Distinctive Academic Programs as a School Choice Factor: An Exploratory Study

摘要

Previous research into what influences a high school student's selection of a college or university for undergraduate study have found that many factors may impact this decision. This study is an initial exploration of the potential influence of a previously unidentified factor in undergraduate school choice, the presence of a distinctive or unique academic program. It was found that the particular first-year engineering and engineering honors programs studied had been a notable influence on the school choice of the students surveyed. It is plausible that this factor may be substantially influential for a wide variety of institutions offering distinctive or unique academic programs.