College choice of natural science students: The factors and sources that influence enrollment decisions

This dissertation studied how institutional factors and sources of influence affected the enrollment decisions of natural science students admitted to a selective, private research institution. In terms of institutional factors, participants were asked to rate both the importance of factors and how satisfied they were with these factors at the survey institution. Institutional factors were divided into four sub-categories: cost-related factors, campus-related factors, academic opportunities and extra-curricular opportunities. Participants were also asked to rate the importance of sources of information/influence on their final enrollment decision; these sources were divided into three categories: student's network, institutional sources and reputation. Results were also disaggregated by enrollment decision and demographic variables (gender, ethnicity, SES, mother's educational level and father's educational level) to determine if differences existed between groups. An online survey was used to collect data and these results were based on quantitative analysis using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Factors that were considered important to natural science students in their college choice were campus, major availability, research opportunities, faculty contact, student activities and total cost. The factors that students were satisfied with at the survey institution were major availability and campus. The sources that were most important to students in making their college choice were the university's reputation and major reputation. Significant differences were found between groups based on demographic and enrollment variables in their ratings of factor importance, factor satisfaction and importance of sources of information/influence.