Abstract
This study investigated how genetic counseling educational program websites affect application decisions via an online survey sent to current students and recent graduates. Program leadership: directors, assistant directors, associate directors, were also surveyed to determine where their opinions coincided or differed from those reported by students and recent graduates. Chi square analysis and t-tests were used to determine significance of results. A two-sample t-test was used to compare factors students identified as important on a 5-point Likert scale with those identified by directors. Thematic analysis revealed three major themes students consider important for program websites: easy navigation, website content, and website impression. Directors were interested in how prospective students use their program website and what information they found most useful. Students indicated there were specific programs they chose not to apply to due to the difficulty of using the website for that program. Directors significantly underestimated how important information about application requirements was to students in making application decisions. The information reported herein will help individual genetic counseling graduate programs improve website functionality and retain interested applicants.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Association of Genetic Counseling Program Directors. (2010). Genetic counselors. Retrieved July 13, 2014 from http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/disorders/whataregd/counselors/.
Association of Genetic Counseling Program Directors. (2013). 2013 Admissions guidelines. Retrieved July 10, 2014 from http://genetics.emory.edu/gc_training/documents/2013%20Admissions%20Guidelines%20AGCPD.pdf.
Goenner, C. F., & Pauls, K. (2006). A predictive model of inquiry to enrollment. Research in Higher Education, 47(8), 935–956. doi:10.1007/s11162-006-9021-8.
Kuhl, A., Reiser, C., Eickhoff, J., & Petty, E. M. (2014). Genetic counseling graduate student debt : Impact on program. Career and Life Choices, 824–837. doi:10.1007/s10897-014-9700-0.
Lega, M., Veach, P. M., Ward, E. E., & Leroy, B. S. (2005). Who are the next generation of genetic counselors? A survey of students. Journal of Genetic Counseling, 14(5), 395–407. doi:10.1007/s10897-005-3773-8.
Newton, S. A. (2006). Use of a matching algoritm in the admission process of genetic counseling programs. Retrieved April 9, 2014 from http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/6987.
Resta, R., Biesecker, B. B., Bennett, R. L., Blum, S., Hahn, S. E., Strecker, M. N., & Williams, J. L. (2006). A new definition of genetic counseling: National Society of genetic counselors’ task force report. Journal of Genetic Counseling, 15(2), 77–83. doi:10.1007/s10897-005-9014-3.
Schimmel, K., Eschenfelder, M., Clark, J., Marco, G., & Racic, S. (2009). Differences in selection criteria among traditional students, adult continuing education students and graduate students. American Journal of Business Education, 2(5), 15–24.
Schimmel, K., Motley, D., Marco, G., & Eschenfelder, M. (2010). The importance of university web pages in selecting a higher education institution. Research in Higher Education, 9, 1–16.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank all of the participants of this study. Without them, there would be no data.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflicts of Interest
Authors Ivan, Hassed, Darden, Aston, and Guy declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Human Studies and Informed Consent
All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000 (5). Informed consent was obtained from all patients for being included in the study.
Animal Studies
No animal studies were carried out by the authors for this article.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ivan, K.M., Hassed, S., Darden, A.G. et al. Influence of Genetic Counseling Graduate Program Websites on Student Application Decisions. J Genet Counsel 26, 1213–1220 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10897-017-0097-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10897-017-0097-4