Choosing a Bachelor-Level Business Program : Factors Impacting the Decision

In the increasingly competitive environment in which colleges and universities are striving to attract students, understanding why and how prospective students make their choices is becoming more critical. Understanding the choices of programs within a college or university is also increasingly important. The review of the literature revealed that most studies were about choosing undergraduate business programs in on-site environments, not a mix of on-site and online. At a major private, non-profit university's business school, questions were raised about prospective students choosing among three bachelor-level business programs. What led them to choose their particular program? Which sources of information were most influential in their choices? What role did Advisers play in their choices? In a sample of 182 out of 1985 students enrolled in the three programs, study participants were asked about the purpose of their enrollment, their enrollment process, and their perceptions of the similarities and differences in the programs. Possibly because the participants in this study were mid-career students, the results had great alignment to the studies in the literature examining choosing graduate schools. Participants were seeking the keys to better opportunities for promotion, a sense of accomplishment, and better ability to change careers