Abstract
In the light of the forthcoming policy shift to full-cost fees for English undergraduates, this study examines the impact of fee changes on how students weigh up their university choices. Conjoint analysis is used to examine the importance that students attach to various attributes of a university. It also explores differences across subsections of the student population in terms of patterns of utility. A key finding is that students from families where there is no history of attending university will experience more disutility from the higher fees. Other patterns in utility are identified including differences between social classes and between genders. The implications for “inclusiveness” in higher education are discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ajzen, I., & Fishbein, M. (1980). Understanding attitudes and predicting social behavior. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Allen, D. E. (2002). Toward a theory of consumer choice as socio-historically shaped practical experience: The Fits-Like-a-Glove (FLAG) framework. Journal of Consumer Research, 28(4), 515–532.
Bergerson, A. A. (2010) College choice and access to college: Moving policy, research and practice to the 21st century. ASHE Higher Education Report, 35(4).
Bettman, J. R., Luce, M. F., & Payne, J. W. (1998). Constructive consumer choice processes. Journal of Consumer Research, 25(3), 187–217.
BIS Report. (2011). Department for Business Innovation and Skills; HEI participation rates 06-10. Retrieved June 3, 2011, from https://doi.org/www.bis.gov.uk/analysis/statistics/higher-education/national-statistics-releases/participation-rates-in-higher-education/HEIPR-2006-to-2010
Bourdieu, P. (1984). Distinction: A social critique of the judgment of taste. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Briggs, S., & Wilson, A. (2007). Which university? A study of the influence of cost and information factors on Scottish undergraduate choice. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 29(1), 57–72.
Brooks, R. (2002). ‘Edinburgh, Exeter, East London — or employment?’ A review of research on young people’s higher education choices. Educational Research, 44(2), 217–227.
Chapman, R. C. (1986). Toward a theory of college selection: A model of college search and choice behavior. Advances in Consumer Research, 13, 246–250.
Chapman, R. G. (1993). Non simultaneous relative performance analysis: Meta-analysis from 80 college-choice surveys with 55,276 respondents. Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 4(1/2), 405–422.
Clarke, M. (2007). The impact of higher education rankings on student access, choice, and opportunity. Higher Education in Europe, 32(1), 59–70.
Coccari, R., & Javalgi, R. (1995). Analysis of students’ needs in selecting a college or university in a changing environment. Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 6(2), 27–39.
Coughlan, S. (2010). How about 80% going to university? Retrieved November 1, 2011, from https://doi.org/www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11438140
Cubillo, J. M., Sanchez, J., & Cervino, J. (2006).International students’ decision-making process. International Journal of Educational Management, 20(2), 101–115.
Donnellan, J. (2002). The impact of marketer controlled factors on college-choice decisions by students at a public research university (Dissertation submitted to the Graduate School of the University of Massachusetts Amherst). UMI number: 3039350.
Doolan. (2009). Weight of costs — the financial aspects of student course choices and study experiences in a Croatian higher education setting. PhD paper produced by Institute for Social Research Zagreb, Croatia.
Hauser, J. R. (2007). Note on conjoint analysis. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan Management Courseware, 1–19. Retrieved September 1, 2011, from https://doi.org/www.mit.edu/~hauser/Papers/NoteonConjointAnalysis.pdf
Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). (2011). Retrieved October 25, 2011, from https://doi.org/www.hesa.ac.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1897&Itemid=239
Holdswoth, D., & Nind, D. (2005). Choice modelling New Zealand high school seniors’ preferences for university education. Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 15(2), 81–104.
Hooley, G. J., & Lynch, J. E. (1981). Modelling the student university choice process through the use of conjoint measurement techniques. European Research, 9(4), 158–170.
Hossler, D., & Gallagher, K. S. (1987). Studying student college choice: A three-phase model and the implications for policymakers. College and University, 62(3), 207–221.
Ivy, J. (2006). Higher education institution image: A correspondence analysis approach. International Journal of Educational Management, 15(6/7), 276–282.
James, R. (2000). Non-traditional students in Australian Higher Education: Persistent inequities and the new ideology of “Student Choice”. Tertiary Education and Management, 6(2), 105–117.
Jordan, B. (2006). Public services and the service economy: Individualism and the choice agenda. Journal of Social Policy, 35(1), 143–162.
Kallio, R. (1995). Factors influencing the college choice decisions of graduate students. Research in Higher Education, 36(1), 109–125.
Kotier, P., & Fox, K. (1995). Strategic marketing for educational institutions (2nd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Lin, L. (1997). What are student education and educational related needs? Marketing and Research Today, 25(3), 199–212.
