This study investigates college choice factors that influence the decision-making of international students to attend a regional, rural university. Specifically, the study examines students' priorities within and among four categories of characteristics, namely, institutional characteristics, program characteristics, marketing and recruitment characteristics, and significant others characteristics. Various items within each characteristic category measure the significance of the pertaining characteristic. Data was collected through a quantitative survey administered to enrolled international students at Eastern Kentucky University. Descriptive statistics including frequencies, means, and standard deviations were utilized to analyze the data. Results indicate that program characteristics (most importantly the programs' reputation and the quality of contact with faculty) are the most influential factors in international students' college selection. Institutional characteristics (most importantly cost of attendance and admission standards) follow very closely. Ease and efficiency of the admission process and personal communication with university personnel are among the marketing and recruitment characteristic variables that have the most impact on students' college choice in this category. The influence of significant others was found to have the least effect on students' decision-making.
","abstract_html":"<p>This study investigates college choice factors that influence the decision-making of international students to attend a regional, rural university. Specifically, the study examines students' priorities within and among four categories of characteristics, namely, institutional characteristics, program characteristics, marketing and recruitment characteristics, and significant others characteristics. Various items within each characteristic category measure the significance of the pertaining characteristic. Data was collected through a quantitative survey administered to enrolled international students at Eastern Kentucky University. Descriptive statistics including frequencies, means, and standard deviations were utilized to analyze the data. Results indicate that program characteristics (most importantly the programs' reputation and the quality of contact with faculty) are the most influential factors in international students' college selection. Institutional characteristics (most importantly cost of attendance and admission standards) follow very closely. Ease and efficiency of the admission process and personal communication with university personnel are among the marketing and recruitment characteristic variables that have the most impact on students' college choice in this category. The influence of significant others was found to have the least effect on students' decision-making. </p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Abdolalizadeh, Mahsa"],"institution":"Eastern Kentucky University","degree_name":"Doctor of Education (EdD)","degree_level":"Doctoral's","degree_discipline":"Educational Leadership and Policy Studies","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2014,"date_issued":"2014-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2014-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:15:25Z","subjects":["College Choice Factors","College Decision-making Process","Internationalization of Higher Education","International Student College Choice Factors","International Student Recruitment","Rural and Regional Institutions","Higher Education"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright 2014 Mahsa Abdolalizadeh"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/240","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Abdolalizadeh, Mahsa"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Educational Leadership and Policy Studies"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Doctoral's"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Education (EdD)"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Eastern Kentucky University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["College Choice Factors","College Decision-making Process","Internationalization of Higher Education","International Student College Choice Factors","International Student Recruitment","Rural and Regional Institutions","Higher Education"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright 2014 Mahsa Abdolalizadeh"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/240"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This study investigates college choice factors that influence the decision-making of international students to attend a regional, rural university. Specifically, the study examines students' priorities within and among four categories of characteristics, namely, institutional characteristics, program characteristics, marketing and recruitment characteristics, and significant others characteristics. Various items within each characteristic category measure the significance of the pertaining characteristic. Data was collected through a quantitative survey administered to enrolled international students at Eastern Kentucky University. Descriptive statistics including frequencies, means, and standard deviations were utilized to analyze the data. Results indicate that program characteristics (most importantly the programs' reputation and the quality of contact with faculty) are the most influential factors in international students' college selection. Institutional characteristics (most importantly cost of attendance and admission standards) follow very closely. Ease and efficiency of the admission process and personal communication with university personnel are among the marketing and recruitment characteristic variables that have the most impact on students' college choice in this category. The influence of significant others was found to have the least effect on students' decision-making.
"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:source","label":"Dc Source","values":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Influential Factors In International Students' College Choice Of A Rural, Regional University"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Abdolalizadeh, Mahsa"],"dc:description.abstract":["This study investigates college choice factors that influence the decision-making of international students to attend a regional, rural university. Specifically, the study examines students' priorities within and among four categories of characteristics, namely, institutional characteristics, program characteristics, marketing and recruitment characteristics, and significant others characteristics. Various items within each characteristic category measure the significance of the pertaining characteristic. Data was collected through a quantitative survey administered to enrolled international students at Eastern Kentucky University. Descriptive statistics including frequencies, means, and standard deviations were utilized to analyze the data. Results indicate that program characteristics (most importantly the programs' reputation and the quality of contact with faculty) are the most influential factors in international students' college selection. Institutional characteristics (most importantly cost of attendance and admission standards) follow very closely. Ease and efficiency of the admission process and personal communication with university personnel are among the marketing and recruitment characteristic variables that have the most impact on students' college choice in this category. The influence of significant others was found to have the least effect on students' decision-making.
"],"dc:format":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/240"],"dc:publisher":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"],"dc:rights":["Copyright 2014 Mahsa Abdolalizadeh"],"dc:source":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"],"dc:subject":["College Choice Factors","College Decision-making Process","Internationalization of Higher Education","International Student College Choice Factors","International Student Recruitment","Rural and Regional Institutions","Higher Education"],"dc:title":["Influential Factors In International Students' College Choice Of A Rural, Regional University"],"dc:type":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Educational Leadership and Policy Studies"],"thesis:degree_level":["Doctoral's"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Education (EdD)"],"thesis:institution_name":["Eastern Kentucky University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:15:25Z"}