Factors influencing the decision to choose a university: a case study at Nguyen Tat Thanh University

Abstract

    The present study aims to explore the factors influencing students’ decisions to choose a university in the context of increasing competition in admissions among higher education institutions. Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Chapman’s model, this study proposed six factors, including communication, university characteristics, tuition policy, career opportunities, social influence, and family influence. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, data were collected from 266 high school students and first-year students in Nguyen Tat Thanh University. The study revealed that career opportunities had the strongest impact on family, while the university characteristics significantly impacted on social influencing, and family influence mainly mediated  decision-making. Finally, our study offered insightful implications for the Board of University, thereby suggesting that enhancing these influential factors can serve as a strategic for institutional development and improved student recruitment.