The data compares the factors driving students’ application to a university in the UK in 1987 and in 2007. Overall, there were increases in the percentages of the suitability of majors, the distance between the university and home, and the teaching quality, while the figure for the quality of resources, sports and social activities decreased. Additionally, the appropriateness of courses was consistently the dominant determinant of university selection.
Regarding academic factors, 35% surveyed students chose a UK university for appropriate majors in 1987, after which this proportion experienced a slight growth to 37% in 2007. Similarly, the rate of students valuing lecturing quality was recorded to rise modestly, with the figures recorded for the first and final year of the period being 15% and 18%.
Regarding non-academic influencers, the commuting distance from parental home to the school was initially the least significant, with only 10% respondents considering it as a reason impacting their decisions. However, this percentage surged to 22% at the end of the period, constituting a two-fold rise and becoming the second most impactful determinant. In contrast, resources and extracurricular activities lost their attention, with the proportion of students applying for them reducing from 19% and 21% to 6% and 17%, making them the two most negligible aspects of a university in 2007.