The provided pie charts compare the primary motivations behind students’ choices of a UK university in 1987 and 2007.
Overall, the data reveals that the majority of students opted for universities based on the availability of suitable degree courses during both years. Conversely, the inclination towards selecting universities for good sports and social activities witnessed a significant decrease, becoming the least prioritized factor by 2007.
In 1987, the predominant reasons for students selecting a particular UK university were suitable degree courses and quality of resources, constituting 35% and 21% respectively. By 2007, the percentage of students choosing universities based on suitable degree courses had increased to 37%, while the preference for quality of resources had diminished to 17%. Additionally, the percentage of students selecting universities close to their parental home escalated from 15% in 1987 to 22% in 2007, surpassing the significance of quality of resources and emerging as the second most pivotal factor in 2007.
Conversely, two factors experienced a decline in significance over the two decades. The proportion of students choosing a university for good sports and social activities decreased from 19% in 1987 to merely 6% in 2007, making it the least considered reason by then. Similarly, the percentage of students opting for a university based on the quality of teaching dropped from over one in ten in 1987 to 8% in 2007.