The bar chart illustrates the main reasons why students chose to study at a particular university in the UK in 1985 and 2005.
Overall, it is clear that some factors became more important over time, while others declined. In particular, sport facilities and teaching quality increased, whereas proximity to home and resources decreased. Degree programmes remained stable during the period.
Looking first at the factors that increased or stayed the same, sport facilities showed a dramatic rise from 1985 to 2005, becoming one of the most important reasons. Teaching quality also experienced a slight increase, indicating that students valued better education over time. In contrast, the number of students choosing the university because of degree programmes did not change and remained stable in both years.
On the other hand, some reasons became less important. Proximity to home saw a significant decrease, suggesting that students were more willing to study further away from their homes in 2005. Similarly, resources declined slightly, although this change was not as noticeable as the drop in proximity to home.
In conclusion, student preferences shifted over the 20-year period, with more emphasis on facilities and teaching quality, and less importance given to location and resources.