Decision Making Process for University Choice

 

In this research student behaviour has played an important role in defining their selection about their university and needs. Before coming to Australia they have to think about the reputation of the university. Sometimes they get some information from internet, agents, and educational portals etc.

The buying decision process is the process used by consumers regarding market transactions before, during, and after the purchase of a or . It can be seen as a particular form of a in the presence of multiple alternatives.

Need Recognition & Problem Awareness:

At this stage, the buyer recognizes a problem or need or responds to a marketing stimulus. It occurs when a consumer discovers an unmet “need” that must be fulfilled.

Kotler and Keller (2011) highlight the importance of understanding consumer buying behaviour and the ways how the customers choose their products and services can be extremely important for manufacturers as well as service providers as this provides them with competitive advantage over its competitors in several aspects. For example, they may use the knowledge obtained through studying the consumer buying behaviour to set their strategies towards offering the right products and services to the right audience of customers reflecting their needs and wants effectively.

Information search:

The information search stage is the next step that the customers may take after they have recognized the problem or need in order to find out what they feel is the best solution. This is the buyer’s effort at searching the internal and external business environments to identify and observe sources of information related to the focal buying decision. The field of information has come a long way in the last forty years, and has enabled easier and faster information discovery. Consumers can rely on print, visual, and/or voice media for getting information.

A customer can obtain from several sources:

• Personal sources: Family, Friends, Neighbour’s, etc.
• Commercial Sources: Advertising; Salespeople; Retailers; Dealers; Packing; Point-of-sale Display.
• Public sources: Newspapers, Radio, Television, Consumer Organisations.
• Experiential sources: Handling, Examining, Using the product.

Evaluation of Alternatives:

An important determinant of the extent of evaluation is whether the customer feels “involved” in the product. By involvement, we mean the degree of perceived relevance and personal importance that accompanies the choice. Where a purchase is “highly involving”, the customer is likely to carry out extensive evaluation.

High-involvement purchases include those involving high expenditure or personal risk – for example buying a house, a car or making investments.

Low involvement purchases (e.g. buying a soft drink, choosing some breakfast cereals in the supermarket) have very simple evaluation processes.

The answer lies in the kind of information that the marketing team needs to provide customers in different buying situations. In high-involvement decisions, the marketer needs to provide a good deal of information about the positive consequences of buying. The sales force may need to stress the important attributes of the product, the advantages compared with the competition; and maybe even encourage “trial” or “sampling” of the product in the hope of securing the sale.

Purchase:

This is the fourth stage, where the purchase takes place. According to Kotler, Keller, Koshy and Jha (2009), the final purchase decision can be disrupted by two factors: negative feedback from other customers and the level of motivation to comply or accept the feedback. For example, after going through the above three stages, a customer chooses to buy a Nikon DSLR camera. However, because his good friend, who is also a photographer, gives him negative feedback, he will then be bound to change his preference. Secondly, the decision may be disrupted due to unanticipated situations such as a sudden job loss or the closing of a retail store.

Post-Purchase Evaluation-Cognitive Dissonance:

The final stage is the post-purchase evaluation of the decision. It is common for customers to experience concerns after making a purchase decision. This arises from a concept that is known as “cognitive dissonance”. The customer, having bought a product, may feel that an alternative would have been preferable. In these circumstances that customer will not repurchase immediately, but is likely to switch brands next time.

To manage the post-purchase stage, it is the job of the marketing team to persuade the potential customer that the product will satisfy his or her needs. Then after having made a purchase, the customer should be encouraged that he or she has made the right decision.

To find information about our research, I have conducted two methods to collect information.

• Primary Data
• Secondary Data

Primary Data:

On 3^rd February 2017, an instant survey was carried out among 15 English of Academic Purpose (EAP), three students were female and twelve students were male. The purpose of the survey was to discover the view of the students on a number of matters of personal concern.

Secondary Data:

To collect secondary data, I have relied on Internet, articles, and web sites. Secondary data basically supported our secondary data analysis. Since, our overall findings are totally resulted from our primary data, secondary data have hardly impact on it.

The survey was conducted by means of a questionnaire given to the students to complete. There were four different types of category. The categories are- Needs, Information Search, Evaluation of alternatives/personal reasons, Post-Purchase Evaluation. Under these categories there were 39 questions. The first category covered “Needs” in these section students had showed their willingness to study in Australia. Maximum number of students have chosen Australia to obtain higher degree is very important, which is 13 students, and only 2 students choose it is important. The next question was gain international experience in their area of study; among 15 students 15 students said it’s vary important and important to get a degree from Australia which will help them to boost up their career. Around 60% students think that to gain residence ship and citizenship is very important and important. Rest of the 40% students believes that it is not important to get residence and citizenship. 15 students have come from different country to make their life style better because Australia standard of living is very high. Among these 15 students 11 students said it is very important to get better standard life style. On the other hand, maximum number of international students has come to earn sum of money. After completion of their main program, 100% students want to get better employment opportunity if they have to return their home country. Moreover, 12 out of 15 students said it is very important to develop English language skill in a foreign country.

The next category is information search. In this section students have researched on universities before came to Australia from different source. Family and friends are the main source to get information about study in foreign country. Among 15 students most of the students said it is very important and important trustworthy source to get exact information about university and country selection process. Advertisements on the Internet and Education portal were the most popular information search; chosen by 9 and 8 students and they said it is important. Sometimes students relied on Agents and Education fairs to choose their universities and subjects to study in Australia. 6 and 8 out of 15 students said agents are very important and important to choose universities and subjects.  Around 50% of students think that Ex-students from IIBIT is important to get information about this university. On the other hand, 6 out of 15 students said that it is not important to get help from Ex-students.

