What matters most: factors Influencing the University application choice decisions of Korean international students and parents

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine factors influencing Korean parents' and students' university application choice decisions in three international schools in the Republic of Korea (South). Institutional and individual factors that influenced Korean students' university application choice decisions and their parents' university application choice decisions are examined. Thirty students and fifteen parents completed online or paper surveys in either Korean or English. Ten students and nine parents participated in in-depth interviews. Influential factors are identified in the survey by calculating the frequency to which students and parents identify the factor as being influential in their university application choice decisions. A conceptually clustered matrix is used as the method to classify common themes and factors identified in the in-depth interviews. Parent and student survey answers are checked against their interview responses in order to discover any inconsistencies. Findings indicate that both Korean students' and parents' university application choice decisions are influenced by the university's reputation and rank. A university's rank and reputation are perceived to impact the students' likelihood of obtaining a good job upon graduation. Perceived safety and location are also institutional factors named as important to students and their parents. Parents, the student, and older siblings are the most influential people identified by both students and parents. Future research could be performed to analyze the perceived differences between university reputation and rank. Additionally, the father's role in the university application process must be further examined. Mothers filled out the majority of the surveys and only mothers were selected for interviews. The findings of this study provide useful information about what matters most to Korean families during the university application choice process.