Thinking about going to university? Segmenting undergraduates

Abstract

[EN] Choosing a university is a crucial decision in a person's life because, most of the time, the acquisition of a university degree allows him access to better working conditions. Universities are interested in knowing the factors that students cite as impacting their choice of university. This study aims to classify future university students according to different evaluation criteria that could help university administrators to improve their recruitment and positioning strategies. Building on the growing body of knowledge related to the marketing of Higher Education Institutions, the current study seeks to further explore the existence of segments featuring different selection patterns. The main goal of this study was tested by applying Latent Class Analysis as a segmentation method, also referred to as Latent Class Cluster Analysis. This study found that students have different sets of motivations for their choice of Higher Education Institutions, and also found significant differences in the motivations of males and females with regard to university selection. All of these findings are of great importance to the managers of university brands, particularly at the university under study.