The Influence of Tuition Fees on the Choice of University among Senior High School Graduates in Kumasi, Ghana

Abstract

The study focused on the factors that influence senior high school (SHS) graduates' choice of university selection in Ghana. The 7ps, including product, price, place, process, promotion, people and physical evidence were chosen as the service marketing mix elements. This work was guided by whether or not tuition fees have a significant influence on SHS graduates' choice on the selection of university in Ghana.In this study, the researchers used descriptive approach to analyze the work due to the fact that the study seeks to pinpoint the factors that influence students' choice on the selection of university in Ghana. The population of the study was mainly final year students in the Kumasi Metropolis and the sample size was made up of three hundred and thirty-five (335) of such students. The study employed questionnaire and multi-stage sampling as a means of data collection instrument which was used to develop insights that supplemented the results of the statistical analysis. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16 was used to analyze the data. The study concludes that the program (product) element of the marketing mix is the main factor that influences SHS graduates' choice of university in Ghana with a percentage of 32.8 followed by process which accounted for 28.10%. The study recommends that universities in Ghana particularly private universities should put in place tailor-made programs that can contribute to the acquisition of high employable skills by students and also strengthen their Quality Assurance Departments.

Factors Affecting Students Choice of Higher Education Institution: A Malaysian Perspective

“…Price factor is not significant towards the choice decision of PHEI. The result contradicts with the past studies of Gyamfi et al (2016); Kusumawati (2013) and Samani et al (2017) which all recognized that price has a significant relationship with the choice decision of PHEI. Students are focusing more on standards, quality and value for money for their PHEI rather than focusing on the price alone (Shah and Chenicheri, 2011).…”

“…Aungamuthu and Vigar-Ellis (2017) and Gyamfi et al (2016). Reason for this result which shows insignificant process to students' choice is because students feel that services provided by private higher education institution are almost the same between one and another.…”

“…To accommodate the issue of increasing competition, countless past studies have been conducted to guide higher education institutions on how to attract students and to increase student-enrolment. Gyamfi et al (2016) conducted a study in Ghana to find out the factors that impact students' choice of university by incorporating the marketing mix (7p) model. The result showed that the students perceived the elements of product, price, and process as most important for them to decide on enrolment.…”

“…In the case of pure service context, like education services, legal services or medical services, price is a crucial factor for the customers to choose among different competing service providers (Yelkur, 2000). Several studies conducted mentioned that price factor had a significant influence on students' choice (Kusumawati, 2013;Gyamfi et al, 2016;Samani et al, 2017). The price or tuition fee that is perceived as favourable or worth it is more likely to attract more students-enrolment.…”

“…The process starts with the student registration to graduation, learning to examination and others (Ivy, 2008). Numerous past studies expressed that process act as a significant role in students' choice (Gyamfi et al, 2016;Huang, 2016;Aungamuthu and Vigar-Ellis, 2017). The university that implements a good flow of process to achieve higher student satisfaction would enhance the brand name and attract students' enrolment.…”