On third category students have some personal reasons to choose this university. Initially, they were looking for the cost of program as well as scholarships. Approximately, 50% students said that it is very important to get scholarship and low cost for their program, and its important chosen by 50% students. This university gives opportunity to pay tuition fees in installment that is why student have chosen this university. To survive in Australia every student has to work in part-time job. Students think that if they study in IIBIT, they can pass the course easily and have part-time job opportunity. Sometimes the location of university is very important to study in Sydney. They can access to the central easily from anywhere in Sydney.  The quality of teacher and campus facility, such as library, classroom, canteen, and lab, is very important for a proper university. Maximum number of students said that these things are very important to get proper knowledge.

On the forth category, EAP students have to analysis the post purchase evaluation. Cost of program is higher than expected, because when students came to IIBIT they did not get actual facilities from this university. Every semester, they have to pay huge amount of money to study in this university that is why they need flexibility to pay their tuition fees. 12 students out 15, to pay tuition fees are higher than expected and as expected. On the other hand, around 11 students said that as expected they can pass the course easily at IIBIT. After evaluation, number of 10 students said that the quality of teacher is higher than expected.

Australia is one of the world’s most exciting countries. It has a good reputation in the world for its best quality education. The quality of Australia education is much better than that of other countries. Australia is one of the most popular destinations for international students among three English-speaking countries. USA and Canada is also better place to study. Students have to provide GMAT score to get admission in the best Universities is USA and Canada universities requirement is very higher than Australia. Many international students like to study in Australia for multicultural, good environment and exciting cities and so on. Australia considers its cultural diversity one of its greatest strengths. Australia’s standard of living is almost highest in the world. Living expenses is considerably lower in Australia.

#Why students IIBIT with Fed-Uni and why not any other university?

We have researched on four universities namely Federation University, Central Queensland University, Deaken University and University of Western Sydney. After analysing these universities, students have decided to study at Federation University, IIBIT Sydney.

1. It has seven campuses. Students can chose any cosmopolitan cities.
2. Fed-Uni offer their programs at IIBIT in Sydney and Adelaide.
3. Federation University at IIBIT tuition fees is very low and affordable compared to other universities.
4. The three-term semester in one-year option enables student to finish their degree earlier.
5. IIBIT provides small class size and give individual attention to weak students.
6. The various programs offered at IIBIT in partnership with the Federation University.

One of the major decisions we have to do in life is deciding where we want to go for university. Not only will be attached to it for at least three years, but it could also change in our life altogether. While there are instances when we will need to transfer, it would be very costly to change universities, not to mention the tedious procedure that you will have to go through.

We have three more important points to know in our life they are tuition fees,

Price/scholarships and at last meeting requirements. Also, the English language requirement for entering university was easier at IIBIT – as the entry requirement is IELTS 6.0 (overall band score) not 6.0 for each skill of Reading, Writing, Listening & Speaking. This would save the students time and money to achieve a higher English level in the IELTS exam i.e. scores would have to be higher at 6.5; so many of the students undertake a ‘direct entry’ package, that is, they undertake 10 weeks of student in an Academic English course.

When questioned about the ‘agent’ there were many students influenced by the information about ‘scholarships’ offered by IIBIT – through the agent.

As IIBIT are offering Federation University – the university price seemed very high; however, IIBIT agents offered scholarships – which critically influenced the decision.

Of 15 students 8 students took up the offer of scholarship. The largest scholarship was up to $9K and 10K for a Bachelor degree. Interestingly some students from the same countries did not know about the scholarship. Scholarships were also offered to Master degree students – the savings were quite significant, and it was the most critical factor in deciding the choice of college and university.

Also, in one case, the student accepted IIBIT then after submitting his paperwork – he then was given an offer of a scholarship of significant value.

Many students cited the fact that to gain a student visa that choosing a ‘college’ with a university ‘package’ was important, because, if the student applied only for a college – they felt that they would not successfully receive a student visa; therefore, choosing a college with the university (as one campus – not two different campuses and companies, there was less threat to be rejected for student visa.

Another factor was the reputation of the institution – and how the reputation affected gaining a student visa. One student cited the example of another college-university (Torrens University) as being new and not ‘rating’ as a high level to guarantee a student visa, even it was cheaper, so the student chose a more secure choice of IIBIT.

As marketing executive officers at IIBIT, we will provide many facilities to our prospective students who want to study at IIBIT. As we know that IIBIT is affiliated with Federation University, Australia. Students will get university equivalent certificate after completion of their Bachelor or Masters degree. If they study at IIBIT, they will pass the course easily. Even they can do part-time job regularly. On the other hand, studying at first level university, such as UTS, University of Sydney, Macquarie etc. They have to focus only on study to finish the degree. For example, few universities like CQ University, they do not teach students individually because most of the students come from different countries. Sometimes they do not understand the course framework. Another reason is that English proficiency, IELTS, PTE, is the main factor to get chance into university. Maximum numbers of university require IELTS 6.5 or 7 to get admission. Only few universities, such as IIBIT- Federation University, Australia, CQ University, CSU, require 6 in IELTS to get chance in Bachelor and Master’s Program. Sometimes they offer English language course for lower IELTS or PTE score students. At IIBIT we have good quality of teacher who will teach you in small class size. As we can say that IIBIT is the only university will give you proper knowledge and guidance to get full-time job after completing on the main course.