Information sources influencing students’ choice of private colleges in Malaysia: an exploratory perspective / Nooraini Sheriff

This study examined students’ perceptions of the influence of information sources that led to their choice of private college. Data were solicited from 808 newly enrolled students in 72 multi-discipline private colleges in Malaysia through random sampling. A two part questionnaire consisting of background data and students’ perceptions of the influence of information sources for the selection
of private colleges was distributed through the ‘drop-off’ method and mail survey. Likert-like scales with values ranging from 0 (Not
applicable), 1 (low) to 7 (high) were used to obtain responses. One
hundred and seventy (21%) students reported their personal
experience, an internal source, as having moderate influence on
their choice of private college. Within the category of personal
sources such as friends, a type of external source, 236 (29.2%)
perceived them as a moderate influence. The National Accreditation
Board and the Ministry of Education, an external independent
source, were perceived by 176 (21.8%) students to have a strong
influence on their decision making process. As for other external
information sources, 206 (25.5%) students perceived course
counselors, a commercial source, to have moderate influence, and
191 (23.6%) students perceived personal inspection, an experiential
source, to have a strong influence on their decision to choose a
private college. The findings imply that there are varying degrees
of influence among the different sources that affect students’ choice
of private college. This highlights the need for private colleges to review their promotional tools, media, message, timing and frequency
to disseminate the necessary information in the most effective manner
to achieve the targeted enrolment.