A proposed conceptual model for investigating undergraduate student choice of programs and universities

Understanding how undergraduate students choose a particular degree program and Unviersity has significant implications for attracting and retaining students. A review of marketing and education literature on the topic identified several constructs, such as personal values, motivation, selection criteria, demographic and socioeconomic variables that might be related to this choice process. The purpose of this paper is to put these constructs together in a coherent manner and propose a conceptual model that traces the pathways of influences amongst these constructs. A causal methodology based on structural equation modelling is proposed. In tradition with the marketing approach, the paper proposes a segmentation scheme based on developing profiles of 'student types' in terms of factors that drive or influence their choice behaviour. A proactive market targeting market approach is proposed to address issues with student satisfaction with their proposed program or University and retention rates.