Lovelock, C., & Wirtz, J. (2011). Services marketing: People, technology, strategy (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Maringe, F. (2006). University and course choice implications for positioning, recruitment and marketing. International Journal of Educational Management, 20(6), 466–479.
Mitra, K., Reiss, M. C., & Capella, L. M. (1999). An examination of perceived risk, information search and behavioral intentions in search, experience and credence services. The Journal of Services Marketing, 13(3), 208–228.
Moogan, Y. J. (2011). Can a higher education institution’s marketing strategy improve the student-institution match? International Journal of Educational Management, 25(6), 570–589.
Morgan, S. L. (2002). Modeling preparatory commitment and non-repeatable decisions: Information processing, preference formation, and educational attainment. Rationality and Society, 14(4), 387–429.
Murphy, P. (1981). Consumer buying roles in college choice: Parents’ and students’ perceptions. College and University, 56(2), 140–150.
Pasternak, R. (2005). Choice of institutions of higher education and academic expectations: The impact of cost-benefit factors. Teaching in Higher Education, 10(2), 189–201.
Paulsen, M. B. (1990). College choice: Understanding student enrollment behavior (ASHEERIC Higher Education Report No. 6). Washington, DC: School of Education and Human Development, The George Washington University.
Perna, L. W. (2006). Understanding the relationship between information about college prices and financial aid and students’ college-related behaviors. American Behavioral Scientist, 49(12), 1620–1635.
Pitre, P. E., Johnson, T., & Pitre, C. C. (2006). Understanding predisposition in college choice: Toward an integrated model of college choice and Theory of Reasoned Action. College and University Journal, 81(2), 35–42.
Price, L., Matzdorf, F., Smith, L., & Agahi, H. (2003). The impact of facilities on student choice of university. Facilities, 21(10), 212–222.
Qureshi, S. (1995). College accession research: New variables in an old equation. Journal of Professional Services Marketing, 12(2), 163–170.
Raposo, M., & Alves, H. (2007). A model of university choice: An exploratory approach. Munich Personal RePEc Archive (MPRA), Paper No. 5523. Retrieved October 19, 2011, from https://doi.org/mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/5523/
Robertson, S. L. (2010). Globalising UK Higher Education. Centre for Learning and Life Chances in Knowledge Economies and Societies. Retrieved October 25, 2011, from https://doi.org/www.llakes.org
Sawtooth Technical Paper. (2011). Interpreting the results of Conjoint Analysis. Retrieved October 20, 2011, from https://doi.org/www.sawtoothsoftware.com/download/techpap/interpca.pdf
Shanka, T., Quintal, V., & Taylor, R. (2005). Factors influencing international students’ choice of an education destination — a correspondence analysis. Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 15(2), 31–46.
Shepherd, J., & Stratton, A. (2010). Tuition fees rise ‘won’t put off poor students’. The Guardian. Retrieved April 27, 2011, from https://doi.org/www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/nov/03/tuition-fees-poor-students
Shostack, G. L. (1977). Breaking free from product marketing. Journal of Marketing, 41(2), 73–80.
Soutar, G., & Turner, J. (2002). Students’ preferences for university: A conjoint analysis. The International Journal of Education Management, 16(1), 40–45.
Tierney, W. G., & Venegas, K. M. (2009). Finding money in the table: Information, financial aid and access to college. The Journal of Higher Education, 80(4), 363–368.
Turner, J. P. (1998). An investigation of business undergraduates’ choice to study at Edith Cowan University (Unpublished research report). Edith Cowan University, Perth.
UCAS. (2011). Data summary. https://doi.org/www.ucas.com/about_us/stat_services/stats_online/data_tables/datasummary
Webb, M. (1993). Variables influencing graduate business students’ college selections. College and University, Feature (Fall 1992/Winter 1993), 38–46.
Wikipedia. Retrieved April 5, 2011, from https://doi.org/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conjoint_analysis_(marketing)
Yamamoto, G. T. (2006). University evaluation-selection: A Turkish case. International Journal of Educational Management, 20(7), 559–569.
Zaichowsky, J. L. (1985). Measuring the involvement construct. Journal of Consumer Research, 12(December), 341–352.
Zeithaml, V. (1981). How consumer evaluation processes differ between goods and services. In J. Donnelly & W. George (Eds.), The marketing of services (pp. 186–190). Chicago, IL: AMA.
Zeithaml, V. A., Parasuraman, A., & Berry, L. L. (1985). Problems and strategies in services marketing. Journal of Marketing, 49(Spring), 33–46.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dunnett, A., Moorhouse, J., Walsh, C. et al. Choosing a University: A conjoint analysis of the impact of higher fees on students applying for university in 2012. Tert Educ Manag 18, 199–220 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1080/13583883.2012.657228
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13583883.2012.657228