The pie charts illustrate the primary reasons why students chose to study at a particular university in the UK in 1987 and 2007.
Overall, suitable degree courses remained the most significant factor in both years, while the importance of quality of resources slightly declined. In contrast, proximity to parental homes became more influential over time, whereas social and extracurricular considerations saw a noticeable decrease.
In 1987, the dominant reason was the availability of suitable degree courses, accounting for 35% of students. This figure rose slightly to 37% in 2007, maintaining its top position. Quality of resources was the second most common reason, although it dropped from 21% to 17% over the period.
A notable change can be seen in the proportion of students who chose the university due to its closeness to their parents. This figure more than doubled, increasing from 10% in 1987 to 22% in 2007, making it the second most important factor in the later year. Conversely, the percentage of students motivated by the quality of teaching declined significantly from 15% to 8%.
Finally, good sports and social activities experienced the sharpest fall, decreasing from 19% in 1987 to just 6% in 2007, indicating a shift away from lifestyle-related considerations toward more practical factors.