The two pie charts illustrate the main reasons why students chose to study at a UK university in the years 1987 and 2007. The data is presented as percentages and compares changes in students’ choices over the two decades.
Overall, the most important reason for university choice among UK students in both years was the availability of a suitable degree course. While quality of resources was the second most common factor in the first year, the second chart shows that being close to parental home became the second most influential reason in the later year.
In 1987, Most students focused mainly on a Suitable degree course when choosing a university, accounting for 35%. The next reasons, which were nearly equally important, were the Quality of resources and Good sports and Social activities at 21% and 19% respectively. In addition, there were two other reasons, but they played a less significant role compared to the others. They were Quality teaching and parental house, at 15% and 10% respectively.
In comparison, in 2007, the Suitable degree course maintained its dominance and even increased by 2%, reaching 37%. Close to parental house experienced more than a twofold increase and reached 22%. Quality teaching rose by 3% (to 18%), while Quality of resources decreased by 4% (to 17%). Over the 20-year period, the reason that witnessed the highest growth was Good sports and Social activities, which rose from 6% to 19%.