APPLYING TO HIGHER EDUCATION: INFORMATION SOURCES AND CHOICE FACTORS

In general, family structure and educational marketing overlap to considerable extend the preferences of graduates in the selection of their academic courses at the university. The data was collected through a survey, from a sample of 192 first year students, who started their studies at the European University of Tirana (UET), Albania to one particular programmer of study: Psychology, Sociology & Anthropology, Communication and Public Relations, Communication Design, Political Science and International Relations, immediately after their pre-university system. The survey asked questions concerning the early period of who first stimulated them to apply to university (problem recognition), how and when this occurred, through to the final decision of a course selection (evaluation of alternatives). The investigation of different students' focus groups and survey present the direct, indirect and total effects of the different variables construct their area of study. They show the weight of each variable in the formation of the construct. The construct "influence of others", seems to be more influenced, by order of importance from the variables - the recommendation of secondary school teachers and the recommendation of parents. Preliminary results indicate that students considered several criteria for selecting an academic course, where most influential factors are parents and job prospect. This study will help universities to promote their institutions and to have a greater knowledge about the underlying motivations of students for furthering study in higher education and its choice process, helping universities to improve their knowledge on how to deal with the influences that can form student expectations and also in recruitment development strategies.