During one year in the late 1990s, the Cornell Medical College received acceptan

Question

During one year in the late 1990s, the Cornell Medical College received acceptances of offers of admissions from 20 more students than it could accommodate in its first year class. Not wanting to arbitrarily delay the entrance date of any admitted students, it offered all students who had accepted its offer of admissions the following deal: Cornell would provide one year of free tuition to the first 20 students who agreed to defer starting the program for a year. What factors should have influenced students’ thoughts about whether to accept this offer?

Explanation / Answer

The factors which influence students

When examining students from different regions, the majority of the students when choosing a type of university preferred a public university; a university with the environment and atmosphere conducive to learning and a university with adequate and quality library and other resources. The outcomes were consistent across all regions. The respondents stated that they would prefer to choose a university having its own admission standard and selection procedures. Universities with highly competitive admission systems were not given priority for choice, especially by students from the Central areas. The highly competitive or exclusive nature of the university may have impacted in the student’s decision-making.

Though the students from every region thought that the medium of instruction at a university was of some importance, the majority had less regard towards a university with international elements. Similarly, the comprehensiveness of the university curriculum was also considered of some importance, although students from all regions deemed this factor the least important. This difference in opinion cannot be accounted for. Students from all regions considered living expenses, tuition fees and financial aid factors important. Interestingly, the majority of the students--from all levels of household income and parental education also preferred to choose a public university; the university with the environment and atmosphere conducive to learning; and the university with adequate and quality library and other resources. Students from lower household incomes and lower parental education qualifications rated these factors higher than those from higher family income or higher parental education qualifications.

However, as would be expected those from lower income families were rather concerned with level of living expenses, tuition fees, and need for financial aid especially opportunities for scholarships. As well, students with lower levels of parental education thought the tuition fee factor was slightly important.

Female students would prefer to choose a public university than other types of universities. Female students were also more concerned on the issues of tuition fees, financial aid, location, reputation of the university, and the university services especially on the quality library resources but male students showed more interest in exchange or study abroad, academic advising, career guidance and job placement counseling.

Another influencing factor, which the students highlighted, was the issue of university services or the adequacy and quality of library resources and services as an influencing factor. Students are more sensitive to this factor than that those from other regions. This choice cannot be accounted for students when choosing a university do not recognize other aspects of the university services, such as exchange or study abroad programs, academic advising or career job placements.

Students also indicated that university location was equally important to the university services when choosing a university. When considering location, students gave priority to a university in a convenient location. Students from other regions regarding university location factor as of more importance than students from other regions. A university having living facilities, such as dormitories or apartments near the university, was a favorable factor for those students from other regions. Female students also felt that this was an influencing factor for them to choose or not to choose a university, more than male students.

While students are making their own decisions it is interesting that students do not use school services in this regard, they do not rely on teachers or school counselors to get the information and advice. The main sources of information and consultation were parents, friends, and through websites of the university they were interested in. This is consistent with the findings reachers, who studied on who and what influences choice of universities and found that personal sources of information influenced student choice of university. Parents were the most important personal sources of information for decision-making. Among the non-personal sources of information, campus visit was the highest rated and stands far above brochures, emails and website.

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