What factors influence students' choice of university?

According to the survey results, 63.6% of high school seniors search for admission information through online platforms (including websites and fanpages) of universities; 21.8% combine online and in-person forms; and other forms account for 27.3%.

This is a survey by Thanh Nien Newspaper with more than 150 students at high schools in District 8, District 12 and Binh Chanh District, Ho Chi Minh City.

In particular, the two main factors that influence students in choosing a university are: information presented on fanpages and websites and the ability to reach admissions consultants through Facebook messages or contact phone numbers on the website.

For example, Le TNA, a 12th grader at Truong Chinh High School in District 12, said: “Instead of spending time going to schools to find out, my classmates and I choose to search for information on the school website or message the fanpage to get answers to questions. I find this much more convenient.”

University invests in website development

Many universities invest in building and designing recruitment websites with beautiful interfaces to help students easily access. In addition, universities also promote communication on fanpages to increase interaction with students using the social networking platform Facebook.

Le Huynh Minh Duy, a 12th grade student at Pham Phu Thu High School in District 8, shared: “I researched and submitted my application to schools through fanpages and websites. I left my contact information and then the school’s admissions committee called me directly to chat and provide advice.”

This shows that online platforms help students and parents connect with universities easily. Students' questions will be answered promptly and quickly by the admissions consulting department via phone or online support. "In the process of researching schools, if the information on the website is sufficient, I will send a message via the school's fanpage. Usually, I will receive a very quick and detailed response about the information I need," said TPDuong, an 11th grade student at Da Phuoc High School, Binh Chanh District.

Thus, the websites and fanpages of the admissions are like a miniature community, a place to exchange and connect students with the school. This is the place to update the latest news about the school and admission methods and allow to look up all information to help save costs and time.

Ms. Nguyen Thuy Duong, Head of Admissions at Ho Chi Minh City University of Food Industry, said: “Nowadays, students are very proficient in technology, so the university building a website and fanpage is a good method to convey information more widely and easily, wherever, as long as you have the desire to study at university, accessing and learning about universities is no longer too difficult.”

A female student learns about admission information through Facebook.

Some school websites are not user-friendly.

One disadvantage of finding admissions information through online platforms is that students cannot access what they need to know about their future major and university.

Some universities still do not focus on building and designing the layout and interface of their websites, do not update information regularly, have little interaction, and respond to messages slowly. These factors contribute to making it difficult for students to learn about the school.

Le.TTY, a student at Da Phuoc High School, Binh Chanh District (HCMC), said that he is always proactive in researching future universities through online platforms and has encountered some difficulties in designing the layout and presenting information on the website.

“Once I felt disappointed when accessing the admissions section of a university website. Everything on the website was so messy, I didn’t know where to start, what to read, where to find information about the school or tuition fees. Therefore, I couldn’t find the information I needed,” the female student said.

A professional website accurately reflects the organization's values

Master Nguyen Ngoc Phien, Director of the Center for Applied Information Technology, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, said: “In the current digital age, an updated and professional website not only creates a good experience for users but also accurately reflects the values ​​and quality of the organization. This is a powerful tool for schools to communicate, share information and interact with parents and students. Investing in improving the website helps attract users' attention, and is also a way to demonstrate commitment to providing a good experience and enjoying the benefits of digital technology in the education sector.”

Mr. Truong Gia Bao, Chairman of the DTS Group Digital Transformation Alliance, said that from the perspective of a normal parent, accessing school websites with information that is not updated or feels outdated can create a bad first impression and create distrust towards the school.

According to Mr. Bao, the digital experience of parents and students about educational institutions is very important before deciding to officially study at a school. The official website and fanpage of an educational institution is not only a place to provide information about the curriculum, but also the first image of the school. It shows the professionalism and care from the school and will affect the trust and interest of parents and students.

“I agree with the view that the main purpose of schools is to teach and train well, however, digital experience is also related to convenience and easy access to information via mobile version. So improving digital experience needs to be developed in parallel with good training,” said Mr. Bao.

Thuy Hang

Some parents do not have much access to technology, so they cannot search for university information with their children. Ms. Pham Thi Kim Hue, a parent of a student at Nguyen Van Linh High School in District 8, said: "I am a laborer, working all the time, so I do not use social networks much, and I do not know how to find admission information to help my child. My child can look it up himself and tell me."

Similarly, Mr. Le Van Hung, a parent of a student at Binh Phu High School, District 6, shared: "I tried accessing the websites of some universities, but the information was confusing, so I just let my son find out for himself."

Therefore, universities should focus more on investing in website interface design to meet the needs of information searching and at the same time, parents/students can easily access the admissions website.

Another factor that affects the process of finding information about university admissions is the attitude of the admissions counselor. For example, a counselor at Quy Nhon University recently had a bad attitude and disrespected candidates. Immediately after that, the school issued an official letter of apology and disciplined this employee.

The role of the consultant

According to Ms. Nguyen Thuy Duong, Head of Admissions Department of Ho Chi Minh City University of Food Industry, to do a good job of admissions consulting, consultants must always keep a calm and clear mind. As well as leave students and parents with a good, friendly impression of the school.

Ms. Duong added: "Schools need to have thorough training sessions for staff or admissions consultants to ensure they create a sense of approachability, leaving a good impression in the eyes of students and parents."

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/yeu-to-nao-anh-huong-den-viec-hoc-sinh-chon-truong-dai-hoc-185230621114531807.htm