived in terms of the potential effect on reputation

• Portfolio analysis is key to ensure that the product continues to meet the needs and demands of the marketplace

• Continuous market research is imperative to track market trends and allow for competitor benchmarking

Recommendations

Documents

Www.abdn.ac.uk/sras Prospective Student Decision Making Rachel Sandison Head of SRAS