Marketing and market research
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Reference:
Denisov, D.S., Sigarev, A.V. (2026). On factors affecting applicants’ university choice: the Faculty of Economics at LMSU case. Finance and Management, 1, 107–123. . https://doi.org/10.25136/2409-7802.2026.1.78629
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Abstract:
The paper examines the factors that influence the choice of a university. Today, a university's competitiveness is largely determined by its ability to attract future students. To achieve this, it is necessary to understand how they come to the decision to pursue higher education, why they choose a particular specialty, what sources of information they use, i.e., what factors influence their choice, and, finally, what factors influence their choice in favor of a particular university. The Russian higher education system is going through a difficult phase: on the one hand, it is experiencing the impact of post-COVID changes in the global higher education environment, and on the other, reforms at the national level. The aim of this paper is to identify the factors that have the most influence on the choice of university. The structure of the article includes an analysis of scientific literature, an analysis of qualitative data collected through a series of semi-structured interviews with students of the Faculty of Economics of Lomonosov Moscow State University, and a review and discussion of the results obtained. As a result, the motives for pursuing higher education, choosing an economics major, and the factors influencing the choice of university by undergraduate students at the Faculty of Economics of Moscow State University were identified, and the list of information sources used in the selection process was refined. The choice in favor of the Faculty of Economics of Moscow State University is due to its reputation, high ratings, the success of its graduates, the quality of education, the programs offered, positive experiences with the Faculty of Economics of Moscow State University prior to admission, including a positive impression of the campus, the example of relatives who are graduates of Moscow State University, and recommendations from teachers, friends, and relatives. The scientific innovation of the study involves identifying factors that influence the quality of education as perceived by undergraduate students, including the content and structure of educational programs, the qualifications of teachers, the strictness of interim control, the scope and depth of the subjects taught, the quality of the theory taught, the practical applicability of the knowledge gained, the quality of organizational issues, and the quality of communication between students and teachers; as well as determining students' attitudes toward bachelor's programs as the basic level of higher education, after which it is desirable to continue studying. Among the aspects that prevent bachelor's degrees from being considered full-fledged higher education are the likelihood of limited career growth, concerns about bachelor's degrees not being recognized as full-fledged higher education when changes are made to state education standards, and insufficient knowledge.
Keywords:
higher education marketing, Russian universities, decision making, choice of university, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, information sources, quality of education, field of study choice, economic specialities