How students really choose their universities
The countries and regions that attract students from a particular school can vary year to year – often depending on who is saying what to whom
James Burnett
I have just returned from a big education fair, the purpose of which was to connect university representatives with school university counsellors. One feature of this type of event is the school profile: a handout we prepare for universities to showcase our curriculum, results and – of more interest to the universities – the destinations of our alumni.
The usual format is to list these university destinations over a period of, say, five years. This provides an overview of the achievements and aspirations of our students, and guides universities when they’re planning their support for (and marketing to) schools. So the aggregation of destinations over a number of years might show, for example, that 100 students went to the US, 80 to the UK, 60 to European Union countries and so on.
The shifting pattern of university destinations
As a school counsellor, what I find interesting is not the big picture but the detail: the shifting pattern of destination choices on a year-to-year basis, and the reasons for these trends.
The popularity of individual countries or regions ebbs and flows. Reasons for this could involve politics, costs, rankings or practical issues such as changes to visa regulations. A government might instigate a five-year plan to increase international student numbers and the associated marketing activities will have an influence on some students or their counsellors.
The growth of transnational education can also be a factor. If you can get your UK degree from a local campus rather than from the same university 8,000km away, then cost and travel implications can play an important part in decision-making.
Partnerships between local and international universities are also changing the way students and parents make decisions, often because students want to study abroad but want the reassurance of acclimatising to university life and independence in a familiar environment before venturing further afield – a soft landing, if you like.
Peer influence on university choice
One factor that isn’t mentioned enough is the influence of students’ peers on their own decisions. This is particularly noticeable in smaller schools where the graduating students all know each other and are part of a close-knit community. And it can be a surprisingly strong driver.
Sometimes this can work to positive effect – for example, when feedback from an older sibling or an alumnus is shared among the group. It may be the case that a popular or respected peer tells their friends about their own plans – which is the spark that ignites an interest and further research. Visiting a campus, spending a couple of weeks abroad at a summer camp or travelling as part of a study tour can generate conversations and open up new possibilities within a peer group.
Peer influence can also be based on negative issues or fears, such as bad feedback about a student’s experiences. And it can also revolve around personal issues: “My girlfriend is going to London so I want to go there, too.” As an aside, this poses the question as to what extent a counsellor should try to influence students in this situation. This is a topic for another piece but I think we all understand the need to tread carefully. Telling a 17-year-old that, in our experience, established relationships rarely last in the new and exciting pastures of a university environment is not going to be well received.
The role of friends and influencers
Unsurprisingly, social media plays a role, too. Posts from older students or social media “friends” and influencers can have a significant effect in a positive way, by highlighting good experiences or outcomes (and universities are not averse to using social media as part of their marketing mix.) Or these posts can play on FOMO (fear of missing out) concerns. If you are interested in research into the role that social media plays in university choice, this article and this one provide more information.
At my own school, where the UK had been the most popular destination among the early cohorts of graduating students, we saw a sudden shift towards Australia in one particular year, which was driven entirely by the enthusiasm that a small number of students shared with the cohort.
Given the difference in the academic calendars, that group of students had not started their courses in Australia before the year below them had made their own decisions, and so the UK swung back into popularity the following year. This year, Europe and Asia have narrowed the gap again, as a result of word-of-mouth recommendations among students and parents.
Helping students find their best fit
As counsellors, we need to be able to take an objective approach to guiding our student bodies, while at the same time using our relationships with our students as individuals to help them find their best fit. If we feel that one of our students is making a choice that is unsuitable, guided by peer influence, there is a balancing act to be achieved between being supportive and opening their eyes to other – perhaps more suitable – possibilities.
This article on empowering students and parents is a helpful starting point. As is this piece, about understanding teenagers.